The Power of Messiness: Embracing Chaos for Productivity

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

Everyone knows the importance of keeping a clean, tidy workspace and/or living space. Our minds can operate clearly and efficiently when our physical environment is clean and organized.

Breaking Free from Perfectionism: Embrace the Chaos

Many of us aren’t naturally clean and tidy, but little habits can build up the discipline to create an organized life and living/work space.

But then there comes time to work. GSD. Get shit *stuff* done. We’ve all been there. We’ll all be there again many more times in this life.

Sometimes, you have to be willing to tolerate some chaos and messiness to get the work done on time. To meet the deadline. To raise the bar of excellence another inch. To break the record, or whatever the goal may be.

Raising the Bar: Achieving Excellence Amidst Messiness

It’s times like these that this proverb comes to mind. Don’t be so focused on organization and perfectionism that you box yourself in. Paralysis by analysis. Don’t be tempted by the “what if’s” and “if then, then that’s.” Go ahead and get messy… work fast. Follow your instincts when the pressure is on. Take a risk. It’ll get messy.

You’ll have time to clean up afterward and reset the organizational equilibrium. If you’re willing to do the work and make a little mess in the process, you’ll have the spoils of victory in your corner when it’s time to “clean the manger.”