Situational Disorganization vs. Chronic Disorganization
Situational disorganization is common for just about everyone. At some point, life happens and physical surroundings get scrambled. Think of moving households, for example. Boxes everywhere, things buried, temporarily lost. With a concentrated effort though, you get settled, and your new home becomes an oasis of comfort.
Yet, it’s another world for people who suffer from chronic disorganization. Are you chronically disorganized? Take a look at these three defining characteristics, as defined in Judith Kolberg’s e-booklet, What Every Professional Organizer Needs to Know About Chronic Disorganization, and decide for yourself.
- Disorganization has been with you for a long time, like a chronic health condition that persists. When I ask a client how long she’s been disorganized, she may say “as long as I can remember, all my life.” Her adult child might say, “Mom has always struggled with her papers.”
- Disorganization affects your quality of life. The stress of constantly hunting for lost or misplaced things is real, as well as the need to purchase something you have, but can’t find. High levels of dust or mold that accompany disorganized surroundings impact health. Other people that live with you complain about the disorganization, making friction in the relationship. You want to have a friend over, but because of disorganization, you don’t, and become isolated.
- You attempt to get organized, but get frustrated and quit. The desire to get organized is a form of self care. However, it’s not recommended that you do it by yourself. In fact, it may be the biggest part of why disorganization has persisted for you. Progress will be made with an objective person by your side, one that will neither be too easy or too hard on you.
For further consideration, take a look at these two questionnaires:
