Are you always busy but never feel like you’ve accomplished anything? Is “Messy” your middle name? If you answered “yes” to those questions, it’s time for you to get your life organised. But we know it’s easier said than done – where do you even start?
Don’t worry, organising doesn’t mean you have to Marie Kondo your life – you can tailor it to fit your capabilities and comfort. Possessing organisational skills will not only reduce your stress but help you to live your life effectively. It may not be easy at first, but it’ll definitely be beneficial in various aspects of your life. Here’s how you can live your life to the fullest with these four organisational tips.
1. Identify your purpose
Before getting into the thick of it, you need to identify what’s your purpose in life – what motivates you to do the things you do. Is it self-happiness? Or to leave a positive impact on every person you meet? Whatever it is, once you’ve identified it, write it down in a goal setting daily planner or somewhere visible to serve as your daily reminder. This purpose of yours will help centre your focus and get you back on track whenever you feel like you’re spiralling out of control. Think of it as an anchor of sorts!
However, do keep in mind this goal of yours will most likely change as you grow through different stages of your life, and that’s okay. Organisation isn’t rigid and you can revisit this process if you think your priorities have changed.
2. Practice “word vomiting”
We understand sometimes you can’t help but overthink everything – am I doing this right? Will I have enough time to make dinner tonight? What else am I supposed to buy from the store tomorrow? One after another, these thoughts will only make it harder for you to focus on your current task and your productivity will plummet even further. You’d be surprised how much bandwidth and energy you eat up through overthinking. Getting everything out of your head and onto paper is the perfect solution to this problem.
From writing down to-do lists to listing out your errands, and even jotting down random things you need to remember, “word vomit” whatever duysnews comes to your mind into a journal. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long you understand its contents. By putting all your thoughts somewhere visible, you’ll see a clearer picture of what you want, and what’s stopping you from getting it. You’ll get to reclaim headspace, focus, and redirect all those resources into important tasks and activities. Not only will your brain – and your life – feel more organised, but you’ll also feel less overwhelmed.
3. Plan, plan, and plan
Creating a realistic plan in your goal setting planner and sticking to it will help you make space for things that are important to you and prioritise them accordingly instead of saying, “if I have the time”. Planning also helps you reassess your priorities as not all tasks need to be done immediately; some can be put off for another day. Sometimes you need to see the workload visually to realise whether it’s worth tackling – and that’s why it’s important to put it down in a planner.
It’s also extremely helpful to note down your tasks for the day in a planner with time blocks as it’ll give you a sense of structure and motivate you to be more productive. A planner with time blocks will allow you to see what tasks you have to do and when to do them.
4. Develop your own organisational system
Experiment with different organisational methods and tools until you find the one right for you. This will also prevent you from getting bored or stuck with a system that no longer works for you. If journaling in a goal setting daily planner helps you organise your daily life and stick to it, then keep doing that. What works for someone else, may not work for you so don’t give up after trying out one method of organisation. You’ll have to adopt what works, change what doesn’t, and improve your way of living.
It’s better to do a little, than to do nothing at all. So don’t hesitate to start small if that’s what works for you. We understand that not everyone has the time to sit and journal or write down their plans for the next day. Something as simple as setting a timer 25 to 30 minutes a day to carry out a task will slowly help you incorporate organisation into your life. Pay attention to how these changes make you feel and go with the flow. It’s important to not force yourself to a routine that makes you uncomfortable as it will only add on to your mess.
Take it one step at a time
Living an organised life is not just about getting up at 5am every day. Instead, being organised is a principle – a way of life. You don’t want to get caught up in all the details on how to organise your life and get overwhelmed by it. Take it one step at a time, and once you get the hang of it, you’ll realise you’re doing more in less time. A little bit of patience and determination will help you live your life more effectively. Good luck!
