• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[ENFP] How do you categorize...prioritize...organize... your life?

cheerchick23

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
59
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
Ne
Not sure if this is an ENFP thing or NF or P thing or what, but i feel so scattered!

like, there's a thousand million billion thoughts, motivations, dreams, wants, needs, ideas, thoughts, opinions, and general brainy goo swimming around in my head........

but i have the WORST time figuring it all out. i'm sitting here.... i have a research paper due in two days, i have a half-eaten chocolate bunny next to me, i am blasting dance music, i saw a 60 minutes about prosthetic science and now i'm all interested in science and inventions and crap, i LOVE drawing so i have the urge to grab a charcoal and paper, i want to call my friends, i have the desire to have a think-session about the boy in the striped pajamas (fantastic movie), i have a billion thoughts and opinions about everything... life, love, happiness, muffins.... all partying in my cranium!

i have no idea how to organize or prioritize in such a way that all these potential intellectual/social/philosophical blossoms don't die a freezing death in the recess of my brain...... but at the same time i know that certain things must wait, and certain things are of high priority and must be taken care of first. (that paper ain't gonna write itself... dang)

i call this my alphabet soup syndrome. all these things, bouncing about in my skull, all have potential and importance.... but they're so scrambled and messy that it's indiscernable at the moment.

how do you separate your alphabet soup? how to you prioritize your life? :huh:
 

Gamine

in-game
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
810
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
3w2
I'm so there right now girl. So very very there. My bunny is 2/3 eaten though.

I'll let you know if I figure it out tonight. Good luck!
 

Bubbles

See Right Through Me
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
1,037
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w3
Um. I don't. :blush: My organization skills are "I remember putting this piece of crap with the other piece of crap because I shoved the other thing under there." When someone cleans I panic, because nothing can be found.

And I'll do essays for about five hours. The first hour is for research (coughREADING FICTIONcough). The second is for eating a snack. The third is for putting songs on my iPod. The fourth is for doodling or scribbling, depending on what iPod songs convince me to do. The fifth hour, I scream and look at the clock, think "OMG NO CRAP NO" and write something desperately to turn in via adrenaline and caffiene.

That's my process. :D I think it's the P, 'cause my INFJ buddy does fine...when she turns off her internet.
 
G

garbage

Guest
I have mind mapping software.. great for the scatterbrained Ne mindset.

With it, I jot down various ideas (such as your prosthetics) and link them all together. I also keep track of a hierarchical list of tasks I need to do. Once they're done, I move them to another hierarchy separated out by week and categorized by importance. These tasks are all mapped those to roles I play (researcher, boyfriend, volunteer, mentor, leader...) and goals I wish to accomplish (intellectual stimulation, learning new skills, physical well-being...). This way, I keep track of minor and major stuff I get done, see week-by-week exactly how much meaningful stuff I do, know what I've been concentrating on, and keep myself in balance.

When I see that there are important things that I need to do, I allocate time for them using Google calendar, which is also synced up with my phone. I don't always hold myself to those time blocks, but I'm comforted knowing that they exist.. alleviates the fear of not having enough time to do things.

For more day-to-day matters, I have a fancy piece of paper with stuff I want to get done or work on, such as vacuuming, dishes, homework... you get the idea. I just try to whittle down the list until it's all done.

I guess the end moral is.. just get all of your random thoughts down in some form, so you don't have to keep revisiting them in your head.

Good ol' Te :cheese:

Read some Stephen Covey.. it'll do you some good.
 

cheerchick23

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
59
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
Ne
GREED i am UBERjealous of your abilities!!!!!! would you mind showing an example of what a typical day would bring, outline-wise?

i'm VERY intrigued.

i have the desire to be organized..... damn P.
 

Kyrielle

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,294
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
The way things usually happen when I have work to be done:

1. Remember I have something due soon.
2. Sit, stare off into space, fiddle around with the idea of what's due in my head.
3. Do something fun.
4. Do something distracting.
5. Do something non-productive.
6. Fiddle about with the idea some more.
7. Open the program that I need to work on the thing due.
8. Stare at the program interface.
9. Repeat steps 3-5 in any order.
10. Look at the clock, realise what time it is, and freak out.
11. Pull myself together, and get to work.
12. Finish the work. Go to bed. Get a few hours of sleep. Be happy knowing it's done.


