Personality Types And Organizing Styles
So much organizing advice revolves around lists. Make a list. Do the things on your list. Cross off the things on your list. But lists don’t work for everyone.
Almost all of the research on personality theory divides people into four different types. Generally, we are all made up of elements of every type, but different people have different strengths, different ways of operating. Clarity Jane uses Personality Dimensions® as our personality theory tool, but there are many different valid and useful ones out there (you may have heard of True Colors® or MBTI®). Generally, whichever tool or book or theory you use, you’ll find that there’s a traditional/organized/responsible type, an artistic/social/empathetic type, an intellectual/inquiring/rational type, and a risk-taking/dynamic/action-oriented type.
Checklists, obviously, do work for some people. If you tend to be naturally organized anyway, lists may well work for you. Most organizers belong to this category, which is why they recommend lists to others. This responsible type of person usually does well with a dayplanner of some sort (paper or electronic), lists and routines.
For a more social and artistic type of person, lists may well go out the window as soon as they’re made. If your creative and social tendencies don’t fit well with the list world, what you need is accountability. Many people in creative professions belong to this group. This unique and empathetic type of person tends to do well with social connections, and will live up to commitments made to others more readily than commitments made to a piece of paper.
For some people, the list or the job needs to have meaning. If you need to know why something needs doing before you’ll do it, “because it’s on the list” probably isn’t a good enough answer for you. People who enjoy research and analysis will almost always belong to this group. This inquiring type of person needs to understand why something is necessary before it will get done—everything needs a reason, a purpose, or it just won’t happen.
Finally, the risk-takers of the world get bored easily. If the nitty-gritty bogs you down and routine and repetition drive you crazy, sticking to a list is going to have limited appeal. Entrepreneurs and gamblers represent this category. This action-oriented type of person should break projects up into small short-energy-burst jobs and multi-task, and then reward success with a treat.
One thing I’ve learned is that trying to force yourself to behave in ways that aren’t natural to you nearly always ends in frustration and failure. Accept your personality type and work with it.
