Have you ever thought about how you move through your day? Are you organized to a point where every task is impeccably timed, and you can check off the items as you accomplish them? Or do you find yourself in a more loosely-structured environment that may look like chaos to others, but produces results nonetheless?

Notice what your tendencies are from day to day. Also notice how others around you are organized. Is your friend more like you? What about your family members? Often, we are attracted to others who are more like us. At times, however, there is an innate knowing that something may be lacking within our style. The Universe hears us . . . and sends us someone quite opposite to create a sense of balance in our life. There is no right or wrong answer, just simply notice what is.

I’m reminded of the age-old comedy, The Odd Couple, where one roommate was fastidiously clean and the other was, well . . . a slob. While it made for great comedy, it also provided us with a mirror to do a check-in on ourselves.

If you had to define yourself as either one type or the other, which would it be? Which one is your more “natural,” instinctive way of being? It’s not so important which style shows up for you; what’s more valuable is to simply recognize it.

Of course, there are pro’s and con’s to both styles of self-organization. Keeping to a “routine” allows you to get things accomplished, to check off the items on our lists. It provides uniformity and “safe space” – you know exactly what will happen at what time, and how long it should take to do it. However, what happens when the rest of the world doesn’t march to your drumbeat? Does the upset send you over the edge? And if you’re so busy getting through the tasks, how often do you get a chance to “stop and smell the roses?”

At the other end of the spectrum, having little or no planned structure usually translates into being more whimsical and “in the moment.” Everything seems just fine if it’s out of place or the box lid doesn’t quite close on its contents. You’ll get to that project sometime – but maybe not today; right now you want to sit in your garden and leisurely read a book. Often, this style is viewed as more chaotic and disorganized by those who prefer the more orderly approach. They conclude this type of person is surely wasting his/her time doing nothing!  And their projects just keep piling up! What you know, however, is that in this mode, you have room to breathe and room for surprises along the way!

Can you be structured and still be present in the day and enjoy your surroundings? Certainly.  And most likely, each of us is somewhere in the middle of this scale. There are some situations which call for structure, and some would deliver more delicious pleasures if allowed to flow more naturally.

Understanding how certain things benefit you will often help you become more comfortable with what you know about yourself. So think about how structure (or lack thereof) shows up in your daily life. How does it support you? And perhaps, in which areas does it not benefit you?

Being a stickler for promptness may ensure you get to a job interview with time to spare. It allows you freedom to relax and collect your thoughts before you meet your potential next employer. However, being so focused on “getting there” may shut out your internal sensitivity to how you feel about the potential job. Is it something you really want and why?

On the other hand, the more casual approach likely keeps you calm and less stressed and “floating” through the day. It probably does not support you when you have to rush, and therefore, you are likely late to your appointments.

Understand yourself and how you function in the world. It is a gift that will support you well once you recognize it. You may even find it is easier to break out of your “normal” style and adapt to the other style now and then!

Have a Golden Day!
Coach Darlene