5 Easy Ways to Get Organized

Organization. Just reading and saying that word excites me! Ever since I started organizing everything, things just got easier. I probably take my organizing to the extreme at times, but it keeps things in check for me. There are five simple habits to my organizing that make anything and everything I do that much more organized and effective.

1. I always carry my daily planner with me.

Any time a new appointment, meeting, or task I need to complete comes up, I write it in my planner. I have day-to-day tasks that are listed in my planner, as well as an overall “to-do” list. This way, I won’t forget to do anything. I check my planner regularly throughout the day to ensure everything is completed when it needs to be.

2. I color code everything.

When a task is completed, I highlight it yellow in my planner. When a meeting or appointment is canceled, I highlight it blue. If it’s something that takes precedent over everything else, I highlight it pink. Color coding my tasks and appointments helps me to prioritize what I need to do and when I need to do it by. Plus, it adds a little color to what may look and feel like a stressful week. It’s always nice to look back at my planner, at the end of the week, and see what I accomplished. That, itself, is a good feeling.

3. I always prepare things in advance.

If I have a meeting the next day, I prep for it the day before. As I mentioned, I am constantly checking my planner throughout the day. This ensures that I have everything I need and am well-prepared for any upcoming meetings. This tends to lessen the stress of the coming meeting, as I know I’ve prepared for it in advance.

4. I follow a routine.

To also help lessen the stressors of the day, I have created a routine for myself. I do the same thing every morning at the same time. I take 10 minutes to myself to clear my mind. This helps me to prepare for the day ahead. I also do the same thing, at the same time, every afternoon before leaving work, for another 10 minutes. This allows me to destress from the day and head home knowing my day was successful. It also helps me to avoid stressing myself around what tomorrow might bring. Finally,

5. I try not to be a perfectionist.

Nobody is perfect. This was extremely hard for me to grasp, at first. I mean, who doesn’t want to be perfect! Once I came to the realization that being perfect was unrealistic, things didn’t seem so unmanageable. We all want to be in control, right?

What I’ve realized since becoming more organized is that I feel like I am more in control and I have more mental energy. Who wouldn’t want that? So, start today. Get organizing!