Embrace Your Uniqueness

Organization (like many things in life) might not be what you think. There are some crazy myths out there about organizing. You might recognize some of them: plain manila folders, plastic baskets, green hanging file folders, color coding, label makers….. blah blah blah. Booooooring. The truth is, your home office and the way it’s organized can be whatever you want it to be.

When I became an organizer (professionally) three years ago, I felt woefully inadequate. There are some masters of organization out there, and for some reason, I felt like I had to “measure up” and be just like them (anyone know what I’m talking about?). I got some wonderful advice from a friend; she said, “You don’t have to be ‘uber-organizer’, just be who you are.” This was some great advice from someone I greatly respected. It was a turning point for me in the work I do.

Maybe you’ve felt the same way? You look at lifestyle magazine spread and think, “I could never be that organized.” (Reality check: you probably don’t have three assistants either.) You might hate working in your home office and play a mental guilt trip in your head about it every morning. Say it with me: energy vampire. Whatever your intentions were when you decided you were going to work from home, I bet it wasn’t because you wanted to give yourself a guilt trip everyday, right? Yuck, nobody wants that.

What “Organized” Really Means For You

If your home office isn’t a catalyst to help you go out and change your corner of the world, it might be time for an internal shift about what “organized” means for you. It’s time to embrace who you are, and work with it. So, let’s get one thing straight: “organized” means you can find most anything you need in 5 minutes or less. That’s it. What “organized” physically looks like is different for everyone. Cool, huh? Use whatever you need to make that happen. If that means you need to hang 10 baskets above your desk on the wall to “see” everything, use index cards for your to do list, or hang a hook above your doorknob so you don’t forget your keys, then do that. If you need beautiful surroundings, pictures of your family and loved ones to feel motivated and inspired in your home office, do that. Also, organization products don’t always have to come from an office supply store. They can come from an antique shop, garage sale, garden shed or your kindergartener’s art project.

Embrace who you are and use what works for you in your home office. You have to work there, so make it your own. You are unique, and your home office should reflect who you are, and help you with the important work you have to do in this life.

Write Your Own Story & Sing Your Own Song

I wanted to share this video with you. It is about a female violinist named Miri Ben-Ari (saw her on The Big Idea last night). You might think of the violin in a classical music, Mozart, formal gown and symphony hall kinda way. Not this gal; she’s a Hip Hop Violinist.  (Say what?)  This is her story, and how she embraced her uniqueness and made it work for her.  (I especially like her quote at the end. )  You go, girl!