Remove clutter and create an organized environment

by Barbara Hemphill

Individuals and organizations are constantly looking for ways to be more successful. Bookstores are filled with self-help books on how to improve our self image, financial well-being, physical fitness, and relationships with family and friends. 

At the same time current research shows:

• job and life satisfaction are at an all-time low;
• personal indebtedness is at an all-time high;
• we are more overweight and out-of-shape than ever;
• divorce rates continue to increase; and
• we are spending more time in therapist’s office than ever before.

Corporations spend billions of dollars annually on training in time management and productivity, teamwork and communication, customer service and satisfaction, but studies indicate that:

• employees are feeling more pressed for time than ever, and continue to arrive late for meetings;
• only 20 percent of projects untaken are ever completed, and many are late and over budget;
• work often comes to a complete halt when key people are not available to provide the information needed;
• customers are continually frustrated by the voice mail maze; and,
• customer service is the exception rather than the rule.

What happened?
In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell points out that little changes often produce big results. One of the major factors in eliminating crime in New York City was cleaning up the subways, getting the window washers off the street, and fixing broken windows. As a result,

• the graffiti artists knew their work would be erased, so they stopped;
• the absence of graffiti made the subways more pleasant to use and conveyed a more orderly environment;
• turnstile charges that were actually paid increased revenue and created a sense of order and accountability;
• the elimination of the window washers who cleaned car windows expecting to get paid by hapless drivers created a sense of safety;
• crime dropped dramatically in all areas.

Progress often eludes us because we think that the changes we have to make must be huge and will take a long time. Tipping point issues are those that go beyond symptoms. They touch foundation causes and conditions in a way that transform problems into opportunities, and ultimately, into unprecedented success. Had those changes not happened in New York, the scene on Sept. 11, and the weeks to follow, might have been significantly different.

After spending over 20 years helping people and organizations to reach their goals and enjoy their lives, I’ve proven over and over again that doing little things can produce enormous results. By removing clutter and creating an organized environment, you can immediately give yourself and your business the opportunity to be more successful.

Here are five tips to help you get started:

Many times individuals and organizations take a stab at “getting organized.” They clean off their desk, clean out files and empty storage rooms. But months later, the problem returns, and so does their discouragement and disenchantment about the value of organizing. In order to create sustainable success, organization must become a way of life. The good news is that it doesn’t mean adhering to those old, unworkable adages such as, “handle a piece of paper only once,” or “a place for everything and everything in its place.”  Let’s face it – business and life often bring clutter. The important question: “How quickly can you recover?

Remember: Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile – and tomorrow’s pile marks the end of your competitive advantage.

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