INTJ Organizing Profile
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Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve looked at the organizing profiles for the four SJ personality types: ISTJ, ISFJ, ESFJ and ESTJ. This week we begin our look at the four NT types, starting today with INTJ.
INTJ stands for stands for Introverted – Intuitive – Thinking – Judging. You’ll find explanation for these terms in How does the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® work?
INTJ Organizing Strengths
Not only do they tend to be natural organizers, but they thrive on creating systems. One INTJ said she was happiest when moving into a new un-(or inefficiently) organized environment, allowing her to design an efficient system. Another admitted the following:
“I bore quickly when asked/expected to maintain any system I set up.”
They easily find places to put things, and don’t tend to accumulate unread newspapers and magazines. There are exceptions, however, such as the survey participant who shared this:
“I have a large “to be read” in basket of journals and magazines – my interest in input from credible sources greatly exceeds the amount of time I have to routinely process them.”
INTJs typically have clear goals and priorities and have few problems around decision-making. Because they use calendar systems effectively, they don’t forget about events or tasks, and they generally finish what they start.
INTJ Organizing Challenges
INTJs identify the following problems:
- Hoarding items that may be useful “some day” and items with sentimental value
- Being almost compulsively organized
- Prioritizing tasks and activities
- Forgetting to complete tasks that aren’t on their “to do” list
- Procrastinating when they don’t want to do something.
- Remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions
INTJ Time Management Systems
INTJs show a preference for paper-based planners. Please keep in mind that I completed my survey over 10 years ago, when technological options were far more limited than they are today!
One survey participant stated a reluctance “to go the Blackberry® route” because she liked to flip ahead to whole weeks of appointments and to staple information to pages in preparation for various events.
Learn More
For more insight into the INTJ organizing style, read about Smart Structures on Pixies Did It.
For a broader view of the INTJ 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 INTJ?
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?
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Hey Janet! This profile fits me to a T! I loved reading this and can’t wait to catch up on the series! 🙂
Thanks for letting me know! I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.
This was such an interesting study, and I’m glad you reminded me that it was 10 years ago. I wonder if there have been any changes. I still use a paper planner, and I love it, but I know I am in the minority. I just love the whole textural component of paper…I feel like I’m on screens a lot and enjoy the break.
I might have already told you, but I moved from paper to digital and then recently back to paper! I think this could be an interesting study in itself…
I really enjoy the questions at the bottom of this series. It makes me think about what my systems and style is when it comes to keeping organized. Thanks for sharing.
Always happy to make you think! 🙂
I am like Seana, i still prefer paper.
1. My organizing strengths are seeing the big picture, i am able to see the whole and what steps are needed to break them down into manageable pieces.
2. My challenges and weakness is finding hard dealing with indecisive people, which i have learned to let go off as i have gotten older!!!
3. My organizing strategies that work for me are finding logical solutions to individual problems, we all work differently, finding what works for others is my strategy.
4. I always write everything down, and keep my diary and calendar up to date, regularly.
5. I tend to be early for EVERYTHING. I have learned to relax my punctuality over the years especially for social gatherings.
6. I like to colour code different parts of my life so i can look quickly at an entry and know if it is business, work, home.
7. I mainly use a day timer and a monthly white board to record my events for the weeks of the month.
Thanks for sharing, Jill! You’ve given us an excellent view of your INTJ organizing style.
What stood out for me is your big picture vision (associated with Intuition) and your use of the word “logical” (associated with NT).
I loved my paper planner, but slowly (very slowly) over the years, I switched to digital. Eventually, I started taking notes digitally too but have since returned to using paper. Like Seana, I love the feel of pen to paper, especially the “right” pen and paper.
In addition, I retain more information when I physically write it versus typing it on a keyboard. There have been recent studies that support that learning and retention theory. In fact, the study showed that those that took hand-written notes, even if they never looked at them again, retained more information compared to those that had typed their notes.
Linda, you sound a LOT like me! That surprises me, because we seem very different in other ways. But I don’t think you are INTJ, are you?
I’m new here, but I’m curious as I have been classified as INTJ, though I’m hesitant to fully commit to that even though I have done enough research into the tests that I have taken and what it “seems” to mean. (Although that statement in and of itself leaves me close to an INTJ type and on the other, a “Mastermind”.) It seems to fit, but then you gave me pause so I decided to spend the time asking on my digital accessory (phone), though I’d prefer to utilize paper and pen.
My pause is from your question, as you probably guessed. The person you replied to, (I can’t see her name now); she went on with an explanation in the second section about a study she found interesting. I can identify with her writing that in these ways, (if in fact this was her motivation):
1. I usually won’t comment unless I think i can make a contribution or, more often it’s when something gains my interest enough that I feel I can learn something by interacting at that moment. (Often I’ll bank the info & come back when my ideas and knowledge evolve as I know they will and then I can see something new. )
2. If I do take the time to comment it can come across a little like I know better than you. This happens when I’m excited about something and in a mode of discovery about a topic, (which usually lasts forever so I’m a little behind now from writing this….)
She sounded excited to me.
My question:
How did you view what she wrote and why?
(And I’m looking for people to team up with and bounce ideas off of about literally everything- in our known existence & outside of it. I can’t stay in my head & on my paper forever. So…)
PS I wrote the above quickly and with no thought to editing to improve its readability. The purpose of the communication was to, in part, show how I think faster than I write(for others), and to show my thought flow. The constant parenthesis is an indication of me attempting to get the reader(you) to understand by clarifying. Though you may already and then it just sounds redundant…
Stephanie, I’m not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if I thought Linda sounded excited about the topic?
(Attempting to reply to Janet’s question below but no “reply” button down there…)
You asked Linda, “But I don’t think you’re INTJ are you? “, (or something like that). I thought initially that Linda sounded very excited in an INTJ way, the way I can be…the only thing that I thought might be why you would say that was because of the first section, and I wanted you to explain your thought process for me. If you would be so kind…
I’ve been waiting for this one! But I also have tested as an ISTJ. I like to say I’m a part electronic, part paper girl. That’s because I do like carrying my electronic calendar in my pocket, with reminders and alarms, but I also tend to make notes and lists on paper and go through periods where I like to use paper-based Planner Pad for, well, planning. Blog posts, though, after jotting down the topic on a paper list, must be composed using a word processor. I can’t even conceive of doing any serious writing by hand, or by typewriter!
I do, totally, forget to do things I haven’t written down. So, I (almost always) write everything down! In a little notebook that I carry with me.
Hazel, I would have guessed you to be INTJ. I’m ISTJ, but not that strong on the N, so we are even more alike than I realized! Thanks for sharing a bit about your organizing style.
Stephanie, I’ve known Linda for a long time, and we’ve actually met in person a couple of times, so I’m pretty sure she is NF. 🙂
Ah. Well then that’s why I was so confused, I didn’t realize you knew her already. Thanks so much for the info. And if you ever need a good think tank person I love projects other people think are puzzles. I don’t have a group of people or a project other than my own that I can really “get into” ideas & offer insights. I need to do this so if you know of anything/ anyone viable & “safe”, I’m listening. I’m willing to create a place that’s both physical & virtual but I won’t do all that work if I can’t “see” the outcome so I’d prefer to find others that have made the journey before me first. And I am just now exploring all the possibilities myself.