Is your office in chaos?

Posted on December 7th, 2008

A great article on the BBC website: "The Brilliance of Creative Chaos" –

Are we able to think clearly when surrounded by mess
because chaos is inherent in all our minds,
even those of the great writers and thinkers, asks Clive James.

You might know someone – or, you are the someone – whose office/desk is piled to the rafters with papers and pens and folders and newspapers etc etc etc and yet they know where EVERYTHING is. If you touch one item on their desk, they know it. And, they don't like it!

It's my experience – as a Professional Organizer and as a Life Coach – that some of us really (really) NEED our environments to be chaotic.  If someone's mind is very organized and able to think very sequential, I've found that they are much more comfortable having their office space messy.

If the person's mind is very UNorganized with thoughts flying all over the place (like mine!), they need their office space to be neat and organized.

There seems to be a balance required, and each type gets somewhat-to-moderately-to-extremely distressed if that balance is messed with.

So, if your style works for you and someone casts aspersions at the mile-high piles on your desktop, cast those aspersions right back at their chaotic mind and relax! 

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