I’ve worked quite a bit over the years at become better organized. This process has mostly involved drawing on lessons from my reading to form my own personalized organizing philosophy. These days, I’m feeling pretty… well, organized… and so I thought I would highlight a few of the more important bits of wisdom I've accumulated over the years on this space.
But before I get into that, I want to talk about time. Specifically, how much time should I spend organizing? It’s tricky because I could spend all day organizing if my heart so desired (editor's note: it doesn't, but bear with us). Surely, there is an optimal amount of time I could spend organizing but, despite all the reading I’ve done, I’ve yet to come across a recommendation for a daily standard.
Recently, I realized one answer to this question could have snuck past my otherwise watchful eye. Daily Rituals – a book detailing the various routines of artists and creators throughout history – included a blurb about Benjamin Franklin’s personal schedule. At the end of his highly productive day was a two-hour block dedicated to ‘putting things in their places’ (1).
Wait…
Two f’ing hours?!? I got better things to do than spend two hours putting away chopsticks, opening my mail, and hanging up my clothing, right? But if it was good enough for Ben Franklin, one of our nation’s greatest thinkers, surely it is good enough for me? I suppose I should compromise and admit that, at the very least, his routine indicates that everyone should devote some time every day for the mundane task of Putting Things In Their Places.
Now, modern reader, unlike Mr. Franklin we do have some good alternatives for how we spend time (we can watch The Bachelor, for example, and we should). I don't want to spend the entire night ‘organizing’ by moving everything I own three feet to the left. But I am going to apply his idea in a limited way, just to see how it goes. Can’t hurt, right?
For now, I’ll start by scheduling some time at the end of certain activities strictly for ‘putting things in their places’. I suspect this will lead to some unexpected insights with my routine. Just like those who cannot afford the tip will not buy the meal, I wonder if considering the clean-up and organizing steps as part of the activity will help me make better decisions about what activities to start in the first place. I’ll keep you posted, reader.
Footnotes / the editor is here?
1. Let’s put Tim in his place
Editor’s note: the actual phrase Franklin used is 'put things in their places'.
He also includes 'supper, music, or diversion, or conversation; examination of the day' in the same section and devotes four hours total to the space instead of just two. As long time readers around here will know, Tim’s ability to recall quotes from memory is, shall we say, a little disorganized.
Those interested can follow this link to another blog post that examines Franklin's daily schedule.
