Is your life in a constant state of stress?
Do you find yourself always looking for the keys on your way out the door, or not knowing where you put your cup of coffee?
If so, you need to get organized now.
Get rid of the mess in your head by reducing the mess in your environment with these 5 simple tips.
1. Clear the Clutter
The best form of cleaning house is to start by identifying what doesn’t need to be there.
Do you really need three almost-empty bottles of shampoo in your shower? Is there a better place the kids can put their homework instead of on the kitchen counter?
Identify the places in your home and office where you may have more than you need. This includes physical objects laying around and responsibilities on your “to-do” list which might not be as important as you think.
If you are stuck on deciding what is considered clutter, refer to the 80/20 rule.
2. Set Boundaries
Once you have cleared things out, keep them from sneaking back into your life.
Set boundaries at work and at home to honor the expectations you have for being organized.
At home, this can look like a daily or weekly cleaning schedule or an assigned place for random items.
In the office, it means learning the importance of saying “no” every once in a while and standing your ground.
3. Plan Ahead
Boundaries are the rules of the game, and planning ahead is like a cheat sheet.
Good planning prevents you from falling back into bad habits or taking on too much. Put all your commitments in one place to ensure nothing overlaps.
Yes, this means every meeting, soccer practice, and/or date night. Take all the hats you wear and keep track of them together. It will make things much easier, and who knows, you might even get to sneak in some time to celebrate you as well.
4. Make It a Team Effort
One of the best ways to get organized now is to share the new boundaries and plans you have with the people closest to you.
Maybe ask your partner to take care of dinner one night a week or for the kids to help with the laundry. The more you get the hubby and kids involved, the more your home can start to look like it’s the headquarters for OCD Home Inc.
A team effort means everyone is invested and everyone can support each other, too.
5. Have Fun
No matter how much you need to take on to get organized, always remember to have some fun along the way.
Play music when you mop the floors or have a mini dance party while you put away the dishes. If you’re cleaning your cubicle, leave little notes of encouragement tucked away for later.
Additionally, make time to relax without attaching an expectation to it. Sometimes the best way to get organized now is to put something off for later and drink a cup of tea instead.
Take Back Your Life and Get Organized Now
Nothing is ever perfect, but if your life looks like chaos most of the time, something has to give.
The sooner you make the decision to get organized now, the sooner you can start to breathe a little easier at work and at home.
Have you recently started using some of the tips above? Leave a reply about your experience!