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    Unavailable
    A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--how Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-fly Planning Make the World a Better Place
    Unavailable
    A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--how Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-fly Planning Make the World a Better Place
    Unavailable
    A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--how Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-fly Planning Make the World a Better Place
    Audiobook10 hours

    A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--how Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-fly Planning Make the World a Better Place

    Written by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Ever since Einstein's study of Brownian motion, scientists have understood that a little disorder can actually make systems more effective. But most people still shun disorder-or suffer guilt over the mess they can't avoid. No longer!

    With a spectacular array of true stories and case studies of the hidden benefits of mess, A PERFECT MESS overturns the accepted wisdom that tight schedules, organization, neatness, and consistency are the keys to success. Drawing on examples from business, parenting, cooking, the war on terrorism, retail, and even the meteoric career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, coauthors Abrahamson and Freedman demonstrate that moderately messy systems use resources more efficiently, yield better solutions, and are harder to break than neat ones.

    Applying this idea on scales both large (government, society) and small (desktops, garages), A PERFECT MESS uncovers all the ways messiness can trump neatness, and will help you assess the right amount of disorder for any system. Whether it's your company's management plan or your hallway closet that bedevils you, this book will show you why to say yes to mess.


    From the Compact Disc edition.

    Editor's Note

    Anti-spring cleaning…

    For those who don’t believe in spring cleaning, here is some reassurance that your messy workspace isn’t a failing or a blight. Messiness and disorder has creative and productive benefits, according to Columbia professor Eric Abrahamson and author David Freedman. Learn the powers of chaos in moderation.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 9, 2007
    ISBN9781415936283
    Unavailable
    A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--how Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-fly Planning Make the World a Better Place

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    Reviews for A Perfect Mess

    4.5/5

    2 ratings1 review

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    • 4/5
      Was enjoying this book quite a bit, but then once it reached Chapter 11, some disconcerting error started occurring that makes it impossible to continue listening. It sounds like two phone calls crossing each other, or at least that how I can best describe it. Like two different tracks of the audio are cutting back and forth abruptly.

      This likely is a weird technical issue, since I see no other reviews describing similar issues. The authors and narrator deserve a proper review, so I will return once this problem has been solved. The book is great so far.

      Issues begins at approximately 8 hours and 30 mins, and shows "Chapter 138 of 175" on the progress bar.

      1 person found this helpful