The Productivity Guru: The Importance of Minding the Gap

A few years ago, my husband and I took a trip to England to visit friends. One of my favorite memories from that trip was taking the train into London each day. During our week's vacation, "training" became our main mode of transportation. It was so fun and different from our Southern California, car-ridden life! Every time we stepped onto the train, a lovely British-sounding woman came on the loudspeaker to remind us to "mind the gap."

I love that phrase. I also think it's incredibly relevant - not only to remind us to watch out for physical holes, but because we all have various "gaps" in our lives. At times, these gaps can feel like the Grand Canyon, especially when it comes to getting organized, staying organized, and maintaining our organizational systems. Often, we start something that seems feasible at first, hoping to fill a gap that's needed for that project or situation. However, before long, it becomes extinct and we're simply back to where we started.

Defining the Gap

The "gap" is the space between where you currently are and where you want to be. If there's a gap between where you're at in your life and where you want to be, I encourage you to look deeper. Often, the answers are right in front of us; however, we must first slow down to fully visualize our needs.

So, how big is your gap? One thing I'm certain about is that where there's a gap, there must also be a plan to close it.

Sealing the Gap

Below are three simple ways to close the gap:

1. Set goals for yourself.

Do you want to turn your space around and close the gap? If so, you need to get clear about what isn't working and create goals to take you where you want to go.

2. Think outside of the box.

Your gap didn't become huge overnight, and it won't diminish immediately either. To achieve your goals, you may have to work on this during "off-hours." However, creating a productive workspace that supports you is certainly worth a few extra hours. So, grab a cup of coffee, turn up the tunes, and have some fun!

3. Acknowledge your achievements, large and small.

With life currently moving at warp speed, it's easy to skip over the small things. However, bear in mind: Life is a journey, and each step is a valuable piece of that process. Because of this, it's important to give yourself credit for your smallest, as well as biggest, accomplishments.

Sara Caputo, MA is a productivity and organizing consultant who has been streamlining environments and simplifying lives for years through consulting, coaching and training. She believes that by creating more order in our lives and eliminating unnecessary chaos, we can participate more fully in all levels of life. Sara is the owner of Radiant Organizing, a professional organizing and consulting company, based in Santa Barbara, California.