Published on We Are The City on 11 March 2012
Every time I prepare for a talk on Time Management I face the same face expressions. Women you are fully prepared for another lecture on how they have to ‘get organised’ & manage it all by themselves because every time manager would advise so and because we live under the influence of media – the request for you to ‘get organised’ is written all over the wall & you just ought to do so as it’s becoming a norm in general.
Well, I’ve got some news for you! You don’t have to get organised – instead you should get clever & open to new ways. You might think at this stage… ‘And this comes from a time manager?’
‘Getting’ organised will not bring you success.
Focusing on your strengths will.
What about your weaknesses? Well, I say – delegate!
To suddenly get organised is a big mislead and it’s misused by so many time coaches and magazines. First of all, to get organised is a long process. If you are not already organised, you most probably won’t become so easily.
Secondly, there is never a list of ‘Top 10 steps to get organised’ that will work because we are all different, so what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. So how can anyone write a list that will bring you further in your every day life with your ups and downs. Add lack of time and motivation to it and voila – they have put you up for a ‘failure’.
To ‘be organised’ requires a) organisational skill & b) discipline.
Organisational skill is not rocket science neither is it any better than a creative skill or trading skill you might use that brings you success. It is just a different skill that you might not have like I don’t have mathematical skills. So for anyone to become organised, I say the chances are low.
Unless, of course, you want to shift your focus from your strength to work on your weakness. But I would simply call that ‘self sabotage’.
It’s the same problem as if I’d have been asked to become disorganised. Even though I am creative and full on in life, I will certainly fail in becoming something I am naturally not.
So no, you are not lazy, you are not failing if you ditch your ‘to do list’ for a weekend with your family and friends or have a fabulous life in the office but your house is a complete mess.
Now let’s get to discipline. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you failing in this. That’s the most natural response to life I’ve known. Some people have discipline because they were trained since early age. Ask most people if they enjoy it and I give you £5 if you prove that I’m wrong after the person passes a psychological assessment. They might enjoy the result (monetary or other rewards but to love discipline as a way of living is another matter).
I am the first one to say it’s not enjoyable. It might help me in many ways (like using it as it is my strength and I started a business doing exactly this for other people) but it also stands in my way for the majority of my time. I find it difficult to rest and to enjoy the moment (so I get help there with my assistants who book holidays or a life coach who helps me keep the balance etc). The only reason why I am very good at discipline and therefore triple organised is because I was trained since young age, having had a very dedicated career as a musical performer (music and dance).
If anyone ever says to me it is possible to get to like discipline, I would simply shoot back asking if their children ever got to love homework! Yeah, right.
And so again, you are not failing if you start to de-clutter your house and don’t finish it off the next morning. Or if your resolution to become more organised fades out within a month. You are not alone & nothing is wrong with you.
Yet something is still wrong with the picture of being disorganised. It’s the fact that you are not feeling in control and satisfied. It bothers you & you don’t feel on top of things.
So what can you do about it?
Change the action that didn’t work until now (becoming miraculously organised if you are naturally not or inventing 40 hrs in a day if your problem is lack of time) and try a different approach.
Same actions bring same results, that’s old news so why are you behind and not doing yourself a favour?
If you are forward thinking, an achiever, modern & savvy; person who understands that taking realistically practical steps will lead you to your goals while you feel great about your journey then by now you are already adding 2+2. Right?
Delegate your weaknesses & focus on your strengths.
Weather this is making money & building a career while someone else is opening your mail, paying bills and waiting for a plumber, or being a better mum spending your free time with the kids while someone trusted and motivated is de-cluttering your home, or you need your business to flourish but there are too many hats to wear so instead of burning out and losing out you get a PA that you pay as you go.
Managing a life or a small business is not much different from running a company like Apple, just as a valid example (and having read the mind-blowing biography of Steve).
Great managers focus on their contribution to the bigger picture & delegate their weaknesses to other experts. That doesn’t mean they don’t have control. Quite the opposite. Micro managers who want to do everything by themselves end no where. if you don’t trust me, read for yourself.
So if you are one of the achievers, then the only thing you really owe to yourself and to your success (whether in your private or business life) is to take action that will work and by doing that allow yourself to try different ways. Get your priorities right, do what it’s important, delegate what you can’t handle alone and only then you will get back in control.
We at ‘duda does’ are just part of a support. Whether in advice, doing things you dislike or don’t have time for or just simply to introduce new way to life. NewYorkers are doing it for decades, why aren’t we?
Duda Jadrijevic – email her here
About the Author:
I run “duda does” – a Private Life organising business for time starved Londoner with a focus on female entrepreneurs & Teacup Ltd supporting businesses (from small city businesses to big global companies) with Admin and Research ad hoc support.
I started my first business end of 2009 and started my 2nd business in January 2012. I am also involved in supporting female entrepreneurs with my personal inspirational story and drive as seen here
We are interested in making female career driven women aware of help that they deserve plus connecting with like minded entrepreneurs. – Access their pages here