Why Am I So Unorganized?
Many of my clients ask " Why Am I so Unorganized?" They
feel ashamed, stupid and helpless. They think something is wrong with me,
I should know how to do this. There are many reasons for individuals to
be unorganized. We are all wired differently and some have organizing
skills and others do not, but you are not alone. I run into all different
types of clients and there are many reasons for individuals being unorganized.
The 3 reasons I see regularly are chronic disorganization, adult ADHD
and situational disorganization. According to the Institute on
Challenging Disorganization, the definition of chronic disorganization is having
a past history of disorganization in which self-help efforts to change have
failed, an undermining of current quality of life due to disorganization, and
the expectation of future disorganization. Many of my clients are
chronically disorganized and think it is just them. They believe there is
no hope for them because they have always been this way, but with a
professional organizer trained in this, chronic disorganized individuals can be
organized.
Adult ADHD clients too believe it is jut them and have no idea why they
cannot get organized. Many have gone most of their adult life with no
idea they are ADHD. According to WebMD, 4%-5% of all adults have ADHD.
According to Mayo Clinic ADHD is not recognized or diagnosed
until the person is an adult. Adult
ADHD symptoms may not be as clear as ADHD symptoms in children.
In adults, hyperactivity may decrease, but struggles with impulsiveness,
restlessness and difficulty paying attention may continue. Some other
symptoms are difficulty reaching a decision, the habit of overwhelming oneself
with information and details before choosing and allowing people or
circumstances to decide for you.
Situational disorganization is when an event in life requires or consumes most of your attention and time. The only tasks that are kept up with are only the absolutely necessary ones. The event can be taking care of a loved one, getting a new job, having multiple children within a few years, or the death of a loved one. I see this type of disorganization frequently. Since my clients have only continued doing the most necessary tasks such as paying bills and doing laundry, the rest, such as filing and purging remains undone. When the event that has been consuming all their time is over, they are too overwhelmed and just do not know where or how to start. Most of these individuals just need assistance getting their spaces back to normal so they can take over and maintain.