It's true what they say: clutter breeds clutter. There are so many of us who dream of running a less chaotic household or struggle to remember what ouroffice desk looks like. We crave order, yet at the same time resist due to the negative connotations attached to being perfectly organized.
There are many who believe being perfectly organized is like believing in unicorns: it's just not going to happen. There are also misconceptions that being "organized" means being a control freak or a neat freak. That if you prefer to organize the food in your fridge a specific way, you're not being efficient, you're being OCD. That you're not truly enjoying your life because you're focusing on mundane details you "shouldn't" consider important.
I'm here to say that's a huge pile of crap! As someone who's gone from chaotic and spontaneous to organized and efficient, there are so many benefits to the latter this topic could be turned into a self-help book. The top three benefits of being perfectly organized are:
Not being in a permanent state of "catch-up" decreases your stress level by 10,000 percent and increases your self-esteem by the same amount.
You're able to work less and accomplish more.
You always know where your keys are!
By being perfectly organized, you're respecting your most valuable commodity: time. It helps you accomplish all you set out to, both professionally and personally. It gives you the freedom to be exactly who you are and live a life of minimal stress, not to mention how much more enjoyable the present moment becomes.
If you'd like to feel this way too, here are 12 habits of perfectly organized people I've observed, read about, and am currently attempting to execute:
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1. They know who they want to be.
Perfectly organized people have an exact definition of how they want their life to be – from how they want their home to look, to how they want to dress, to how they spend their time – which makes it a lot easier to set goals and feel a sense of accomplishment.
2. They know how to say, "No."
Because they know exactly what they want, it's easier for them to say, "No": when they're offered a work project or invited to a social gathering that doesn't advance their lifestyle in some way, they're able to decline with confidence and aren't easily swayed by societal pressure.
3. They're mindful shoppers.
Just because something's on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. Perfectly organized people always ask themselves, "Do I really need this?" before every purchase. Not only does this help keep your budget intact, it pushes you away from using instant gratification as a tool to cope with rough patches.
4. They've let go of their perfectionism.
If you try to do everything perfectly, it goes without saying you'll feel like a constant disappointment. Perfectly organized people channel their perfectionist tendencies into their most important tasks – work assignments, remodeling their home, exercising – and with tasks that aren't a priority, they do what they have to do to get the job done.