Organization by Chaos

My husband was browsing Etsy one day, and sent me a link saying, “this is you.” I opened the link and saw a mug that said, “My brain has too many tabs open” and laughed. It was me. I am that person that always has what seems like hundreds of tabs open. I use different browsers and each one has an abundance of tabs. I also use different virtual desktops to organize the tabs by topic - be it my calendar, team calls, project work, or personal upskilling. The tabs help me fight the entropy in my detail-oriented mind. However, having 100 tabs open in your mind instead of your desktop can retract from your work, your performance, meeting your deadlines, and your personal life. We can get so focused on remembering the next thing, we forget about what we are currently needing to do. Through my experience I have found that when I am able to extract my brain-tabs and get them out of my head, my work and personal tasks become manageable and not so overwhelming. By nature, I am a multitasker who collects tabs in my mental browser, but through my experience I’ve figured out systems to externalize my responsibilities, so my internal CPU doesn’t get fried.

When our brain is full of random searches, ridiculous memes, adorable cat pictures, and a tab inexplicably playing a song on repeat, how are we able to concentrate? We are jumping from one task to the next and making it difficult to focus on anything. Continually worrying about what’s next or what detail I am forgetting creates more stress. Trying to remember every detail in my head is not only exhausting, but things are bound to fall through the cracks. It's taken me years, but I have been able to grow my management skills and found what works to organize the tabs to bring my full self to each project.

To help organize and maintain my tabs, I need to get them out of my head. My memory swings from remembering a specific memory from when I was 10 years old to not being able to remember what I had for breakfast. How can I expect myself to remember numerous time-sensitive responsibilities when I can’t even remember if I took my daily vitamins this morning? Writing down my to-do tabs is critical for my process. There are several options. For those of us who love the old school ways, post-It notes have become a staple for me. I will write down my task with notes using different colors and stick it next to my computer. I use different colored pens to designate the importance of the task. Pink writing with stars signifies I need to get the task done ASAP. This also allows me to quickly search through my notebook and find what is my top priority. Handwriting helps me remember my notes because of my tactile nature. Others might find it useful to use an online format or program. As long as you get it out of your head and “backed-up” somewhere, it will be beneficial. By writing it out, the tab no longer lives only in your head, but in an external place that you can reference. It's one less thing you have bopping around in your brain.

Lists also provide me endless support. I can write down everything I need to do that is taking over my thoughts, and visually see what I need to prioritize. No matter the task, even if it's writing another list, I add it to my to-do list and mark it off as I go. This system keeps me focused and able to work through the list with ease and speed. If lists seem too daunting, try a mind map. Whiteboards provide an excellent space to get all your items laid out and see how they connect. When you can see everything mapped out, you can make connections, identify what tasks have to be completed before other tasks, and which tasks maybe don’t need to be done at all, this will help to create a flow for your work.

These tools aren’t just for when you’re at work. I apply my organization strategies to personal tasks. While doing minor updates on my home, I was overwhelmed with the domino effect. Each task I added created another task that had to happen first. For these complex tasks, I turned to program management software online, like Google Keep or Trello. We use these programs for projects at work, so why not employ them for the pile of life tabs stacking up in our heads? Their interfaces are user friendly and can remind you of due dates by notification or email. For my volunteer work or when I’m taking a class which has regular meetings, I immediately put all the dates into my calendar so that I am reminded each time when my meeting is and what I need to be prepared. If I wait to put these events on the calendar, you can bet that I won’t remember when they occur and will likely miss the meeting. When I figured out not only what tools worked the best for me but the routine in which I recorded them, I had a system I could rely on.

There is nothing wrong with being a million tabs person, on your computer or in your mind. In fact, the more tabs you have the more details you notice and care for. Being detail-oriented is a skill that people work to develop. Sometimes it just needs to be wrangled into a structure that benefits you and your tasks. Whether its remembering to take your daily vitamins or prioritizing for a major deadline, discovering what you need and what tools work for you will not only destress your life but show you just how much you’ve accomplished. Close those brain tabs and give them over to external resources. This way you can truly enjoy whatever hot drink you had this morning out of your “brain tab” mug.