We all wish for order in our life but our success in finding it can differ greatly.
To finding something we must first define it. For me, the definition of an orderly life has slowly evolved into a simple “maxim of order”.
For me, this maxim of organization did not come fully formed but matured over time and has come to be an essential rule applied to more areas of my life than I would have imagined. This maxim informs my every decision, it shapes my world, and protects me from myself and my potential excesses. This maxim of organization defines the canvas of my life, bringing order, clarity, and beauty. This certainly does NOT suggest I HAVE ARRIVED, or that I am always successful in following the maxim. I’m not. While I am far from perfect, I aspire to perfection and it is that aspiration and effort that furthers me down a path of progress day by day. At the very least, in a world of seeming disorder, it is heartening to know that my path forward can be well-lit by this simple maxim.
Now having run the risk of over-hyping this “life-changing maxim,” here it is…
“Set the SCENE“
Please don’t be disappointed. I will unpack it concisely and then leave you to the adventure of developing your maxim of order or adopting some form of this one.
If life is a stage then setting our scene is our first task.
You might have guessed that the word “Scene” is an acronym for a larger concept. It is no accident that this maxim employs the simple and concise form of an acronym in order to follow its own rule.
S.C.E.N.E. stands for keeping things Simple, Consolidated, and Elegant… No Exceptions.
Yes, it is simple. However, it has been surprisingly powerful and deep for me, applying both to the order of my physical world and my thoughts and communications.
Simple: The first question is straightforward. Is this the simplest approach to the problem? Is this the simplest solution? Can this be accomplished with less? What is the “carrying costs” of keeping what is being kept? Keeping things is not free. Keeping things ALWAYS has a storage cost and equally important, a clutter cost. Can the label I am about to use to identify this box, this column, this item, be said with a single word? Keep it simple. Discard the extra adjectives. Apply “Occam’s Razor” to all thought processes and keep communications clear and simple.
Consolidated: Keep all of the same in the same place. Collect, consolidate, and be consice. If we can’t fit all our clothes in one closet then maybe we have too many clothes. If we can’t fit all our tools in the space we have for tools, maybe we have too many tools. I don’t allow myself to have multiple places for the same thing or multiple versions of the same thing that don’t serve a convincing purpose. One place for household cleaning supplies… ONE PLACE, not spread around to multiple bathrooms. One type of clothes hanger, not every kind ever made… a mashup of whatever cheap hangers came with the clothes. ONE TYPE of high quality wood clothes hanger. One type of coffee mug. Rather than coffee mugs of various sizes, I have one type and color. Yes, they may not have as much personality as a “Best Dad” mug or a mug shaped like Snoopy but for the trouble, the sanity, and the organization I figure I can express my personality in better and more creative ways than a plethora of coffee mugs. This does mean I forego hand-me-downs and well-intentioned gifts and instead have to incur the costs of purchasing something quality and consistent myself. But the cost of having consolidated order is far less costly to my clarity of mind and environment than the carrying costs and cost of chaos that a myriad of random office gifts would have on my cupboard. Having everything of like kind in one place allows a quick assessment of whether I have enough of something or need restocking. Requiring everything of like kind to be located in one place forces me to weed out the unnecessary and keep only what is needed and the duplicative things in my life are quickly ejected out of necessity. When approaching questions of thought and speech, consolidating concepts and words keeps your communications concise and powerful.
Elegant: Is the organization elegant? Having order in life does not require the removal of life’s color and beauty. I would suggest that beauty is more easily seen and best displayed in an uncluttered world. The word “elegant” may not be common in our modern world but it fits beautifully within the spirit of this maxim of organization…
“Elegance is beauty that shows unusual effectiveness and simplicity.
Elegance is frequently used as a standard of tastefulness, particularly in visual design, decorative arts, literature, science, and the aesthetics of mathematics.
Elegant things often exhibit refined grace and suggest maturity, and in the case of mathematics, a deep understanding of the subject matter.”
Keeping things simple and consolidated are vital first steps, but for something to find a permanent and appreciated place in our life it must also have a quality of beauty and elegance.
No Exceptions: Simply and concisely put…exceptions are evil. Don’t allow them. Exceptions breed exceptions. Exceptions are slippery slopes that too often lead to a fall into chaos.
In honor of the maxim itself, I will leave it at that. Keep it simple, consolidated, and elegant. No exceptions.
Now go set your SCENE and live well 🙂