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Psychology Says the ‘1-Percent Rule’ Is the Easiest Way to Finally Get Organized
Are you the kind of person who always has a spotless home, an orderly to-do list, and an in-control calendar? Then this column is not for you. This column is for people like me.
We’re the ones with good intentions but messy houses and overflowing inboxes. Every year we vow to finally get organized — to tame our schedule, sort out our documents, and clean out the garage. But then life happens, clutter accumulates, and minor emergencies eat up our time. Our goals are good, but life just seems to intervene.
What’s to be done? I recently stumbled across two complementary suggestions, one from a psychologist and one from a design expert. Together they offered the perpetually messy a way to finally get organized and feel more in control.
You can remember this wisdom as the “1-Percent Rule.”
The root cause of your perpetual disorganization
The first part of this insight comes from a recent New York Times article rounding up tips to get your life organized. Lots of the advice on offer was excellent. (I particularly like the idea of boosting your motivation by identifying why exactly you want to get organized. To impress guests? Stop wasting time searching for stuff? Feel more zen?)
