Curious about Organization: Are You Organized and Does It Serve You Well? What about the Organizations to Which You Belong?

Definition of Organization: The act of organizing; the act of arranging in a systematic way for use or action. The state of being organized; also, the relations included in such a state or condition. That which is organized; an organized existence; an organism. An arrangement of parts for the performance of the functions necessary to life.

“First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” - Napoleon Hill, American writer

I picked organization for this week’s theme, because I feel its importance in my life, my writing and products, my websites, my classes, my programs, my apartment and garden, my appearance, my health, the groups to which I belong and also work for, and much, much more.

How about you? With our lives moving so incredibly fast today, you and I must call upon organization to keep from constant overwhelm and always feeling behind in everything we want to accomplish. Time management does play a role, but the organization of those parts of my life that I listed above is more than that.

I find that the better my planning and organizing for the day, week, and future, the more control and productivity I experience. Also, having systems in place for my Portfolio Career – many careers at the same time – has helped with organization. And, surprisingly, Yoga provides structure, clarity, and focus, along with calmness and control.

When I started reading the plethora of quotations from the experts, I found more about organizations and their success than about how we, as individuals, can organize. However, these were also helpful for running or being part of an organization.

Let’s get to them:

• “The five separate fingers are five independent units. Close them and the fist multiplies strength. This is organization.” - James Cash Penney, American businessman
• “I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future.” - Wilma Mankiller, Cherokee stateswoman
• “The Girl Scouts is an organization that constantly gives you new goals to achieve and that's what life is all about.” - Maria Bartiromo, American journalist
• “The five essential entrepreneurial skills for success: Concentration, Discrimination, Organization, Innovation and Communication.” - Harold S. Geneen, British businessman
• “Routine is not organization, any more than paralysis is order.” - Arthur Helps, British historian
• “Reduce the layers of management. They put distance between the top of an organization and the customers.” - Donald Rumsfeld, American politician
• “Life is like a cobweb, not an organization chart.” - Ross Perot, American businessman

They were all so interesting and varied, here are some more:

• “Once an organization loses its spirit of pioneering and rests on its early work, its progress stops.” - Thomas J. Watson, American businessman
• “To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer
• “It is because the body is a machine that education is possible. Education is the formation of habits, a superinducing of an artificial organization upon the natural organization of the body.” - Thomas Huxley, English scientist
• “The person who figures out how to harness the collective genius of his or her organization is going to blow the competition away.” - Walter Wriston, American businessman
• “The clarification of visual forms and their organization in integrated patterns as well as the attribution of such forms to suitable objects is one of the most effective training grounds of the young mind.” - Rudolf Arnheim, German artist
• “The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.” - Marcus Aurelius, Roman soldier
• “Executives owe it to the organization and to their fellow workers not to tolerate nonperforming individuals in important jobs.” - Peter Drucker, American businessman

Do you have some favorite organizational tips that you could share with us. I know that everyone can learn and benefit from them. Thanks!