When I have lots of things that need to be done, I do them in the order they are due. So, say I have two classes that have things due on the same day. I usually start with the stuff that's due with the earliest class. Sometimes I'll not do that and do whatever can be done fastest.
 

Ambrosia

New member
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
26
MBTI Type
INFP
Definitely understand what you mean by alphabet soup. I'm also a bit of a perfectionist which makes for a lethal combination... I'll start projects I had weeks to work on the day before it's due and wind up spending all night finishing* it. Sometimes I don't even finish and lost a night of sleep for nothing! :doh: I have many ideas, but it feels like when somebody gives me an assignment; they want me to catch a storm in a bottle.

Do you write in a diary or something of that nature? It may add some structure to your thoughts.

*lol
 

Gengar

New member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
71
MBTI Type
INFP
The way things usually happen when I have work to be done:

1. Remember I have something due soon.
2. Sit, stare off into space, fiddle around with the idea of what's due in my head.
3. Do something fun.
4. Do something distracting.
5. Do something non-productive.
6. Fiddle about with the idea some more.
7. Open the program that I need to work on the thing due.
8. Stare at the program interface.
9. Repeat steps 3-5 in any order.
10. Look at the clock, realise what time it is, and freak out.
11. Pull myself together, and get to work.
12. Finish the work. Go to bed. Get a few hours of sleep. Be happy knowing it's done.


When I have lots of things that need to be done, I do them in the order they are due. So, say I have two classes that have things due on the same day. I usually start with the stuff that's due with the earliest class. Sometimes I'll not do that and do whatever can be done fastest.

That's exactly how I work.
 

Laurie

Was E.laur
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
6,072
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
One time a professor was trying to help me get "organized." They gave me a sheet to write down what I was doing during the day to keep track of it. My INTJ friend about died when he read that I wrote "ate brownie" on one of the time slots. He said I was hopeless. :cheese:
 

Bubbles

See Right Through Me
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
1,037
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w3
One time a professor was trying to help me get "organized." They gave me a sheet to write down what I was doing during the day to keep track of it. My INTJ friend about died when he read that I wrote "ate brownie" on one of the time slots. He said I was hopeless. :cheese:

LOL. I totally would have done that, too. >.>
 

placebo

New member
Joined
May 11, 2008
Messages
492
MBTI Type
INFP
Hahaha I wish I could help you but I'm doing a million things at once too... at least that's how it feels like in my head.

Get someone else to prioritize your life for you. It kinda at least gets you started with a guideline. I'd hang around some Js and try to absorb their organizing auras.

I think lists help. Writing things down helps me to remember what I should be doing. A little bit.

Though I never make any constant goals--goal after goal. Just vague ones, big ones, so I keep those in mind, and it's like, in the end, everything I do in my daily life is designed to lead towards it. If I feel like I'm on track, I give myself a lot of time to do random things and let my head wander, but if I'm feeling the pressure, I try to buck up. I don't mind not being organized, but I really just need a feeling that I'm going <i>somewhere</i>.
 
G

garbage

Guest
GREED i am UBERjealous of your abilities!!!!!! would you mind showing an example of what a typical day would bring, outline-wise?

:cheese:

My organizational systems are in constant flux, but the set that I work with right now are those that are really working for me. I've used Outlook and others in the past, and I've even developed my own web-based software package.. but this really suits my purposes now.

I'll post a few examples in the thread. Here's the wonderful calendar, which shows up in a fullscreen view on my second monitor so it's always there:

picture.php


My "Main" (maroon) calendar is one-time appointments. Facebook events (such as those my friends post and I've RSVPed to) and others from external calendars also show up in maroon. "Routine" (blue) is recurring appointments, typically those that are once a week, such as weekly meetings and classes. I differentiate between those so that I know to pay extra attention to the one-time appointments.

"Tasks" are in green; the all-day ones such as the one on Thursday are due dates (such as for homework), and those in the calendar itself are times that I've allocated to work on tasks.

All this shows up on my phone and work computer, too. One important point is that, since it's always in front of me, I always have a chance to "jot down" my random time-based thoughts so I don't lose them, and I also always have access to them.

I basically rely upon these tools to be my memory and an extension and external organization of my brain.

Questions are welcome!

I'll post a mind map example soon, too.

I might just start a thread or a blog or something about all of this
 

Moiety

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
5,996
MBTI Type
ISFJ
I'd like to develop my Te but man.....that's just downright scary!!
 

