Do you often find yourself in these situations?
You’re already running late and can’t find your keys.
Your homework deadline is tonight, and you still haven’t started working on the project.
You don’t have any clean clothes left because you forgot to do your laundry.
Being organized saves you time, keeps you from feeling overwhelmed, helps build self-confidence, and, most importantly, frees up more time for the activities you enjoy!
With these handy tips, you can get be more organized and create calm in your life.
Here are 5 tips you can do today to get more organized:
Keep everything in its right place.
Designate a place for everything in your home. For daily items, such as your keys, wallet, or phone, make sure that the place you designate is easily accessible. Consider placing a bowl or basket by your door for so you can find these items quickly when you’re in a rush.
For items you don’t reach for often, it’s ok to tuck these items away. For example, the top shelf of your closet is a great place for spare cleaning supplies or seasonal clothing. Once you’ve found a place for everything, try your best to form a habit of putting items in their proper place. This way, you can avoid clutter and are more likely to find things when you need them.
Create a daily to-do list.
Do you forget to get things done? Do you often find that you don’t know what your priorities are for the day? Creating a daily to-do list will help you stay on top of your tasks and is a simple solution that will help you stay more organized.
Start by making your to-do list for the day, either the night before or first thing in the morning. On a piece of paper, write down each task you need to accomplish that day. This is a good opportunity to think about how you can prepare for things ahead of time, check your calendar, or ask others if there is anything you might be forgetting. The tasks might range from “Complete science project” to “Meal prep for the week” or to “Buy a birthday present for Mom."
Once you’re done, keep your list with you and revisit it throughout the day to cross off completed items. Whatever you don’t complete can be moved to your to-do list for tomorrow.
Maintain a digital calendar.
Maintaining a digital calendar will help you to know exactly what to get done and when. Once you’ve created a to-do list, you can start time-blocking your day. Time-blocking is assigning chunks of time to accomplish specific tasks. Start by scheduling your most important tasks first. Do you have to attend school, go to work, or have a doctor’s appointment? Now you can see where you have time left to do things such as homework, running errands, or doing your laundry. Don’t forget to leave time for fun activities and breaks.
In addition to scheduling events or tasks, be sure to take advantage of the notification features that many digital calendars offer to remind you of important dates such as birthdays, deadlines, or holidays.
For more tips on making the most out of a digital calendar, check out our blog post: Are You Making The Most of Your Digital Calendar? Learn how today!
Delegate responsibilities
Are you feeling overwhelmed with everything that’s on your to-do list and don’t know how you can possibly get it all done? If so, try to see if you can delegate one of your tasks. Consider using your support team. Is there anyone you know that can take on certain tasks? Can someone pick up groceries for you or help you with laundry? Don’t be afraid to ask for some help!
*On LifeCourseOnline, you can easily leverage your team members by tagging them to support you with a certain task or event.*
Follow a routine
Staying organized can be difficult when you don’t have a clear routine for everyday tasks, such as brushing your teeth, making your bed, or taking a shower. Routines remove the stress of “what’s next” from your daily to-do list. Routines can help set the tone for your day in the morning or help you unwind at the end.
If you already have a routine, make sure you prepare for possible unexpected changes.
For tips on managing and preparing for change, check our blog post: Changes in Routine: How to Prepare for the Unexpected.
Becoming more organized can feel like another pesky item on your to-do list, but a few small changes can make a huge difference in your life. If you are not sure where to start, choose just one of these tips to try today. Once you master one, move on to the next! You will slowly notice the benefits of being more organized. The most important one: you’ll get to be more productive, freeing up time for you to spend on doing things you love! LifeCourseOnline is a platform designed to help you grow and leverage your network of support and includes tools that help you connect with your network and advocate for support in day-to-day life. To learn more, head over to our main site at lifecourseonline.com