I must confess to not being particularly organised. It really isn’t my strong point, but although this occasionally annoys me, it does actually have its advantages. How can that possibly be, you say? Surely it must mean that you forget things, lose important documents and get stressed? Well, here are some of the benefits of being disorganised – they are there, if you can find them …
Oddly enough, if you tend to live in a messy environment, you usually know where things are, and have no trouble finding them straight away. Perhaps we have a kind of mental map to keep track of things. The problems start when you try to organise things physically, and then you have no idea where anything is.
If you’re a disorganised person, you’re automatically excused from arranging events like family parties, or booking holidays. Nobody expects you to organise anything because they think that you are incapable. This could be seen as insulting, but is actually a pretty good way of getting out of making any effort.
As anyone with children will know, as soon as you tidy up the house looks like a bombsite straight away. So why waste time sorting things out only for them to get messy again? It’s just creating more work for yourself. If the family can’t be bothered to tidy up their own mess, leave things the way they are and use your time more enjoyably.
If you’re not naturally an organised person, trying to cultivate a new mindset takes up a lot of time – never mind actually sticking to it. There’s something to be said for just running with the way you are. Being disorganised frees your time for more interesting pursuits and means you don’t spend all your time trying to keep everything organised.
Being disorganised can have some surprising benefits. For starters, it can help to free up your time for more interesting pursuits. When you don’t have to spend all your time trying to keep everything organised, you can focus on pursuing the things that make you happy.
Another benefit of being disorganised is that it can help to reduce stress. When you’re not constantly trying to keep everything in order, you can relax and enjoy life a little more. This can help to reduce anxiety and help you to be more productive and creative.
Being disorganised can also help to foster creativity. When you’re not bound by a strict routine or a set of rules, you can be more free to explore different ideas and come up with unique solutions. This can help to boost your creativity and give you a better understanding of the world around you.
Finally, being disorganised can help you to develop a more open-minded attitude. When you’re not stuck in a rut of doing things the same way, you can be more open to new ideas and experiences. This can help to broaden your horizons and make you more open to change.
Even those of us who are rather disorganised seem to muddle through life fairly well. If you try to be too organised it can actually be quite stressful trying to maintain such an outlook and situation. Spend less time worrying about your disorganised house, mind or life, and you’ll feel far less stressed
Sometimes embracing a bit of chaos allows for serendipitous moments and creative bursts that a rigid schedule might stifle. Remember, there's a fine line between being disorganised and being flexible. The latter often leads to a more relaxed state of mind, aiding in better sleep and overall wellness. So, the next time your desk is a tad cluttered or your plans not quite ironclad, take a deep breath and let go of the need for perfection. It's about finding balance and allowing yourself the freedom to live in the moment.
There is one rather odd benefit to being disorganised. It means that you have to look for things – but strange as it may seem, although you may not find exactly what you were looking for, you invariably locate something that you were looking for before. So just keep looking for something else and you will inevitably find everything that you want – without having to be organised.
This treasure hunt approach to locating your belongings can be surprisingly rewarding. Granted, it may not be the most efficient strategy for everyone, but there's a quirky joy in stumbling upon a long-lost item while rooting around for something else. It's like your own personal time capsule, offering you a glimpse into past priorities and interests (that cookbook from last year's health kick, anyone?). And let’s be honest, there’s a certain charm in these little episodes of serendipity that the hyper-organized seldom experience.
If you get too caught up in trying to be organised, especially if it is not something that comes naturally to you, you risk being caught up in the future. This is because you are concentrating on something that hasn’t happened yet (say a wedding). Just think how obsessed some people get with making their day perfect. Being less organised allows you to get on with life as you live it.
As far as being (dis)organised goes, there are people at both ends of the spectrum – and everywhere inbetween. Where do you lie – do you have perfect closets and micromanage your day, are you completely disorganised, or do you have aspects of both traits?
Top Photo Credit: .pst