Being Organised is a Luxury of Time

Some days, the idea of being organised feels almost laughably unrealistic. We’re told constantly that life would run more smoothly if only we were a little more on top of things. Plan ahead. Do things earlier. Prep the meals in advance. Buy the Christmas gifts in November. Simple, right?

Except…not really.

Because underneath every piece of organisation advice is one silent assumption: That you have time.

And for many of us, that’s the part that’s missing.

Organisation = doing tasks earlier… which still takes time

At its core, being organised is just redistribution of tasks. You’re not magically doing less.  You’re doing the same amount, but sooner. Yes, future-you will benefit. But there present-you will pay the price. 

To be organised today, I would have had to borrow time from yesterday’s schedule, or last weeks. But what if those days were already stretched to breaking? What if there was simply no give anywhere?  People say, “Do it ahead of time so you’re not stressed later,” but what if there isn’t a spare 20 minutes today to save yourself stress tomorrow? What if today is already bursting at the seams?

Where exactly am I meant to steal time from? Sleep? Rest? Time with my kids? Work? My mental health?

Even organising our things requires… time.  It’s easy to look at perfectly curated homes online and believe that we could achieve that, if we were just more organised. A place for everything, everything in its place.

But let’s be real – donating toys that are no longer played with, clearing out clothes that no longer fit; it all takes time.  Have you seen the influencers online with insanely organised fridges?  It’s not actually hard to do, if you can dedicate that level of time and attention to detail.  None of these tasks are difficult. They’re just time hungry. And if I had that kind of free time, I probably wouldn’t be feeling overwhelmed in the first place.

Instead of recognising that we’re juggling full plates, impossible schedules, and real-life constraints, we can be tempted to internalise it.  Too often, being organised or otherwise is seen as a character trait. Or a flaw, something we can work on.

But what if it’s not a flaw at all? What if the problem isn’t your character, but your capacity? That’s a reality we should talk about more honestly.

Being organised takes bandwidth. Mental space. Breathing room. Minutes and hours that many people genuinely don’t have.

Maybe the conversation shouldn’t be, “How can I be more organised?” but rather:

• Where can I get support?

• What can I let go of?

• How can I reduce pressure instead of increasing it?

• Is ‘being organised’ actually a realistic expectation for my life right now?

  
  

Because if your days are already jam-packed, expecting yourself to behave like someone with endless free time isn’t fair. And it certainly isn’t kind.

You don’t need to fix your personality. You might just need time. And you’re not alone in that.