So, I wanted to share something I went through recently, kind of a hands-on experience related to this idea I’ve been calling ‘savannah and jared’ in my notes. It’s not about specific people, more like two ways of doing things I saw play out.
It started when I took on organizing my collection of old photographs. A real mess, boxes everywhere. My first instinct was just to dive in, sort of the ‘jared’ way, I guess. Just grab a box and start making piles: family, trips, old friends, stuff like that. Very hands-on, felt like I was making progress fast.
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I just pulled out photos, made quick decisions.
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Got that immediate satisfaction of seeing piles form.
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Didn’t worry too much about the perfect system yet.
But after a few hours, maybe a whole day actually, I noticed problems. Piles were getting mixed up. I wasn’t sure what criteria I used an hour ago. Some photos could fit in multiple piles. It got confusing fast. Felt like I was just moving chaos around, not really conquering it.
Switching Gears – The ‘Savannah’ Experiment
That’s when I stopped. Took a break. And I thought, okay, this ‘jared’ thing, the quick dive-in, isn’t working long-term for this specific task. I needed a different approach. Let’s call this the ‘savannah’ way. More methodical.
This meant stepping back and planning first. Seemed slow and boring initially, gotta be honest.
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First, I actually sat down and thought about the categories I really needed. Wrote them down.
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Then, I decided how I would label things consistently. Got some proper acid-free boxes and dividers ready beforehand.
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I decided on a workflow: process one box completely before touching another. Scan important ones as I go.
It felt like less action at first. More thinking, preparing. But once I started sorting again using this ‘savannah’ structure, it went smoother. Slower per photo, maybe, but the overall progress felt more solid. No more confusing piles. I knew exactly where things were going and why.
What I Learned From Doing It
So, going through that whole process, flipping from the ‘jared’ rush to the ‘savannah’ plan, was pretty eye-opening for me. It wasn’t that one way was just flat-out better than the other.
The ‘jared’ way is great for getting started, maybe for smaller, less complex things, or just exploring. Gets the energy flowing. But for something big and detailed like those photos, I needed the structure of the ‘savannah’ approach to actually finish it properly without making a bigger mess.
Now, when I start something new, I try to consciously ask myself: does this need a ‘jared’ start or a ‘savannah’ plan? Sometimes it needs a bit of both. Start with ‘jared’ to scope it out, then bring in ‘savannah’ to structure the real work. It’s something I’m still practicing, trying to get the feel for what’s needed when. Just thought I’d share that little practical journey.
