598 - How to Get Organized

In this episode, we look at Mise En Place, what it means, and how it can help you change your life.

The Problem

Feeling unorganized and unable to get everything done in a day is pretty common. In fact, Americans spend nearly $10 billion a year on self-help and organization products - according to Marketplace Enterprises. Thats billions – with a B

Yet  according to the Wall St Journal office workers waste an average of 40% of their workday.  Not because they aren’t motivated, but because they were never taught organizing skills to cope with the increasing workloads and demands.

Digging Deeper

To find this guiding principle we are going to turn to an industry you might not expect. Restaurants.

Have you ever heard of Mise-en-place?

It’s a French phrase that roughly translates to “everything in its place.”  You may have heard this term on the many reality cooking shows.

And while useful to help chefs create awe-inspiring meals we can learn a great deal about how to achieve more in our own lives by looking at this principle.

The Solution

For every hour of planning, 3 to 4 hours are saved from redundancy, waiting for information, not being prepared and poorly managed tasks.

Imagine setting your work and household up so that you develop deeply ingrained habits – you put your pen back in the same spot after each use. No more hunting for car keys, or shoes, or deciding what to take to lunch during the work week.  Lose the frustration of trying to keep up with projects.

How can mise-en-place do this for you?  First thing to wrap your head around is that mise-en-place is not just a list of items to do.  It’s a mindset on being prepared for and being focused on the task at hand.

QOTD: On a scale of 1 to 5 how cluttered is your work space? -> http://instagram.com/tinyleaps