Many of us have a lot going on in our daily lives, from going to work and taking care of our homes to bringing the kids to school and making time to hang out with our family and friends. At times, you may feel overwhelmed by life, as though there aren’t enough hours in the day for you to get everything done.
Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many people feel this way, and the key to lowering your stress level is by getting organized. Creating set systems and routines for yourself can help you to do all the things you want to accomplish in the week without feeling as though you’re rushing from one place to the other.
The first step is decluttering your home and giving everything from your favorite gold chains to your shoe collection a designated place. When our homes feel clean and organized, this spills into other parts of our lives. Check out these other important tips to help you stay on top of your daily life More Organized.
Make Lists, Schedules, and Deadlines
Some people gravitate toward lists, while others try to keep everything organized in their heads. Whether you’re already a list maker or not, this technique is extremely important to highly successful people. You may think that you can remember everything you need to accomplish in a day, but, with so much going on, it’s easy to let something slip through the cracks.
Try making both a daily and a weekly list to keep yourself organized. Depending on your preference, you can make a daily to-do list each morning or each night for the next day. At the beginning of the week (on Sunday) or at the end of the week (Friday evening), you should also make a list of things you need to do for the upcoming week to give yourself a bigger picture look at your upcoming responsibilities. Invest in a weekly planner, as well, to help you remember deadlines for work projects and important events.
Keep Your Home Clean and Organized
When our homes are messy and disorganized, this can cause underlying feelings of stress and unconsciously distract us from other things we need to do. For anyone who works at home, having a chaotic environment can greatly impact your level of productivity and motivation, distracting you from the work at hand.
It’s best to develop a regular cleaning routine and have designated spots for everything in your home. When your items have a specific place they need to be, like children’s toys in the playroom, nice gold chains and jewelry in the jewelry box, important papers in the office, you’ll find it easier to clean up and much easier to locate items that you’re searching for.
Start Journaling
Journaling is one of the top daily habits cited most often by successful people. Your journal is your own space for you to write about whatever you’d like. Writing and recording your thoughts helps you to process your experiences and reflect on what you’ve learned, giving you a greater understanding of yourself and a sense of motivation.
Much like with your daily to-do lists, you can make journaling part of your morning or evening routine to look back on the day’s events. Journaling may help you recognize patterns of behavior that are detrimental or beneficial, leading you to change the way you do certain things or implementing good habits into new parts of your life.
Recognize Procrastination and Overcome It
Procrastination is the enemy of motivation and organization. We all have moments of procrastination. Maybe you’re not feeling well or you’ve just started a new TV show that you’re dying to lie around and watch all day, but putting off tasks for later is almost never a good idea.
When we wait until the last minute to do something, we tend to feel a greater sense of anxiety later because we haven’t given ourselves enough time to complete the task, and now we’re rushing to get it done. One way to help overcome procrastination is by setting goals and incentives for yourself. Once you’ve accomplished something, reward yourself in some way.
Create a Financial Organization System
Part of living an organized life is to keep track of your income and expenses, but many people don’t track these factors as well as they should. Thanks to the internet, there are all different types of programs and apps that can track your budget and alert you when you’re overspending. Try setting a budget for yourself, separated based on things you need to buy each month, and use one of these apps to keep your finances in order.
Regularly Declutter Your Home
Decluttering and cleaning your home are two very different tasks. Cleaning your home means putting your items back where they belong, but decluttering means sifting through your belongings and getting rid of unnecessary items. Everything from your clothing and and accessories to your office supplies and kitchen utensils should be regularly reviewed and cleaned out.
If you have jewelry or clothing that you never wear, don’t hold on to it. Donate it and make space in your home. When your living and work space is jam-packed with unnecessary items, you’re more likely to feel overwhelmed and cluttered. Clear out your space and keep your home organized.
Set Weekly Routines
Keep yourself on track by scheduling days and times for specific activities. Of course, you don’t need to schedule every single little thing you’re planning to do for the week, but try creating and maintaining regular routines such as grocery shopping on Mondays or straightening up the house on Sunday afternoons. These regular tasks can help you keep up with housework, leaving you with more free time for activities that you enjoy.
Get Organized!
If you put your mind to creating a more organized lifestyle for yourself, you’ll reap the benefits. Creating regular routines and systems for cleaning your home will have you feeling more organized in your own space, leading you to be more motivated in your work.
