Forming Good Organizing Habits

In so many areas of our lives, we get discouraged because we lose “willpower” and fall back into old patterns.  Staying organized means replacing old habits with new habits.  However just like that diet and exercise regimen, organizing can be just as challenging in the habit forming arena.

Hard to believe but neuroscientists and others actually study the “science of habits”  In a published study by Phillippa Lally et al. called  “How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world” This study brings forth some interesting information and gives solid evidence that our brains are not built to form new habits quickly.  The good news ,however, is that there is scientific proof that we can indeed learn new behavior patterns.

Here are some salient points of the study…

• The more complex habit, the longer it will take to form
• The average time to form a new habit is 66 days.
• Repetition early on provided the great boost in habit formation
• Missing a single day did not reduce the chance of forming a habit

So what does this mean to someone embarking on forming new habits in order to lead an organized life style?  No wonder we get discouraged after 3 weeks and feel like we are not getting the habit down pat. Focus on the end result and your organizing goal. Be reasonable with yourself and yet commited to the process.  As is often said, organizing is a process, not an event.

Langton Home Offices recognizes that life improves when working spaces work well and feel right!

For more information about our services see our website at www.LangtonHomeOffices.com