The Amazing Race to Organization

I'm a big fan of the TV show The Amazing Race! I love to travel, so I really enjoy seeing their destinations. Some I've visited in the past so it's good to see them again. Some are "on my list" to see at some point in the future. Of equal interest to me is the interaction between teammates. There are friends, siblings, couples (married, engaged, dating) and parents & children. Some fight the whole time. Others have one person who is very antagonistic toward the other. Some are laid back. I love to watch how they tackle the different tasks.

"Fascinating, Janice. But does this have something to do with organizing?" Why yes, it does. I'm so glad you asked! Whenever you share a space, you can either work with or against others to bring and maintain organization in the space.

Here are six keys to finishing The Amazing Race that also apply to organizing a common space.

1. Define the goal: The challenge in a recent episode of The Amazing Race was for each team of two to paddle an awkward, awkward boat to a specified point, then back to shore. The goal was very clear. It would either be accomplished or not. Now not all goals are so clear cut but it doesn't mean you can avoid goal-setting. In a shared office space, maybe the goal is to have all papers stored appropriately, meaning not on the floor or in piles on a desk. It'll be pretty clear whether or not the goal is being met. There are all sorts of ways to store papers. How to store them may not be part of the goal. Instead, how not to store them is what is critical.
2. Communicate effectively: In the same boat challenge one man was yelling at the woman who was his teammate. The woman was begging him to stop yelling but he didn't. As you can imagine, it took them a long time to reach the specified point. If they could have communicated without anger and with more clarity, they would have finished the challenge much quicker. Effective communication in a work situation might be asking "what does being organized look like to you?" Everyone's idea of "what organized looks like" is different. Finding out up front can help the conversation move in a more positive direction.
3. Work together: This season, one team is an older couple who has been together for 50 years and who run a farm. They have learned to work together! It is clear that they know the strengths and weaknesses of the other and use this knowledge to their advantage. A department at work must also learn how to work together. If each person works on tasks based on their skill set, the project will run smoother.
4. Make a decision: If you stay in limbo, you don't move forward. On the race, one participant left her clue behind when she went to do her task. She stayed where she was hoping that she would see other people from the race and therefore get information about what to do next. Unfortunately by the time she realized that strategy wasn't working, she and her teammate were way behind the other participants and were eliminated. At the office, if you are setting up a new filing system there are many decisions to make: folder-type, color-coding, labeling, indexing, categorizing, etc. But if at some point you don't make a decision and start, you'll be left with the paper piles and disorder. On the other hand, if you start one way and find it isn't functional, you can change your mind and the file system.
5. Be consistent: The older couple this season doesn't have some of the skills of the other teams, but they have been consistent. They've worked together and communicated well. They haven't given up even when they appeared to hit a roadblock. Their consistency has keep them in the race. To keep your office organized, you have to be consistent and practice maintenance. There is always something new coming into the space whether it is office supplies, papers, books, tasks, emails, etc. If you don't process them in some way, they will stack up and overwhelm you.
6. It's not about the stuff: Each racer has one backpack for whole adventure. And they don't have money to buy "it" if "it" isn't in the backpack. People in many of the cultures the racers visit have very few material possession and yet are very happy. In an office, we often think it's about the stuff. We need the right office supplies and the latest equipment. We also need to have lots of whatever supplies we use because we are afraid to run out. Organizing isn't all about quantity, containers or shelving! You need to have the tools you use on a regular basis stored in a way that is functional to all who utilize it. That's all.

While these examples are in an office setting, the same principles hold true in a residential setting: couples, families with children, etc.

Bet you didn't know The Amazing Race could help you get organized!

If you need help organizing a shared office or residential space, don't hesitate to contact Minding Your Matters®. Sometimes an objective person is the best tactic to move an organizing project forward.