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Getting Organized Creates Space for What Matters

habit productivity

My approach to organizing and decluttering is not about dramatic overhauls.

It is quiet and steady, focused on simplifying upfront and building sustainable habits so I am not recreating the same problems a few weeks or months later.

It recently felt like a natural moment to do that thoughtfully (I wanted to take a work-free vacation with my family!) and set myself up well.

Opening drawers. Clearing old and creating new (more organized!) piles.

Reviewing commitments, files, and even mental notes to ask, “Do I still need this? Does this still belong here?” Creating cleaner, clearer systems and rhythms for my team and me.

What’s surprised me most isn’t how things look afterward.

It’s how different everything feels.

There’s more ease. More clarity. Less friction.

And I’ve been reminded that organization isn’t really about being “on top of things.”

It’s about capacity - a word I’ve been really leaning into lately.

That’s why remaining organized (“Get Organized Month” is in January, if you need any motivation!) matters - especially in the legal profession - and why it connects so clearly to how we live well, lead well, and practice well.

Organization as Nervous System Care

When our physical spaces, calendars, and mental lists are overloaded, our nervous systems are constantly on alert. Even small clutter - unfinished tasks, piles we avoid, inboxes we dread emptying (guilty!) - signals unfinished business to the brain.

That low-grade stress adds up. It compounds, and before we realize it, we feel like we’re drowning.

Organizing, at its core, is an act of self-regulation. It reduces cognitive noise. It creates breathing room. It allows your system to settle just enough to think clearly again.

Living well doesn’t require perfect systems.

It requires reducing unnecessary weight - so your energy can go where it’s actually needed.

Clarity Is Also a Leadership Skill

Disorganization doesn’t stay personal when you’re in a leadership role.

Unclear priorities, half-made decisions, crowded schedules, and unspoken expectations create ripple effects: confusion, rework, tension, and avoidable stress for others.

Simplicity makes it easier to focus on what matters.

When leaders create structure, close loops, and simplify processes, they:

Reduce decision fatigue for themselves and their teams
Communicate more clearly and reduce confusion
Respond rather than react
Make space for better judgment

In that sense, getting organized is not an administrative task.

It’s an emotionally intelligent leadership practice.

Fewer Open Loops, Better Work

Legal work already demands sustained focus, precision, and emotional endurance. When too many things remain mentally “open,” it becomes harder to do the work itself - even for highly capable professionals.

Practicing well means protecting your ability to think, decide, and engage with clients thoughtfully.

Organization supports that by:

Reducing mental clutter
Making priorities visible
Limiting the number of decisions you have to make in a day
Allowing you to focus on the work that actually requires your expertise

It’s not about doing more.

It’s about making your work cleaner, steadier, and more sustainable.

A Gentle Reframe for Get Organized Month

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s a different way to approach organization this month:

Start with what creates the most friction
Eliminate before you optimize
Close one open loop at a time
Organize for how you actually work - not how you think you “should” work
Create processes to add predictability, clarity, and efficiency
Pay attention to how your body responds when something gets cleared

And before adding anything new to your system, ask:

What can I remove that would make everything else easier?

“Get Organized Month” isn’t about perfection.

It’s about clearing enough space (physically and mentally) to live with more ease, lead with more clarity, and practice with greater focus and steadiness.

Sometimes the most meaningful progress doesn’t come from adding a new tool; it comes from letting go of something that isn’t working.