Not Every Mess Means You're Being Creative

All the messy types of the world just got a get out of jail free card with this recent New York Times article. I mean, we all know genius has no time to attend to hair.

Then again, I'm not surprised. As a habitual putterer and friend of the tinkerer, I am more than tolerant of the mess made when actively working on a project of any type.

An artist recently told me that some artists are freakishly neat and others make huge messes while working. Same could be said about anyone from the programmer to the carpenter. 

However, I'd argue that the type of mess matters. Watch an artist, or a child, work: their mess is incredible. The same goes for woodworking, writing, research, cooking, and so on.

 Here's when a mess may not work so well: 

• When it wastes your time because you can't find your supplies.
• When you waste your materials because you left it out to dry, spilled things, dropped things that slid off a table avalanche style because you are strangely proud (or comforted by) the height of your piles.
• When you waste money because you have to redo something. 
• When you consistently fail to reach your own standards and it seems like your own work habits may get in the way.
• When you are a heart surgeon or any medical professional. Then it is absolutely no OK to make a mess. This article does NOT apply to you. 

There are solutions. 

There are loads of self help through books, websites, workshops, and professional help. 

You can change. 

And if making a mess doesn't get in your way: HURRAH! This research has validated the way you work.