Compartmentalization? I’ve Heard of it…I think
A short essay on Compartmentalization: A mental technique to organize your thoughts, achieve your goals, and get things done
By Keenan Mussie
In this short essay, it is my goal to explain the psychological technique of compartmentalization. I have used this technique for the last year and a half to organize my thoughts and become more organized in my professional career. This simple method can be effective in your personal relationships as well and can also help you become a better student, citizen, and leader.
The following information is coming from my personal experience with compartmentalization and does not discriminate by sex, race, or religion. This method is for anyone who may find it difficult to think or organize their thoughts when trying to simplify complex problems. I didn’t develop the method of compartmentalization, I have expounded upon it and defined what the idea or definition means to me. I hope it helps you get to wherever you want to go and saves you some time and agony in the process.
Disclaimer - I am not a psychologist, nor do I claim to be. I’m a guy in his mid-forties that has experienced the first half of his life making pretty much every mistake in the book. Now, I am putting together a blueprint for the lost souls to gain insight into how to make solid decisions and avoid pitfalls life will throw your way. So let’s not stand on ceremony, let’s start the show.
The first time I heard the term “compartmentalization” was when I was watching an NFL pregame program. The analyst, Todd McShay, used the term to describe Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. McShay stated that Newton was the best he has ever seen at compartmentalizing when it comes to playing quarterback in the NFL. At the time, Newton was playing the quarterback position at an MVP level and he won the award for the 2015 season. I found it profound at the time, that even though I had never heard the term “compartmentalize" before McShay’s use of it, I knew exactly what he meant. It immediately made me think about my days in kindergarten. There, each student had a cubby hole or compartment where they would place their personal items such as shoes, toys, or lunch pail. Then I started thinking more about the term “compartmentalize”. And it occurred to me that I could use the “cubby hole” analogy to organize subjects in my life. I would imagine a giant wall, lined with cubbies. And then I would take things like, my daily errands and “stuff” each cubby with one errand or task at a time and “compartmentalize” it.
For instance, if I needed to wash my car I would mentally place that in a cubby or if I needed to go to the cleaners I would place that in a cubby. Then, by repeating this exercise I would be able to organize my day and the things I wanted to get done. I know you’re thinking, “wow, ok, that sounds simple enough, but what if my to-do-list is five meters long? How big does my cubby-wall have to be?” Trust me, this may seem like a grand task, but after a little practice it becomes easier. The main thing to remember is to not become overwhelmed at first. It is like taking out your fishing boat from the beach and into the ocean on a sunny day. Once you overcome the initial tidal waves and hit the calm seas, you’ve got smooth sailing from there. That is not to say there won’t be rough water, but with time you’ll become an expert sailor. This ability to compartmentalize is what made Newton and other quarterbacks like him succeed at the highest level. Being able to read the defense before the snap, find the hot receiver, use his check down receiver, and make the correct throw is what compartmentalizing is all about on the football field. But it also works in other aspects of your life, whether you're a nurse, a teacher, a firefighter, or a student.
The longest journey begins with a single step. Remember to keep this in mind when you begin compartmentalizing. I know you’re waiting for me to give you an example of this wonderful concept, well wait no more!
Let’s say it’s your day off and you jot down four things you want to get done today. ( I encourage you to make these four things of utmost importance or you won’t have the sense of urgency to get them done). This is when compartmentalization comes in. Let’s say the first thing you want to get done is to tidy up your dwelling. The first task is to sweep the floor. You would then compartmentalize this first task and assign it to a cubby. Now, before we go any further, I will let you know that when you begin to compartmentalize, you will find that once a task belongs to a cubby, there will be several subtasks that will need your attention. When I say sub-tasks, I mean small, momentum building tasks that will help you with accomplishing the compartmentalizing activity that is in your cubby. So now, once things are in proper order, we can begin to work. As I have said, our first task is to sweep our floor. We notice we must move some furniture out of the way; this is your first sub-task. Then the next sub-task would be to locate your broom and dustpan. You will notice that these subtasks can pile up fast. This is when what I like to call a thought-tree or thought-diagram comes in handy. You might say, “hold on, a diagram?!”, yes, a diagram, bare with me. Your compartmentalizing cubby-wall and thought tree may look something like this. Keep in mind, this is a visual representation of what you will be picturing in your mind with a little practice, of course.
This is only an example. It is not set in stone and you shouldn’t feel like this is the only way to learn how to compartmentalize. This is the way that I use and I am expanding on the method of compartmentalizing. I encourage you to create your own way to organize your thoughts and get things done. This is something that has worked for me. I have been utilizing this method only for a period of no more than a year to a year and a half. It doesn’t take a lot of time for you to become proficient in this method. I still feel overwhelmed at times when there are a lot of tasks to do in a short period of time. The thing is, you must weather the stress onslaught and see things through to the end. Trust me, once you know how to get past the initial shock of stress and anxiety, you can compartmentalize effectively. (The shock usually only lasts a minute or so). Then, you can begin to organize your thoughts, break big tasks into smaller ones, build momentum by accomplishing those tasks, and feel empowered! This will instill self-belief and you will build more self confidence as a result. Give compartmentalizing a try and see how it can work for you!