Why My Organisational Chaos is My Superpower

As a public relations consultant, I often feel this strange pressure to fit into the mould of being "properly" organised. You know the drill—folders within folders in the inbox, to-do lists that are always up to date, and a workspace that looks like a productivity dream. But if I’m honest, that’s just not me.

I don’t have subfolders in my inbox. My to-do list? Sometimes it’s spot on, sometimes it’s a bit of a mess. And my notes—well, they’re often a mix of random thoughts, doodles, and half-formed ideas. But here’s the thing: it works for me.

There’s this unspoken expectation that if your way of working isn’t super neat or doesn’t follow the latest organisational hacks, then you’re not being productive or efficient enough. But I’ve come to realise that organisation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Just because my approach isn’t textbook doesn’t mean it’s not effective. In fact, it’s what allows me to manage multiple clients, hit deadlines, and keep up with the fast pace of PR.

We need to stop judging ourselves (and others) based on whether our inbox is perfectly filed or our notebooks look like a Pinterest board. At the end of the day, what really matters is the results we deliver, not how polished our process looks.

So, if your system looks a bit unconventional—or even chaotic to others—but it gets the job done, embrace it. There’s no need to apologise for working in a way that suits you. After all, the best kind of organisation is the kind that actually helps you thrive, even if it’s scribbled between doodles.