Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Intentional is Just a Fancy Word for Plan
I’ve been hearing the word “intentional” bandied about a good deal lately. Magazine articles tell you to “be intentional” when you eat; yoga teachers suggest that you “set an intention” for your practice; books are being written: Intention is hot.
An intention is an aim or plan, and as a Sagittarian and an organizer, aims and plans are two of my favorite things. Moreover, I think it’s often a lack of intention that leads my clients into clutter‑it isn’t that they’re lazy, or even messy, it’s just that they don’t have a plan. Maybe they lack a plan for what to do with new stuff they bought (a big clue is that there isn’t really any space for it), sometimes they are just natural-born putterers. I have a lot of putterers in my life, many of whom are very dear to me‑but puttering is the opposite of intention. It’s working, sort of, but not very effectively, doing a little of this and a little of that, but maybe not finishing anything. I’m the antiputterer. Most days my intentions are clear: For example, on Sunday, I intend to get up, start the laundry and then sit on the sofa with The New York Times and a cup of coffee until it is time to put the laundry in the dryer. Being intentional doesn’t mean that I’m no fun, it means that I plan my work and my fun.
Right now some of you are thinking, That’s not very spontaneous! Where’s the adventure? I hear you, but life is too short. There’s too much I intend to do to be haphazard about how I’m going to do it all. And being intentional isn’t only about having a plan, it also means that when you are purposefully (or mindfully, to use another overused word) doing whatever it is, you are experiencing it more fully. You might think that “experiencing” my laundry on Sunday morning isn’t such a great deal, but I’m here to tell you that you can find joy in even the most mundane task when it’s all part of your plan—even if it’s simply the joy of knowing you are getting things done.
Take a deep breath. What are your intentions for the next 15 minutes? The next hour? Tomorrow? Make a plan. Follow through. Maybe by being intentional, you can find pleasure in a task that used to seem like a burden, and wouldn’t that be lovely?