If you are looking at how to be more organized in life in general, you’ve come to the right place.
First off, let me tell you that I’ve been a type A person my whole life. I always have my goals and to-do lists ready to get checked off. I also have many projects and responsibilities running at the same time. So, I myself, have really looked at ways to help me become more organized and efficient in life over time. I’ve read books, listened to podcasts and developed something that works for me and I’m here to share it with you.
If you’re not naturally this type, don’t beat yourself up and don’t try all of those strategies all at once as it can be too overwhelming and a set up for failure. My advice is to read through all the strategies and implement your favorites, one or two at a time. Give it some time and see what sticks and what doesn’t. Everyone is different.
This blog post is all about how to be more organized. I hope this helps you figure out some new ways and make you the most organized you have ever been.
#1 CLEAN UP YOUR SPACE
I know not everyone needs a clean space to think properly, but I do and maybe you do as well. Try to clean your office space and table and see if that has an influence on you. When I say clean up, I mean to genuinely clean your table, coasters, etc. once a week thoroughly and declutter it every day before you start working.
I work on a table with my iMAC set up and it does get cluttered sometimes with mail, papers, stationaries, etc. I make an effort to clean my table when I’m done working every day but more so before I begin working. And since I work in my living room, I also feel that a cluttered living room doesn’t help me focus and be productive. The bottom line is that, I make an effort to keep the room and table tidy.
#2 KEEPING NECESSITIES CLOSE
This sounds pretty basic – whatever I need to use regularly I keep on my table or within reach. I regularly use a lip balm, hand cream, a pen, and my planner… I also have coasters, a glass of water, and some tea. Those are the things I use regularly and need to get my work done with minimal distraction. So, figure out what’s important for your work and have the tools nearby.
#3 KEEP DISTRACTIONS FAR
It’s really important for me to have my phone within a not so reachable distance. I put my charging set up further away from my desk, so I have to get up to use my phone. This is just one example of a type of distraction. Everyone has something they like a little more than the task they should be doing (i.e. work). This could be your TV’s remote or anything. So be creative with how to distance yourself from these things, and try to avoid having those easily accessible.
#4 E-CALENDARS VS PLANNERS
Make a decision about what strategy you’re going to use to get organized. Try an e-calendar for a month or two and see if it’s something you can work with. This is easy, as you most likely have a phone or laptop to work with. If you weren’t successful, get in a planner see if that works. Most people feel very strongly about one vs the other. I for one, cannot work with an e-calendar.
I may schedule appointments when I’m out and about such as medical appointments, haircuts, and facials… but ultimately those all get added to my planned.
#5 PLANNER
I think the true game changer for me was owning a planner, I started using one around 6 years ago and it’s the foundation of all my organization strategies. It would be an understatement to say I can’t live without it, I bring mine with me when I’m traveling (tell me you’re type A without telling me you’re type A). I’m also picky about the type of planners I use.
There are a few things I look for in a planner: (1) a goal setting page for each month before the calendar page, (2) a monthly calendar, (3) weekly overview where I can write my to-do list for each day, and finally (4) a notes page at the end of the month, where I can take down information about important things I’m working on. Some nice to have additions that aren’t necessary: a hard cover planner, a double spiral binding that isn’t exposed (some hardcovers cover the spiral), a file folder with two pockets, and stickers (I’m telling you everything, aren’t I?). I buy most of my planners from Anthropologie, sometimes Barnes and Noble, no gifts, or collabs here.
Left: goal setting page. Top right: Monthly calendar view. Bottom right: Weekly overview.
#6 SETTING GOALS
Each month set goals on several fronts: personal, financial, etc. Jot those down on the goals page for that month divided in themes, otherwise it’s messy and hard to keep up. Be realistic and don’t try to overwhelm yourself with too much work. Over time, you will learn what can and cannot be accomplished in a month time.
Then plan on how you are going to divide and conquer to achieve those goals. Think about the necessary steps and set up a weekly to do list. If you have a notes section on the weekly overview page, jot those there. Then add action items on certain days of the week you think you can work on that task. This is one way to go from a massive goal you’d like to accomplish to a weekly to do list. You can also set up deadlines for each item on your calendar page to hold yourself accountable.
I occasionally schedule things on my phone’s calendar. If I scheduled an appointment while I’m out and about. So, at the beginning of each month I also look at my phone to see if I have anything scheduled on my calendar, that wasn’t added to my monthly calendar.
#7 BEGINNING OF EACH WEEK
There are a few things I do at the beginning of each week; I make sure to go through the list below to finalize my schedule.
(1) Daily must-dos: As I like to call them, these are things that I do on a daily basis: taking my vitamins, scheduling my work out classes, etc.
(2) Chores: I make sure my house chores like laundry and grocery shopping are added.
(3) Review your Tasks: This is probably the most important, while I assign responsibilities for certain days at the beginning of the month, things can add up on certain days. So, to balance things off, I make sure tasks are divided over the entire week in a reasonable matter. It also gives me the opportunity to combine certain tasks that require going to a certain part of town for instance.
#8 BIG GOAL OF THE DAY
Maybe not every day – but for the most part, your day should have a goal that is beyond busy work and small tasks. Something that is part of your big goal, that you need time to work on and accomplish. There is no doubt that accomplishing those types of activities will make you feel good. This could be posting a blog and everything that goes with it, finishing up a power point presentation or spending some time online figuring out which program/ university you want to apply.
This is why I don’t like to have too many small tasks in one day, because they take away my time and energy from accomplishing something big.
#9 REVIEW YOUR SCHEDULE
I always review my schedule the night before. This helps me get into the zone of what is ahead of me so I can mentally prepare, but also gives me an opportunity to review all the tasks I signed myself up for. This is where you can also move things around based on many factors such as, how you feel, how much progress you made on that day… etc.
#10 WHY I DON’T TIME BLOCK
Time Blocking is a very popular strategy to plan your time and get organized. It’s the act of assigning time for each and every task of the day. An E-calendar is often used. These could be the to-do-list type of activities that would otherwise be on your planner or truly every small task you do from waking up, brushing your teeth, drinking coffee, skin care, etc… planned to the minute.
I wanted to put this here, as you might find it useful to know and even try it out. But this doesn’t work for me. I find it discouraging at times when I miss the time allocated for a task, or find it too restricting as I’d like to engaged in a certain task first and not the other. Basically, I don’t feel in control of my day, even though it’s my own plan. But it might be for you, who knows.
This blog post is all about how to be more organized. I hope this helps you figure out some new ways and make you the most organized you have ever been.
As always, thank you for stopping by and reading. Click here if you’d like to see & follow my Instagram page @girlontheues.
See you next week,
Girl on the Upper East Side
Xx
If this interests you, you might enjoy reading my blog post on How to consume less, How to Save Money, How to Buy an Apartment in NYC.
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