How to Be Organized in Spite of Yourself: Time and Space Management that Works with Your Personal Style

by Sunny Schlenger, Roberta Roesch

By sharing real-life examples, this practical guide, based on ten personality types, shows how a personally adapted organizational plan can help increase productivity, decrease stress, and enhance one's self-image. Reprint.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Reference, Productivity

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Sunny Schlenger is a flowmaster, as well as a professional organizer, consultant, author and mentor with over 35 years of experience as a pioneer in her field. She helped launch the “custom-tailored” approach to getting organized in the 90’s with her best-selling book, How To Be Organized In Spite Of Yourself, whose approach was licensed by Harvard University’s training and development program. She then took the concept of organizing to the next level by integrating it with spirituality. The result, Organizing for the Spirit was published in 2004. Sunny has partnered with Cena Block of Sane Spaces to create the on-line integrative organizational tool, TSSI ™ to be used by psychologists, educators and coaches to identify people’s personal styles of organizing time and space. Sunny earned her B.A. in Social & Behavioral Sciences from The Johns Hopkins University and her M.Ed. in Counseling from UNC at Chapel Hill. She has worked with thousands of people, assisting them in their quest for self-realization, productivity and peace. Sunny is a resident of Sedona, Arizona.

Reviews

[Matthew Rasnake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, the best, most useful chapter of this book, I felt, was the final one. The rest of the book was mostly just a bunch of fairly common-sense advice which, if you've done even the barest research into personal productivity, you've probably heard at least once before. The majority of the book is devoted to personal anecdotes about clients she's worked with who are illustrative of the "styles" she divides everyone into. Breaking the book into separate sections for personal styles also functions to make only a small subset of the pages even potentially relevant to the reader. Add these two things together, and you've got the majority of the book devoted to personal anecdotes that will be irrelevant to your life leaving only the smallest minority of it actually containing advice which you've probably already read somewhere else.

All this is not to say that the book is worthless. Sometimes, even if information should be common sense, it's good to hear or see it written to drive home the point--as if, it couldn't possibly be true unless someone else has said it. Also, the bits of the book that aren't personally relevant could still function admirably as an introduction to the personal styles of others with whom you might work or live. This could give you insights into dealing or at least identifying with those whose styles differ from your own. In fact, there was at least a sub-section, if not a whole chapter devoted to working with other styles.

And back to that final chapter. This is where the whole of the book is really tied together, in learning to work within your style to bring your life into balance and focus, to make you happier and more fulfilled. This last chapter is almost like a Buddhist sutra of personal revelation, understanding, and acceptance... like seeking out the optimal you.

So, is the book worth the read? If you've done any research into personal productivity, I'd say probably not. If you're new to the idea of figuring out how and why you work a certain way, perhaps this book could be a revelation. If you're a sucker for productivity discussions or for delving into the human psyche, this might be an interesting diversion. If you're interested in becoming the best you you can be, you'd probably be better off picking up some Buddhist literature on mindfulness, and possibly getting involved in meditation.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quizzes to identify your organizing-personality style(s):

1) Hopper
2) Perfectionist Plus
3) Allergic to Detail
4) Fence Sitter
5) Cliff Hanger
6) Everything Out
7) Nothing Out
8) Right Angler
9) Pack Rat
10) Total Slob

Organizing strategies based on your style(s).

SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely). Time Log analysis. Planning & prioritizing. Master & Daily activity lists. Energy-level chart.


► Conquering Chronic Disorganization by Judith Kolberg - personal & emotional organizating, creative
► Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki - minimalism, decluttering, focus
► Organizing for the Rest of Us: 100 Realistic Strategies to Keep Any House Under Control by Dana K. White - decluttering, routines
► New Order: A Decluttering Handbook for Creative Folks (and Everyone Else) by Fay Wolf - organizing tips & tools
► Clean Mama's Guide to a Peaceful Home: Effortless Systems and Joyful Rituals for a Calm, Cozy Home by Becky Rapinchuk - cleaning, rituals

[Wolfenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be thought and given to all highschool students. It gives the essential tools needed to effectively manage time.

[Paul]

Particularly good "self help" book. Good because the author recognises that there are different personal styles and rather than trying to be someone you are not you should build on what you've got. There are little tests to discover your personal style and you need read only the appropriate sections. I read the sections for "hoppers" and "alergic to detail". As a manger it also reminded me of the need for interdependence in a team and of course in the church to recognise and build on each others gifts.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a disappointment. I'm already pretty organised - painfully so in some areas - and just wanted some tips. Out of 246 pages however, I only got about 25 pages worth of advice, since the book is divided into sections according to personality type. The idea is a good one, but the suggestions offered were blindingly obvious.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in grad school and it helped me get understand myself a lot better from an organizational stand point. It's an easy and quick read. Well worth the money.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as specific as other texts of this sort. Good but not great.