Basketball Boundaries

Having watched 11 basketball games in four day (I was at the ACC Basketball Tournament), I realized how a basketball court directly relates to a crucial organizing principle: BOUNDARIES.

The court itself is a physical boundary, both horizontally and vertically. If a player steps outside that boundary with the ball in their hands, the other team gets possession of the ball. If a player has the ball on their half of the court and it goes back across the midcourt line due to an action from someone on their own team, the other team gets possession of the ball. Vertical boundaries include goaltending (defensive player touches the ball during the downward flight of the ball on its way to the basket) which results in points whether or not the basket was made or when the ball goes over the backboard (and touches the back of the backboard) which results in the other team getting possession.

Now I have simplified these rules. But the important point is that there are boundaries in basketball and there are consequences if the boundaries are violated.

In organizing there are boundaries, both physical and time related. Let's take an office. Whether it is a cubicle or stand-alone room, the office itself is a boundary as is the desk, the bookshelf and any other furniture. You can violate these boundaries by double or triple stacking items or putting items on all available flat surfaces. But there are consequences to violating the boundaries: shelves may bow, drawers may break or you may not be able to find that very important report that you need to turn in right now.

What can you do to avoid boundary violations in the office?

• One in-one out rule on your bookshelf. But if your shelves are already overflowing, practice one in-two out.
• Institute a "sacred workspace" on top of your desk that can only be used for the task or project you are working on right now (not "were" and not "going to")
• Establish a method for processing incoming data whether via paper, email, voicemail, internet, etc.
• Create a system for filing all reference papers.
• Guard your boundaries!

The BOUNDARY principle applies to organizing space in the home or time and tasks in your calendar. If you want more information regarding critical organizing principles, visit our Stuff-flow website. If you find the basketball analogy helpful, you may enjoy related blog entries: Bracketology & Organizing and March Madness Organizing.