Is disorganisation preventing you from acting on ideas and opportunities that you know would be valuable? Drop the excuses for being disorganised and watch your productivity soar!

Here are five classic excuses for being dis-organised, along with the dos and don’ts of overcoming them. Are you letting any of these hold you back?

1. I’m too busy

Sure, and do you think organised people aren’t?

Think of it like a driving holiday to a new destination. You prepare and pack everything you need, including a map. Packing takes an hour or so. It’s a four-hour drive. You follow the map, have a break, and arrive at your destination four hours or so later. Without the map how long would the journey take? Setting up the right organising systems may take time initially, but ultimately saves time by becoming a road map to achieving your goals.

Do schedule in small chunks of time to set up your initial systems.

2. I have all the equipment, but don’t have time to use it

I love colourful, well-designed containers and nifty organising tools as much as the next professional organiser, but the items themselves are not what will get you organised. ACTION will. At some stage you need to make a plan, commit to it and just do it! The containers, stationery, shelves and other storage options are the icing on the cake.

Don’t buy any more containers, furniture or stationery until you’ve de-cluttered and made a plan detailing exactly what you require.

3. Organised people are not creative

The human brain can contain seven major things at any one time. If you’re trying to remember twenty, you won’t have the energy or headspace to be creative.

Write it down, schedule it, file it away, but don’t clog your brain up with it. Get clarity and energy and see how creative you are!

Do drop the judgment and try it!

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4. It doesn’t affect anyone else

Are you often late? This affects others, and ultimately yourself, because people tire of consistent tardiness.

Do you feel stressed due to being disorganised? This affects the people around you.

Do you have children? As you know, they learn by example and take learnt habits with them through their lives. Are your habits the ones you want your children to have?

Do understand that your actions affect others and decide what you’d like to do about it.

5. It costs too much

Don’t buy a thing. In fact, if you’ve recently purchased stationery or storage items that you don’t yet have a use for, return them now. How much have you just saved?

Let’s be very clear – the process of getting organised is a set of actions taken BY YOU to de-clutter, sort and re-organise what you have. Often you don’t need to purchase extra containers because you’ll create empty ones or discover dual-purpose items during the de-cluttering phase.

Don’t buy organising tools without a plan. Simple!

Still drowning in dis-organisation? What’s your favourite excuse for being dis-organised?