I was once interviewed for a job by a very disorganized person. She was so disorganized that ten minutes into the interview, she very suddenly exclaimed “Oh My God; I forgot!” And then loaded me into her car to continue the interview while we sped toward an unknown destination where the incomplete task awaited her attention.
When it was my turn, I asked her if she was organized, given that it looked like she might not be, and that could very directly affect the quality of my work life. She paused, and then tapped her right temple and said that she thought of herself as “Intuitively Organized,” which as I well know means “Nope, not me.” I declined the next interview and escaped. I tend to work better with the well-organized, list-making, question-asking, reminding, and all around beloved obsessives who start every day, if not every hour, with a list.
List-makers, you fascinate me. I marvel at grocery lists, being one of those folks who decide what I need once I get the cart, and not a minute before. I check my email to find out what’s on deck for the day ahead. I decide what to watch once I’m seated in front of the television. I get it all done, mind you, and to a fairly rigorous standard, but without a list. There’s a plan–find dinner, get work done or just moved in the right direction, watch television–just not a list.
So for this vacation, I’m going to learn to make a list and see how that works out. My plan is to get organized, so here is my list so far:
1. Finish Christmas presents for sisters. I make these, so this requires time and a brisk pace, but also quality.
2. Get car detailed. This has its own list.
3. Replace sitting room Cable Box. Which has been tiling, sputtering, achieving a dead stop, and generally not working for at least 6 months.
4. Get together with Laura H. It’s been too long.
5. Clean out at least three closets.
6. Mail stuff that has been sitting on the table in the upstairs hall.
7. Discard MBA textbooks. Okay, most of them.
8. Assemble letter and photos for Dad. Actually mail those too.
9. Find out what is in the pantry cupboard and why we need it. Also check the dates on the packaging.
10. Learn how to Twitter and Instagram.
11. Research M.Ed. programs.
12. Outline a chapter. Or the whole book
We shall see how this goes. I’ll keep you posted.
The Job Whisperer ® 