Failure! How to Learn from My Organization Disaster

This post is not really about organization – it’s about failure. How we fail, how we feel about the failure, and how we learn from it. Maybe even how it makes us better.

A Personal Failure

I admit it – I have failed in my attempt to keep up with organization. My home office is a disastrous mess and I can’t find anything! I know my marriage certificate is in there somewhere. Also the title for my car, and the thank you note I wrote to my cousin months ago.

In most aspects of my life I do really well with organization – I’m an executive assistant, after all. But this particular organizational failure developed slowly.

At one point, long ago, this room was clean and tidy. All my papers were sorted and filed in appropriate folders. The floors were clear and I could see the baseboards. The mini blinds were still in working order. I had dealt with all the mail.

I know there are literally thousands of tips and methods and blog posts and articles out there on organization. I’ve written some of them. Just the fact that there are so many, points up how prevalent this problem is. I know I’m not alone.

But when I’m standing there in my office doorway, trying to decide which pile to look through first, I feel alone. I feel defeated and sad. And overwhelmed. It’s a very personal failure.

But We’re Not Alone

Even though I often feel alone, I know I’m not. Like I said, organizational failure is everywhere. Almost everyone I know has (or had!) a secret junk drawer, cupboard, attic, room! And when you think about it, that’s very comforting. If I just need to vent my organizational frustration, I know a neighbor, friend, or family member will understand.

There’s Always a Reason

I know why it happened. Organizational failure – or any failure – doesn’t just spring into being all by itself. There’s always a reason. Too busy, too tired, too late. Or maybe it’s just one of those seasons of life. We only have so much time and energy – physical and emotional – to go around. We make choices.

Forgiveness

And you know what? That’s ok. There are very few times in life that an organizational failure is seriously serious. Ok, so it takes longer to find the car title. I have to take more time to rewrite that thank you note to my cousin. Not earth shattering, just time consuming. Like you’ve heard 100 times, forgiving yourself for the failure is the first step. And I’m here to agree. It is.

One day I stood in that doorway and applauded myself for the choices I’d made. My messy office became the symbol of the things I’d had to give up so I could do the things – and be with the people – that really mattered.

I forgave myself for my failure to organize.

Know Thyself

At some point, we become ready to tackle those organizational failures. After I forgave myself, I realized that there were not only external reasons for my mess, there were also internal ones. I took a good look at myself and found some personality traits that were, shall we say, “contributing.”

For instance, I’m sort of an all or nothing kind of gal. I’d really rather have a particular place for everything. But if there is no particular place, I don’t care where the heck it goes! Once I realized how that concept contributed to my failure to organize, I created some alternatives. An intermediate place to put the mail, for instance.

Failure Becomes Opportunity

Here’s another mindset change. Once you’re ready to deal with the failure, it becomes an opportunity. An opportunity to learn more about the problem, about your environment, and about yourself. An opportunity to make positive changes in your life.

And it doesn’t have to add to the overwhelm. Small steps get the job done just as well as a sudden sweeping change. (My small step is to see a little bit more of my desk every day!) Remind yourself of that opportunity mindset as you make changes, take breaks, and make more changes.

Success

And even just having that mindset is success! As I’ve gotten older, my definitions of failure and success have changed. It’s not having a perfectly organized home office that is my measure of success anymore. It’s the ability to understand, forgive, and make small changes. To do little things that make me happy.

To choose the things that are most important.

We all have failures – and we can all have successes! I hope that when you’re dealing with failure too, these ideas can help a little.

I’d love to hear how you’ve turned failures into successes – send over a Comment below. Thanks so much for being here!