Are You Ready for the Storm?

When rough weather is coming the safest strategy for a ship is to drop anchor.  This may seem a strange idea.  Wouldn’t it be better to try and outrun the storm?  Or power through it to quickly get out the other side?  The captain knows, however, the storm is a part of life at sea.  He can't avoid it.  He also knows the anchor won’t save the ship from getting thrown about as the waves heave and crash, and there may be some damage as a result.  Why the anchor, then?  It secures the ship so that once the storm has passed it has not been blown off course.

Good organisational processes are like the anchor in our lives.  A good system won’t always prevent “bad days” where circumstances beyond your control throw one of life’s storms at you.  These  days are a part of life, and no matter how organised you are there are many factors in life which are simply beyond your control.  Without this anchor last minute meetings called by your boss, computer failure, illness and more can all be enough to throw you off course. When a crazy day hits, however, you need to know where your safety line is.  This is why the anchor is so important.

Good organisation is more than just remembering things, it is knowing how to process the large amount of information entering your life.  You need a system which will keep everything on track even when things go haywire.  When a “storm” descends, you need to know you can trust your system to keep all your current plans and paperwork in place, but also take on board the new information and changes life brings your way.  When the storm hits you want to know the anchor is ready.  It will be difficult to untangle the rope when you are having to hold the railing so the storm doesn't pitch you overboard.

Good systems and process for organising your work can prevent the self-inflicted stormy days, but when things beyond your control go wrong it is the anchor which ensures you can quickly regain your bearings and be back on course.  How is your anchor?