Organization and planning for the artsy mind :-)

For some people, organization and planning come easily. It is like walking, breathing, seeing...well, you get my drift. For me, it has never been that way. Organization and planning go against everything that I am it seems. Last year I told someone that leadership, strategic planning, and those types of things just "weren't gifts God gave me." And yet, somehow it seems to always fall on me.
I hate failing! HATE IT HATE IT! So I try to be organized and write lists, but I lose them, or I go to write something down, and can't find a pencil and suddenly see something that needs to be done. For others like me (I've found that lots of artsy minds are this way and now I feel like less of a freak) I have come up with a list of things to do to somewhat counteract this messy, unplanned side of us.
1. Think BIG. If you tend to lose whatever you write things on, buy a nice big colorful notebook (usually run a couple dollars at the most.) If you get little tag things to go on each page for certain subjects it will make your life soooo much easier. My ideas and things tend to be all over the place and having a colorful notebook to hold everything helps. Find one that has a cool little folder built in the front to hold your scraps of paper and other lists too.
2. Be bright. I mean several things by this. Try to work/plan/organize in good light. If you have bad lighting you're messing up your eyes and your temperament (it's proven that the brighter it is the better your mood.) Open windows and work in the morning if you can function in the morning (hey, some of us can't.)
3. Cover up your problems. If you have issues with organization as far as craft supplies, try using nice shoe boxes (I covered the one I use for jewelry in magazine paper), and storage containers. I've also found that breaking things down into categories even more works for me, try using ziploc bags! I keep my thread in a ziploc bag and it's almost the only thing I never lose.
4. Make a list and check it twice. I may have a lot of lists, but I've found that sometimes making two or three lists ends up being okay because I lose one or two and still have another. If you have to buy supplies first write down everything you need in general then pull out another sheet of paper with all the store names and put each item under their store name. Call me silly, but this makes it more fun for me, and keeps my attention (I have the attention span of a gnat generally.)
5. Keep it technical. If you like to be on the computer, go on the computer and write down what you need, that way you have a hard copy. Also remember that a nice computer break is needed once in awhile and beating yourself up about it is pointless :-)
6. Be bubbly. The more you talk about your plans, the more bright ideas you get. Sometimes you just need someone to bounce ideas off of...so go find someone! I've also found that occasionally I remember something I forgot when I'm talking to someone about my plans.
7. Hide from your past. Don't focus on how much you normally stink at planning or fail in your organization attempts, think instead on how much you want to be better, and how much fun you can have learning a new skill. Organization is a skill like anything else, and old habits may be hard to break but the faster you drop them the faster they are broken :-)

...and in closing...please remember to attempt this at home. I am not responsible for any beautiful shocking new space made because of this post, or any event planned after reading. 


Elisabeth Arona