Organization is a difficult thing to achieve. For many, it seems like an impossible task that can be frustrating and overwhelming. But nobody has to live in chaos. The key is developing habits that will help you get organized and create an easy-to-follow routine. This blog post shares four habits that will build an organized lifestyle.
Planning Out the Next Day Before Bed
Do you find yourself rushing to get ready in the morning and trying not to forget anything because you’ve rushed through your routine? Finish each night by spending five to ten minutes before bed writing a list of all tasks that need to be completed the following day. If they’re hard to think of, try thinking about what needs to happen every day, and break it down into the tasks that need to be completed for each activity. The goal of this exercise is to give a sense of what to expect and how to prepare for it so you aren’t scrambling or stressed in the morning.
Decluttering and Organizing
A cluttered room translates into a chaotic life. Clutter can be anything from clothes on the floor to papers all over your desk. Organizing helps create space for you to do other things. A good rule of thumb is that if it’s not used every day, put it in a drawer or closet and out of sight. This seems like an obvious one, but many people don’t do it because they feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in their house. It can be hard to get started and feel motivated when there are so many things strewn around the room, but by starting with one small task (picking up clothes from the laundry pile or going through the mail), it’ll make a massive difference in your mood.
It is especially important to keep the bedroom clean. Our bedrooms should be a calming place where we can rest and relax when life gets hectic. It shouldn’t feel like a chore to walk in and make the bed or tidy up. Cleaning out the closet, organizing shelves, sorting through old clothes that don’t fit anymore, clearing off the countertops – these tasks can be tiring, but having these tasks done will feel refreshing tomorrow.
Keep a Daily Calendar
You can use an app on your phone or computer, but some people prefer having a physical paper calendar or daily planner, which can be left out on the desk or the kitchen table for easy access all day long and be updated as needed. The point is that this habit will help you know where you are in your day, so there’s no more wondering how much time is left and what still needs to be done. Setting goals and seeing progress being made can significantly boost motivation.
Keeping a daily calendar helps plan far ahead. This is especially important for busy people who have a lot going on. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel like you don’t know what the day holds in-store, but if it’s all laid out ahead of time, that can help alleviate some stress. It will help you stay on top of important dates and appointments, cut down on stress by not forgetting anything, and is just an easy way to keep track of things that need to be done for the day or week. You can incorporate this into your professional life as well, keeping meetings organized with free online appointment scheduling.
Narrate Your Life in a Journal
While a calendar or a planner is good for keeping track of what needs to happen and when, we also need a coherent narrative of our lives. This is where a journaling habit can really help. A daily planner shows the pieces of the puzzle, but a journal helps connect those data points together to see the bigger picture. It can be difficult for some people, but it is a habit worth developing because writing things down into a story helps us make sense of our world and how everything fits in. People who journal regularly often learn something new about themselves and gain clarity on an issue that has been bothering them.
Journaling is an effective way to document thoughts and feelings so that they can be remembered later. It also helps process difficult emotions or events that happen in life. You might want to write about what happened during work hours, how you felt after an argument with a friend, or maybe there’s something from last week you want to remember. Journaling is a great way to get things off our chest, but it also allows for good self-reflection that can help with our mental health and how we see ourselves in the world. When we have a good story about ourselves, we have a better sense of who we are and what our life is about, and so everything else in our lives can become more organized as a result.
A Little Bit Better Every Day.
These four habits are designed to improve organization in our lives, which reduces stress and helps us feel more confident. They are simple habits, but they can greatly impact the way we live day-to-day. It’s important to remember that developing these healthy routines takes time, so don’t expect them to happen overnight! Every day has an opportunity for change and growth, if only in some small little way.
