The Miracle Cure for Whatever Ails You? Get Organized!
There are few things in life that can have a major impact on numerous areas of life, with relatively little time or effort. Getting organized is one of those magic bullets – your health will improve, your finances, your relationships, and your performance review! But getting started can be the difficult part. How do you go about getting more organized, without becoming more disorganized in the process?
Focus On One Thing At A Time
The wrong way to go about this is to start yanking things out of cupboards. That will just make a bigger mess, and make you feel frazzled. Instead, make a list of the different areas of your life that you would like to make more organized. Then, spend 15 minutes a day tackling the list. Don’t flit around. Start with one task, and work on it bit by bit until you have finished it. Even if it takes a week. Then, relax and reward yourself! Then, when you are ready, tackle another area. As the accomplishments grow, and your life becomes buffed, you will feel encouraged and your motivation to continue will grow.
Here are some examples of things you could start with
1. Organize your Living Space
start with a drawer. Then another. One corner at a time, one room at a time. While you are decluttering, clear out what is no longer useful, and make a list of what items you need to upgrade, finances allowing. You could have a yard sale to fund the upgrade process. So much of what we have in our living spaces is blocking our productivity. Get rid of it already! You will feel so much better.
2. Organize your Digital Space
Clear out your email in-box, then unsubscribe to whatever you don’t regularly need, and your communication process will become so much more efficient! Also check what apps and settings on your mobile device are wasting space or energy.
3. Organize your Wardrobe
get rid of what doesn’t make you feel fabulous! You can take those items to a clothing consignment shop, and use the cash you earned to get some new duds, or a new hairstyle that will make you feel fabulous. Also, stash away clothing and gear that is not well suited to the current season. Getting ready each morning will become a no-brainer!
4. Organize your Finances
sometimes having a more clear vision of where we stand is a huge first step towards saving money. Inefficient use of finances due to a messy, disorganized system is a major culprit, so before you start depriving yourself of your favorite treats (something that really adds to your positive mind-set), de-clutter the financial systems first. Then, you can enjoy that latte or pedicure guilt-free, knowing that you can afford a little splurge! “You Need A Budget” is a great tool to structure your financial reorganization.
5. Organize your Time
Julie Morganstern came out with a fantastic book, “Time Management from the Inside Out” that discusses “containerizing” your time. She also says that if you are having a hard time getting a certain task done, you are probably not doing it at the time of day/week that is best for you. This book is an excellent way to structure your time to match the person you are inside. One of my favorite recommendations is to use only one tool to organize your time. Not a calendar, and a list, and notes on your mobile phone, and Facebook events. And sticky notes. See how it gets difficult to track fast? I use Google Calendar online. You can color-code everything and even move appointments around when priorities shift. Just one.
6. Organize your Relationships
Have that important talk. Say “no” to what you no longer want. Say “yes” to what you have been wanting all this time. Ask for an adjustment. Lose friends that are not real. Everything feels simpler now, doesn’t it?
It’s amazing how simple and easy life becomes when we don’t have to wade our way through what is no longer needed to get to what is important each day. Isn’t it?
What are some of your favorite organizational life-hacks?
