Following Monday’s post on the ISTP Organizing Profile, today we will look at ISFP. ISFP stands for Introverted – Sensing – Feeling – Perceiving.

ISFP Organizing Strengths

They thrive on spontaneity, appreciate living one day at a time, and work well in a crisis situation.

ISFP Organizing Challenges

ISFPs indicate that they consider themselves to be disorganized, and often struggle with procrastination and getting rid of items with sentimental value.

They also report difficulties getting rid of things, having piles of unread magazines and newspapers, disorganized bookcases and storage space, difficulty with decision-making, and being easily distracted.

In addition, ISFPs sometimes face the following problems:

• Being considered disorganized by others
• Prioritizing tasks and activities
• Forgetting about tasks that aren’t on their “to do” list
• Hoarding items that may be useful “some day”
• Not having people over, due to clutter in the home, often because they don’t know where to put things
• Forgetting about birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions

One ISFP stated:

“There are times that I seem to have issues that people with executive function disorder have (ADD, NLD) such as planning things that are not immediate and doing things that do not involve other people, or verbalizing.”

ISFP Time Management Systems

ISFPs use various methods of keeping track of their schedules. Some use traditional calendars or planners, whereas others focus on due dates and plan for the priorities, allowing themselves to be flexible and spontaneous about the rest of their work.

An ISFP described his system as follows:

“Here’s how I keep on track:

Daily and Project logs with a next to do column. This is borrowed from David Allen, Getting Things Done. By identifying an immediate next to do action, makes it easier to jump back on the project or task when a time slice appears.

By keeping a running log with immediate next to dos, along with thoughts, notes and feelings (important to ISFP), I’m able to pick up where I left off. I need to remember my feelings and thoughts on a particular project to keep up the momentum, since that’s how I make my decisions and get motivated.

These are my column headings

Date/time             Entry: log, notes, thoughts             Next to do

I use a stiff back legal size spiral note pad (Cambridge) with removable colored write on tabs (Avery) to divide the pad into several sections. If I need more room in a section, I create another section with a write-on tab. I use colored pens / markers to keep it interesting, and to break it up.

Legal size provides more continuity when looking back. The spiral allows me to rip out and redo pages when necessary, to keep the log looking neat. Also, rewriting my notes, sometimes helps me think things through, since I’m an auditory / kinetic learner who has trouble visualizing and thinking without words.

I section off the pad according to the “project” I’m using it for. For example, job hunting, household projects, medical notes, household repairs, shopping notes, gift ideas.”

Learn More

For more insight into the ISFP organizing style, read about Fun Freedoms on Pixies Did It.

For a broader view of the ISFP personality type, check out the following resources:

• Portrait of an ISFP: The Artist
• ISFP Personality (“The Adventurer”)
• The ISFP
• ISFP in a Nutshell

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 ISFP?

Help others understand your personality type and organizing style by answering one or more of the following questions in the Comments:

1. What are your organizing strengths?
2. What are your organizing challenges or weaknesses?
3. What organizing strategies work well for you?
4. What are your time management strengths?
5. What are your time management challenges or weaknesses?
6. What time management strategies work well for you?
7. What type of calendar(s) do you use?

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