ENFP Organizing Profile
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I’m back with the next installment of my series on personality type and organizing style. Today’s post looks at ENFP, which stands for Extraverted – Intuitive – Feeling – Perceiving.
ENFP Organizing Strengths
Individuals with ENFP type preferences typically have an effective calendar system, although the type of system preferred varies.
ENFP Organizing Challenges
Time management appears to be a problem area for ENFPs. Their preference for Perceiving causes them to be easily distracted, and along with the Feeling preference, leads them to stop what they’re doing whenever someone wants to talk to them. They also admit to having a tendency to take on more than they can handle.
In addition, they have piles of unread magazines and newspapers. Their Perceiving preference may cause them to keep the items until they’ve had a chance to read them, however, as people who prefer Extraversion receive energy from interacting with other people, they may not be inclined to make the time to read the items.
Their workspace often appears to be arranged almost haphazardly. They are prone to clutter, because they don’t know where to put things, and avoid having people over as a result.
ENFPs typically consider themselves to be disorganized, and identify the following problems:
- Being considered disorganized by others
- Prioritizing tasks and activities
- Forgetting to do tasks that aren’t on their “to do” lists
- Procrastination
- Hoard items that may be useful “some day” and those with sentimental value
- Forgetting about birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions
ENFP Time Management Systems
ENFPs often use multiple calendars for different functions.
One survey participant reported that she used a Palm Pilot for scheduling, but created a daily to-do list using Microsoft Word, so that she could cross out tasks as she completed them. Technology has come a long way since I conducted my survey, so it would be interesting to know what she is doing these days!
Another used an electronic calendar and task list along with a manual tickler file consisting of a folder for each day of the month and a folder for each month, where she kept all the paperwork to back up her electronic system.
A third used a Day-Timer® system, one page per day, folio size, with monthly calendar inserts to keep on track, along with a calendar on the kitchen fridge to keep track of family activities.
Learn More
For more insight into the ENFP organizing style, read about Organic Freedoms on Pixies Did It.
For a broader view of the ENFP personality type, check out the following resources:
Keep in mind that we are all unique, and even people sharing the same type preferences will not be the same in every way. Personality type is only one factor to consider when developing organizing solutions for your clients.
Are you an ENFP?
Help others understand your personality type and organizing style by answering one or more of the following questions in the Comments:
- What are your organizing strengths?
- What are your organizing challenges or weaknesses?
- What organizing strategies work well for you?
- What are your time management strengths?
- What are your time management challenges or weaknesses?
- What time management strategies work well for you?
- What type of calendar(s) do you use?
Photo © Wavebreakmedia / depositphotos
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I’m sure I work with some of these because piles of newspapers and magazines waiting to be read is a common finding. Another interesting edition of this series, Janet!
I used to work with an ENTP who was notorious for this. I used to throw things out when he was out of the office.
I see myself is some of these personality traits, especially forgetting a task if I don’t write it down. I always have a pen and paper near me. I also email myself from my phone to remind myself to do something when I receive the email on my computer.
I think that’s a hazard that comes with the use of lists – if we don’t write it down, we don’t see it on the list, so we don’t do it. I frequently email myself from my phone too (and I am ISTJ)!
I know several ENFPs, and much of this rings true – especially the sentimental attachment to things. Ironic that they also forget “sentimental” occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries!
Ha ha – you’re right!
Many of my clients love “collecting” magazines and newspapers…to read and clip articles. It’s often challenging for them to keep up with the daily inflow of new information and paper. Sometimes we use boundaries (as in dates or size of the piles) to help reduce the piles more quickly.
I think it’s easier to set boundaries on this type of reading material than on books, where someone might have complete series they don’t want to break up, favorites they want to keep, even if they don’t plan to read them again, and the like.