STAY ORGANIZED: HABITS TO HELP YOU ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

Staying organized is a great way to enhance productivity and make your daily life easier. It requires consistent effort and commitment to become an organized person.

Organizing helps you take control of your life. It is a valuable skill that can have a positive impact on your productivity and overall quality of life.

Whether it’s your personal life or your professional commitments, developing certain habits to stay organized can help you become a better manager of your life.

If you are worried about being unable to manage time and having overcrowded work schedules, you likely need to hone your organizing skills. It’s a gradual process, and you’ll surely get there.

In this blog post, we will explore the various habits you can develop to lead a more organized life. You can begin implementing these habits in your life today and experience the positive impacts.

Why should you organize your life?

-Organizing leads to increased productivity. When you have clarity about what needs to be done, and when it needs to be done, you are likely to function more efficiently to get things done.

-Staying organized can reduce stress. Of course, the sheer volume of tasks and information to manage can feel overwhelming. So, you can introduce structure to your day by implementing organizing strategies.

-Organizing helps you in time management. It helps you to focus on the important matters and save some precious time. Once you begin the organizing, you’ll realize how much time is wasted on things such as looking for your keys and deciding what to cook or wear.

Habits that will help you stay organized

Anyone reading this will have some experience in organizing, be it work files, domestic space, or their day.

But if you feel that you’re struggling to prioritize your important tasks, the following habits can help you bring structure to your day.

1. Develop a routine

A routine provides structure and direction to the day. Make it a habit to develop and stick to a daily routine. You may also establish routines for different parts of the day (morning routine, evening routine).

When you function according to a routine, you’ll feel less lost and directionless. The perfect routine is one that not only helps you be productive but also contributes to your overall well-being.

One important thing to remember while setting your routine is not blindly copying someone else’s routine. Create a routine that perfectly fits your life and life circumstances and what makes you the happiest.

Remember that a routine is not meant to drain you.

You can also refer to my article: The Right Routine for your wellbeing

2. Delegate tasks

It’s always helpful to not take the entire burden of doing every task by yourself. If only you had a superpower that’d help you take responsibility for everything.

Even if you try, you’re likely to feel drained. So, delegate tasks to other people or to automation whenever necessary.

This habit can begin at home, when household chores are divided among all those living in the house. Accept that you can’t do everything on your own.

Delegate responsibilities to capable individuals or outsource tasks that are outside your expertise. By automating and delegating, you can free up time and mental energy to focus on more critical aspects of your life.

3. Organize your space

Have you ever spent a lot of time looking for your watch or your wallet? How did it affect your time? Did it cause stress?

Unless you enjoy playing hide and seek with things, it’s helpful if you designate spots around your house for certain things. A drawer for keeping your spectacles, a key holder for placing your keys, a spot to keep your watch.

Organizing your space will allow you to spend your time and energy on more critical tasks.

This applies to both your physical and digital spaces. Allocate a few minutes to tidy up your surroundings, file away documents, and return things to their designated places.

Here is a decluttering guide to help you organize your space.

4. Make lists/notes

Another habit that’ll help you stay organized is to write down all the reminders, the to-do list, or every creative idea that comes up.

I apply this a lot in my life as sometimes many important things skip my mind. So, it becomes easier when you have a backup to help you go through the day.

You don’t have to carry a notebook and a pen everywhere; you can simply jot down notes on your phone.

Remember to also organize what you’re writing down.

5. Set aside time for planning

To stay organized, remember to set aside time for planning and scheduling. Organizing doesn’t happen on its own. You need to dedicate a portion of your time to reviewing and planning.

Sunday evenings or Sunday nights can be assigned to figure out your priorities for the week and organize them in your schedule.

You can also plan your meals for the week in advance. I have spent a lot of time deciding what to cook and ended up ordering my meal.

This is a habit that I’ve gotten rid of for good.

6. Avoid procrastinating on small tasks

This is a small but important tip to help you stay organized.

If you struggle to get things done, identify those tasks that require only a few minutes of your time and just do them. It may be sending an email, paying a bill, or wiping the table.

Sometimes, these small tasks accumulate and result in you feeling overwhelmed. So, you can choose to break the cycle of procrastination by completing those tasks right away.

So, if it doesn’t take more than a minute or two, just do it.

You can read: Habits that stop you from getting things done on time.

7. Reflect and Adjust

Make reflection a part of your life. When you do things mindlessly without any reflection, you may miss out on understanding where you need to improve.

Take time to reflect on the effectiveness of the system you’ve created and make adjustments when necessary.

What is working well for you? What needs improvement? By regularly assessing and refining your strategies, you can fine-tune your organizational skills and adapt them to your evolving needs.

8. Organize your breaks and leisure

Taking breaks helps us recharge. It’s essential to maintain a delicate balance between being productive and taking breaks. Too much of either will affect your efficiency.

Dedicate some time in your day, week, or month for leisure and unproductive time. You can build a self-care routine or plan a vacation.

Don’t refrain from adding fun and exuberance to your life.

This might help: How to handle unproductive days?

Staying organized is a journey that requires consistency and commitment. By implementing the habits I’ve listed, you can introduce order and structure to your day.

These habits have made a difference in my life, and I hope they do in yours, too.