My new kitten’s name is Hobbes. He’s learning to navigate the world that is my house, which includes two very large labs who have never really had contact with a cat before.
It’s been…interesting.
So far, the kitten is still alive and the dogs are getting less and less interested in the furry orange streak they see zipping around the house.
What’s notable is Hobbes has created his own system to avoid being trampled or chased by the dogs.
First, he uses furniture to his advantage – high shelves and spaces under couches and chairs are his favorite. Ummm…so is the kitchen counter, but let’s not talk about that.
But back to Hobbes’ system. In order to make it back to the office (where there’s a baby gate safely separating his food, litter, and toys from being overtaken by big, slobbery dogs) Hobbes runs a pattern. It goes like this:
- Kitchen counter
- Back of kitchen bench
- Into plant
- Onto floor
- Under chair
- Behind screen
- Behind couch
- Behind chair
- Up to shelf
- Over baby gate
- Safety (and food, litter, cat tree) Yay!
The thing I find interesting here is that people tell me they don’t know how to create a system or can’t organize themselves.
Let me put it like this – if my kitten can do it, you can do it.
During my retreat last week, I shared how a system is simply an orderly series of steps, how to’s or instructions, documented in such a way that, when followed, the outcome is nearly inevitable.
Bingo – those steps create a system. Those steps equal organization.