Within our structured and fast-moving society, where organization and the ability to perform under pressure are prized, Thinker-Judgers excel. These are the quick-thinking, competitive, closure-seeking personalities of the 16-type system. They operate with the same efficiency as a Swiss watch.
As countries, cities, and communities begin to ease out of social distancing restrictions, Extraverts around the world are celebrating. Plans are being made, lists are being compiled, outings and gatherings are being planned as access to restaurants, retail and outdoor activities continues to rise. And obviously, in their joy, these enthusiastic Extraverts want to include their close Introverts in their festivities.
My name is Jayne Thompson and I’m a procrastinator.
To the outside world, I am the model of efficiency. I have the discipline to perform tasks in a quick and organized manner. I do things systematically and I get projects done on time.
On the inside, it’s a different story. I habitually procrastinate. I dither and put things off for ages, often to the point where priorities have shifted and the job no longer needs to be done.
So you've done a personality test and the results are in: you're a Judger. If you're not too familiar with Myers and Briggs' way of describing personality, being called a Judger may sound like cause for concern. But there's no need to feel defensive! Judging, in this context, has more to do with how you approach life—not how judgmental you are.
By now, you’ve certainly heard of the term “social distancing”. In case you’ve been living under a rock, it’s a bona fide strategy for minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Guidelines for social distancing may vary based on geography, time and the severity of the situation but, ultimately, the advice is to avoid (or at least limit) in-person contact with others. Basically, it means canceling events, avoiding crowds, limiting yourself to tiny social gatherings and staying 6 feet away from others. Yes, even in the grocery store.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when feelings of holiday cheer and terrible anxiety flooded the Judger. The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year — for the most part. But as an INFJ—one of the eight Judging types in Myers Briggs typology—my Judging component often gets tested come November and December.
The Sensing-Judging or “SJ” personality type is ideal for certain career tracks and vocations that involve the practical application of knowledge in a structured way. Libraries, laboratories, spreadsheets and engines, call to us like sirens. We are masters at pulling together vast amounts of minutiae and arranging them into cohesive and efficient wholes. When we focus in on a profession, we tend to become “Masters of One”.
With Perceivers described as indecisive, freewheeling, impulsive types and Judgers described as focused, organized and dependable, you'd think that Judgers had it made. After all, the Judging side of the fence is where the lawyers, executives and Marie Kondo hang out, all pushing the "Inbox Zero" movement and telling us that radical organization is life-changing in its ability to increase productivity and lower stress.
The dirty little secret? It's actually a bit rubbish being a Judger. Here's why.
My husband and I were married in 1988. While you do the math, I want to mention in passing that we had not taken any personality tests at the time, so we were blissfully unaware that we were both TJs. The fact that he had firmly decided against getting married before we were both twenty years old should have raised a flag, but at the time it seemed like common sense.
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