Expert Article Draft

The Art of Organized Chaos

How to Stay (Somewhat) Sane When Everything Feels Like Too Much

Life is a constant balancing act. Deadlines pile up, social obligations loom, and we are still expected to function. I’ve spent years juggling a million things on my plate – sometimes with tears and breakdowns – but I have made it through. Welcome to my world of organized chaos.

So, how do I know about managing chaos? For one, I grew up with it. My mother raised three kids, each three years apart, attending different schools. Yet, she managed to get us there on time, with custom-packed lunches and pressed uniforms. I thank my mother for the chaos-managing genes. As I have grown, genes were not enough. Balancing school, work, relationships, and health was exhausting. If you constantly feel like you're one step away from crashing out, don’t worry—you’re not alone. And the good news? There’s a method to managing the madness.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Why being busy doesn’t mean being productive

• Systems that adapt to your chaos, not against it

• Why some chaos & disorder is healthy

• How to stay (relatively) calm when everything feels overwhelming

Why Being Busy Doesn’t Mean Being Productive

Have you ever been sitting in class and saw someone’s Google Calendar filled from 7am to practically midnight. Well, I have and it stressed me out. Many often equate a packed schedule with productivity. But, busyness does not equal productivity.

Neuroscientist Dr. Levitin states, “The brain’s attentional system is limited in capacity, and when we try to juggle too much at once, our efficiency plummets. Multitasking is a myth; what we are actually doing is rapidly shifting our attention from one task to another, and every time we do, there is a cognitive cost in time and energy” (Levitin, 13). In other words, constantly switching between tasks – or filling your calendar to the brim – does not equate to getting more done. Instead, it leads to burnout and reduced productivity.

True order isn’t about doing it all, it is about prioritizing what matters. 

Systems That Adapt to Your Chaos, Not Against It

Planners, to-do lists, and even Google Calendar are great tools to manage your tasks until life comes in and derails your entire plan. The key to managing organized chaos is to create a system that adapts to your life, not against it.

Some helpful systems that I have implemented and have been proven to be effective are:

• The “Must-Do” List: Instead of overwhelming yourself with a list of things to do, list only the day’s non-negotiables. For instance, everyone wants to go to the gym and for some that may be on the “Must-Do”, but, remember, everyone is different and has different demands. The gym will still be there tomorrow. Some deadlines won’t.

• The “Two-Minute Rule”: "If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined" (Allen, 45). This method helps prevent small tasks from accumulating ultimately making it easier to stay organized and efficient.

• “Time Blocking”: Instead of having your calendar packed each second and telling you when to eat or sleep, structure your time in blocks. Set time blocks for priorities – study, exercise, downtime. This can help visualize how much time you have in a day (this always makes me feel a bit better!)

Why Some Chaos & Disorder Is Healthy

Albert Einstein once said, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?" 

To master the chaos, you cannot shy away from it – you have to accept it! Your room does not need to be spotless and your inbox does not need to be at zero, it just needs to be manageable.

So, when the mess starts to feel like it’s piling up, remember that the trick is not to eliminate chaos – it’s just to control it a bit.

How to Stay (Relatively) Calm When Everything Feels Overwhelming

Control is a bit different for everyone. Even the best systems won’t work if your mind is constantly spiraling. Through many chaotic experiences (and therapy sessions), I have learned a few mindset shifts to help control those crazy moments:

• “If it does not matter in two weeks, then do not worry about it.”: This is often called the “two-week rule”. When someone is spiraling out of control, it is hard to remain present. This helps gauge that the moment is temporary and filters out minor concerns that will soon not exist.

• Shift your focus from perfection to progress because “perfection is unachievable” (Kent). Chaos often lurks when tasks start to pile up. If you are trying to perfect every task, it becomes counterproductive and a waste of time.

• “Done is better than perfect”: Stop trying to be perfect and remember that completing the task is better than not doing it all. Forget the perfect workout, just start by showing up to the gym. 

When your expectations are set too high, you may overlook the power of marginal gains—the small, daily improvements that ultimately drive the greatest long-term impact. As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, puts it, "You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results" (Clear, 34). By focusing on steady progress rather than immediate perfection, you set yourself up for meaningful, lasting success.

Final Thoughts

Mastering organized chaos is not about eliminating stress, it is about controlling it in a way that works for you. By shifting your mindset, implementing flexible systems, and letting go of perfectionist tendencies, you can thrive in the madness rather than drown in it.

So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, just remember: the chaos can always be controlled.

Works Cited

Allen, David. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Penguin, 2001.

Clear, James. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.

Avery, 2018.

Kent, Jessica. “Perfectionism Might Be Hurting You. Here’s How to Change Your Relationship

to Achievement.” Harvard Summer School, 6 Nov. 2023,

summer.harvard.edu/blog/perfectionism-might-be-hurting-you-heres-how-to-change-you

-relationship-to-achievement/#:~:text=The%20old%20adage%20%E2%80%9Cperfect

20is,means%2C%20because%20perfection%20is%20unachievable.

Levitin, Daniel J. The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload.

Dutton, 2014.