ConchShell

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
79
MBTI Type
ENFP
To answer that question honestly, not very well. Even my methods of ensuring I complete things are chaotic. At work, everything goes down on a piece of scrap paper. No lists. Just bubbles and squares with notes in them. Lists are too straight and rigid. Before I go home for the day, I glance at the paper and usually realise I've missed something but have already turned my computer off. :doh:

Some days it's just ideas pouring out all at once with seemingly no safe way to catch them all and keep them somewhere until I can use them. Like a sort of overwhelming flood. Or maybe like clouds in the sky. If you look away for a moment, they change shape and colour too. As if I'm a walking human brainstorm.
 

runvardh

にゃん
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
8,541
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I have entities involved ranked and the more warning/confirmation/guarantee of an event happening combined with the ranking of the involved entity influences whether it will happen or which event takes presidence. A last minute D&D game at odds with a date that was planned two weeks ago and confirmed within the week of the date, will be passed up. Conversely, a girlfriend asking to head out with me right before I am to be at a D&D game that has been planned for some time will only be offered to come along. However, if given equal warning the date still comes first. Also, my desire to be lazy at home trumps all but my regular work schedule.
 

cheerchick23

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
59
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
Ne
nice. i just downloaded this note pad thing where i can put all my thoughts, lists, ideas, poems, to-dos, babble, etc. on! it helps sooooo much! my random babble doesnt clutter my brain as bad!!!! and i don't have to bother my friends with it! lol it just goes in the notepad :D

im on my wayy!!!!!!!!!!! hoorrahh!!!!!
 

alcea rosea

New member
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
3,658
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
how do you separate your alphabet soup? how to you prioritize your life? :huh:

I realized my scatter brained nature when I was pretty young comparing myself toa an older NT sibling who was very organized. I was pretty unhappy with this scatterbrained way I was and I started to develop my Te pretty early.

These days I'm pretty good in organizing but still it doesn't come to me naturally. I really have to change my mood to Te in order to organize.

I have found out that Te is the best way of organizing my Ne. It helps me to categorize my thougts and to accomplish things.
 

faith

New member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
408
MBTI Type
INFJ
I used to procrastinate and stuff, but I don't so much these days. I make calendars and schedules--lots and lots of them, in all shapes and sizes. Usually I put at least one difficult chore (project, research, paper, etc.) to work on each day. Then I have one or two not-so-difficult chores (housework, gardening, laundry, etc.) each day. Then I double the time allowance for the difficult chore, knowing that I'll try to squirm out of it by pretending to work when I'm really just reorganizing computer files or something. (This way I don't overload with guilt when I realize that I've wasted 30 minutes or an hour instead of working.) I also try to schedule (or leave time for) some enjoyable activity. Playing with the dogs, reading fiction, staring into space, watching TV, etc. And if possible, when I'm doing the difficult chore, I give myself a treat to make it more enjoyable: a cup of coffee, sitting in the sun while I write, a scented candle, etc. It kind of honors the activity, setting it aside as important and worthy of my attention. That's key for me: having an attitude of enjoying the work.
 

Clownmaster

EvanTheClown (ETC)
Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
965
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
2
Clownmaster's categorized priorities

Goals

Short Term
Work out every other day
Make bed every morning
Don't hit the snooze button more than twice
Don't procrastinate my homework

Medium Term
Become positively motivated
Become an achiever rather than an underachiever
Turn my self-fulfilling prophecies into good things rather than bad
Quit using my parents as primary role models
Get better at driving

Long Term
Finish college
Put money away for retirement
Invest in the stock market
 

Wiley45

New member
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
669
MBTI Type
INFP
Post it notes are my friends. I keep them all over my kitchen cabinets with my mixed- up, random thoughts, and then I organize them according to whatever things need attention or sound interesting at the moment.

I also keep a notebook with doodles and random scrambled thoughts. Then later when (if) I have time, I organize them and cross them out of my notebook. I usually have lists of stuff to do, as well as book and music titles I want to remember to look into, etc. When enough things in one category pile up, like books I want to read, I'll write them into a 3 ring binder I keep with straightforward, categorized, ongoing lists. Half the time, my scribbles never make it into the organized binder, but at least once my thoughts are written down, I don't have to worry about completely forgetting.

If something is super important, like a deadline, I just email a reminder to myself, since my favorite pastime is wasting time on the Internet. :) Works a billion times better than a calendar, for me.
 
Top