So, you’re finally ready to get organized, huh? There are ten really simple steps you need to take if you want to organize your life.
There are some things organized people do really well.
Even if you only implement a couple of these suggestions, you will soon be on your way to a more organized life.
When you organize your life, you find that you have more time available to you than you thought you did.
Then, you begin to imagine ways to fill that time with the things that bring you joy and fulfillment.
It might be finalizing plans to start that bakery you’ve always dreamed of, or it might be making time for date night with your spouse.
Maybe it’s just finding time to read or watch a movie with your kids without feeling like there are a million other things you should be doing.
Either way, these are the steps you need to take if you want to organize your life.
Ten steps you need to take if you want to organize your life
We’re going to start with the basics. I intentionally placed these items in this order, so that you can start with one and then move on to the next.
Build upon your success and by the time you reach the end of this list, you will finally know what it means to conquer the chaos and organize your life for real.
I’m so excited for you! Let’s get started.
1 // Use a calendar
If you don’t use a calendar already, it’s a must. It doesn’t really matter which kind of planner you use – only that you use it!
There are three types of planning tools you can use to organize your life, and it’s important to find a system that works best for you and your needs.
No two people are alike, and the great thing about planning tools is that you can tailor them to fit your lifestyle. The only mistake is not using one at all.
2 // Take inventory of your time
Once you start using a calendar to keep track of your appointments, I want you to start tracking how you spend your time.
You can do this by keeping a time journal for a week or so. Grab a notebook or use the Notes app on your phone to log how you spend your time each day.
Be sure to write down exactly what you’re doing and how long you’re doing it from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed.
This is a very eye-opening experience. Tracking how you spend your time can help you pinpoint where you are losing or wasting time.
3 // Prioritize your tasks
Looking at your to-do list each week can get overwhelming if you don’t know where to start.
It’s super important to know what your priorities are in order to choose which tasks to focus on first.
Imagine knowing exactly what you need to accomplish each day to move you toward the life you desire.
This is what I teach in my ebook, Purposeful Productivity. It will help you discover a whole new way to plan your day.
You can learn more about it here.
4 // Plan ahead
You can plan as far in advance as you’d like, but I like to sit down each Friday and plan for the week ahead.
Doing this allows you to make decisions ahead of time, based on logic and reason rather than how you feel in the moment.
You will not always feel like doing what you have written on your calendar, but planning ahead reduces the likelihood of procrastination.
The reason I plan on Friday is to get it out of the way before the weekend. Getting your plans out of your head and onto paper reduces that feeling of stress and worry.
My Friday planning session gives me the freedom to enjoy the weekend without thinking about everything that needs to be done.
5 // Implement routines
There are so many tasks that happen day in and day out. Develop a system to get these things done on a regular basis.
Look for ways to create routines throughout your day and free up brain space for more creative tasks.
For example, instead of constantly worrying about when you will get the laundry done or what’s going on in your bank account, check-in on a daily basis until it becomes a habit.
Every morning, as part of my routine, I throw in a load of laundry, log into my bank account and log any new transactions in my budget, and check to see if the dishes need to be done.
This is just one way I have systemized repetitive tasks so that they now run on autopilot.
6 // Identify distractions
Distractions are inevitable. We all have them and they can derail the best-made plans if you let them.
The key is to identify your most common distractions and make a plan to avoid them ahead of time.
Your time journal will likely clue you in to which distractions are taking up your valuable time. From there, you can set limits to guard your time.
One of the biggest distractions most of us face today is social media. Click here for some helpful tips to reduce your time spent scrolling.
7 // Set goals
Goals are important because they provide a roadmap for creating the life you desire. Setting goals is not about achieving more.
Your goals should move you in the direction you intend to go with your life, not add meaningless tasks to your to-do list.
You can learn more about setting goals here. When you set goals, you need to make sure they are relevant to your season in life.
They also need to be connected to what matters to you, so that you will stay motivated and continue to work on them until they are accomplished.
8 // Take action
Learning is great, and it is amazing that we live in an age where we can learn almost anything simply by accessing the internet.
I love to read blogs, listen to podcasts, and watch YouTube videos, but all of that stuff is worthless if you don’t take action on what you’ve learned.
If you really want to uplevel your life, take notes while you consume all of the information that is available to you and create an action list of things you want to implement for yourself.
Moving from dreaming to doing is truly life-changing.
9 // Anticipate problems
You are not immune to problems. We all have them. Not everything will go according to plan and this is completely normal.
When you plan out your week, think about what problems might keep you from doing the things you planned and come up with solutions ahead of time.
What if your kid gets sick?
What if your best friend invites you to lunch?
What if you oversleep?
What will you do?
Anticipate problems that might come up, so they don’t catch you off guard.
Plus, if you’ve already started implementing some of the steps listed earlier, it won’t be as difficult to get back on schedule if something throws you off track.
10 // Check-in regularly
At the end of the month, look back at how much you accomplished and look for ways to improve.
Celebrate your wins and make a plan to change the things that didn’t work well. Be honest with yourself to increase your chances of success moving forward.
A regular check-in will give you the opportunity to change course or double down on your routines before things get out of control.
It also reminds you of how far you’ve come, which will inspire you to continue working toward your goals.
Now, it’s your turn
Like I said before, these steps are super simple yet so powerful. Don’t try to implement all of this at once.
Start with step one, master it, then move onto the next.
Before you know it you will have totally organized your life and you will feel so much more accomplished at the end of the day.
I’m super excited to hear about your progress!
These are really helpful tips. I can see how they can help you stay organized. None are super complicated, but will certainly make a big impact overall. I’ve come a long way in getting things organized, but still have some work to do, so this will help me with that last little push to get and stay organized.