Mt. Laurel, NJ – (December 10, 2019) – Feeling a bit fuzzy in the head, unable to concentrate on the job at hand? It may not be the Monday morning blues but may be connected to how in control of your work and home you believe yourself to be. And, if you’re a woman, that feeling may be stronger. In a recent national survey of more than 1,200 individuals conducted by the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO), about half of all respondents said that when they feel disorganized, they find it hard to concentrate on current projects, but more female respondents reported feeling stressed from feeling out of control of their environment than men.
“Our survey shows that women seem more sensitive to the organizational state of their home, with 36.5% of women saying that looking at how organized or disorganized their home is, they feel stressed or completely stressed compared to only 22% of men,” observed NAPO Executive Director Jennifer Pastore Monroy. “In addition, more than half of women respondents (53.7%) report they are unable to concentrate on the work at hand, vs. only 45% of men.”
Psychologists recognize that clutter, whether at home, in the workplace, or even mental, can impact an individual’s ability to process information efficiently and think clearly.1
“When people think of clutter impacting an individual’s life, they immediately think of a hoarder, but that isn’t really the case for most individuals,” observed Ms. Monroy. “In my experience, people have different levels of tolerance for disorganization in their lives, and what is acceptable for one person may be intolerable for another.”
A disorganized home might be defined by some as clutter, or by others as a home that needs repair or work, or for others, simply cleaning. But for most, it centers on the functionality of a home - how it is organized and works for the individual or family living there. No matter how it is defined, it is a scenario that interferes with a person’s ability to function and feel in control of their surroundings and of their day-to-day lives.
According to Ms. Monroy, the survey revealed that in line with the degree of stress women report feeling about clutter, more women than men have wanted help in organizing their homes – 35% vs. 22%.
Ms. Monroy’s best advice to help streamline one’s environment? Don’t wait until you feel out of control to tackle the stressors in your life. “Of course, we have clients who come to us because they are at wit’s end and need a solution to a problem. But for many, it is a form of self-care that allows them to continually function at their best and feel most calm and in control of their lives. For these individuals, it isn’t about crisis, it is a common-sense way to achieve a sense of well-being.” She added that for these clients, it is simply a matter of looking at things with fresh eyes to implement day-to-day behaviors to create the needed change.
“A professional productivity and organizational expert will work with you to identify what is interfering in your sense of control and peace of mind,” said Ms. Monroy. “It is not about following a formula to some impossible ideal. The perfect home is one that works for everyone living in it.”

1 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201705/5-reasons-clear-the-clutter-outyour-
life

 

As for that problem of women being more impacted by the clutter in their lives than men.
Don’t worry ladies, there is some small hope on the horizon. The NAPO survey shows that
29% of all men will be making a New Year’s resolution to become more organized and
productive in the coming year. Is there a holiday gift for a session with a professional in their
future? That would be up to you.

About NAPO
The National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) was founded in1985 as a nonprofit professional educational association for professional organizers. Today,NAPO has approximately 3,500 members worldwide, representing the full spectrum of the
global industry: professional organizers, productivity consultants, authors, educators,
trainers, manufacturers, service providers and more. NAPO’s mission is to be the leading
source for organizing and productivity professionals by providing exceptional education,
enhancing business connections, advancing industry research, and increasing public
awareness. NAPO is headquartered in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, and is on the web at
www.NAPO.net. Subscribe to the NAPO Stand Out podcast and the NAPO Get Organized & Be Productive Blog.

Be social: https://www.facebook.com/NAPONatl, https://twitter.com/NAPOnatl,
https://www.instagram.com/napo_natl/, https://www.youtube.com/user/NAPOHQ,
https://www.linkedin.com/company/naponational/

Survey Methodology Details
This survey was conducted by Survata, an independent research firm in San Francisco.
Survata interviewed 1213 online respondents between October 08, 2019 and October 25,
2019. Respondents were reached across the Survata publisher network, where they take a
survey to unlock premium content, like articles and ebooks. Respondents received no cash
compensation for their participation. More information on Survata’s methodology can be
found at survata.com/methodology.

 

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.napo.net/resource/resmgr/press_kit/women_vs._men_december_2019.pdf

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