Do you ever find yourself forgetting about a lunch date with a friend or a missed dentist appointment because you have so much going on? It’s very common, I can assure you. So how does one balance such a busy lifestyle with so little time? Here are several ways that you can stay organized when life has you running in every direction. I have also linked some of my favorite “stay organized” supplies!
Have a To-do List
Staying organized without a list to remind you is next to impossible. A to-do list will help you stay on target and cross your accomplishments off as the day progresses. Creating a list will help you manage your time more effectively, while keeping you from forgetting small appointments that might slip out of your mind.
Know What Matters
There’s only so much time in a day. It’s important to know what really matters and what doesn’t. That might mean you won’t get to mop the floor today, so you can pick your kids up from school on time. You might have to skip cleaning and organizing the closet that was on your day agenda, so you can grab lunch with a friend. Know what matters and prioritize!
Look For Patterns in your Life
Most people, no matter what profession they do, have some form of routine. Discover what that routine is. Are there days that are just maxed out to the brim with things to get done, and others that are nearly stress-free? Find ways to balance these days out, to stay more organized and to keep you from feeling like you’re about to explode.
Avoid Things Piling Up
Don’t allow things to pile up throughout the day. It can be just as discouraging as planning on a nice hike through the woods, but then realizing you have a mountain to climb at the end of the road. Tackle your day one thing at a time and don’t give up.
Tackle the Small Tasks First
Usually there are more small things to do than big things throughout the day. Plan accordingly. The small tasks require much less thinking and less time, freeing yourself up for the big obstacles to meet head-on. Tackle the smaller tasks first.
Break-up the Big Tasks
Do you ever find yourself procrastinating on getting started with a huge task? Consider breaking down the situation into smaller tasks to help in becoming more manageable.
Get Rid of the Clutter
If you have a lot of clutter in your home or at work, you’d be surprised how much it affects your thinking and prevents you from being organized. Declutter your home and work area so that you can think through your work day more clearly.
Keep Your Work Area Neat
Not only should your work area be clutter-free, but everything should have a place. This will help things be organized and help you find things a whole lot easier when you need them.
Remember to Breathe
Now that we’ve mentioned things you can do throughout your day to make it more organized, let’s not forget about you. Remind yourself to breathe throughout the day. Take a few moments to collect yourself, take a break, a 15 minute power nap. Whatever helps you the most, do that!
What other ways do you stay organized, when life gets so busy?
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Breaking up big tasks is a must for me. I really need to work on keeping my desk area cleaner.
If it wasn’t for my calendar I would never get anywhere. It has all the details I need. Keeping my space clean and organized is huge for making me not feel overwhelmed.
I love having lists! I have so many different lists, but they keep me in check. I also can’t work in a mess, so I make sure my desk is clean every day when I am done at it.
Love this post and these are awesome ways and tips to staying organized! Having a list and prioritizing, helps me out so much!
Those are some good organizational tips. I feel if my home or working space is a mess, my life is a mess. I need things to be clean and organized.
Sally Pederson recently posted…Ristorante Mulino A Vento
I definitely need a to-do list to make sure I check everything off!
Looking for patterns is really vital. It’s a great way to determine a bad habit and learn to break it. It’s so important when it comes to staying organized – especially if you have a lot going on in your life. And keeping a to-do list is a MUST. I always put the biggest things at the top and get so excited when I can cross them off!
I need to do abide by these recommendations. I try to put off many tasks but I’m trying to change my habits.
I definitely think to-do lists are the way to go and I love actually physically writing them out and then crossing them off as I go! Such a good feeling!
I’m a huge list maker!!! As long as things are on my list, they get done!!!
I love having a daily to-do list and tackling the small things first! I feel so much more successful when I have things crossed off.
You are so right about keeping the work space clean. I work from home and often my office becomes the room to store things. I hate doing that because it gets so cluttered and then I don’t like working in there.
Transferring each week’s appointments from our e-family calendar into my Bullet Journal, alongside my handwritten weekly and daily to-do’s, is critical for me. I love your tips overall!
I’m all about the to-do lists and cutting out the clutter and unnecessary things
This resonated with me deeply! I always find it the hardest to not find myself getting distracted when I’m busy!
My sister always reminds me when I’m feeling overwhelmed to do one big thing then one small thing and alternate so you don’t get worn out. Great tips!
This is such great advice and so timely! I feel like in such a funk of disorganization right now. I need to break the smaller tasks up. That would be sooooo helpful!
Having a to-do list is BIG for me! It really helps me stay on top of what I need to do for the day, and avoiding the much dreaded pile-up which then leads to unnecessary stress. Thanks for sharing these tips!
I think remembering to breathe is the best one! I think I sometimes forget that part of it and just keep going. I love all these other tips as well… especially about breaking bigger tasks into smaller ones.