In today’s busy world, staying organized is key to mastering your to-do list, keeping control over your schedule and home, and achieving balance between your work life and your personal life. Finding a system that works for you can help you to stay on track, and have energy left over to enjoy the people you love.
5 Easy Ways to Stay Organized
Here are some tips I have found and used to be more productive. These strategies are designed to help you find peace among the chaos, stay organized, and lower stress.
1. Plan your meals
Batching tasks is one of the best productivity hacks, meal planning included. Many people shy away from cooking because it can take time and energy, resources people are typically short on during the week. If you settle in on a weekend day and plan your meals, including snacks, you may find less decision fatigue, because your meals are ready to go. No thinking required.
Take it a step further, and plan a weekend where you actually do a little batch cooking. This will save you time during the busy work week. Your meals will be cooked and portioned out, so you can heat them, enjoy a home-cooked meal, and continue on with your day. As a bonus, you’ll also be more likely to eat healthy meals when the food is ready and waiting.
2. Set your priorities on Sunday
Planning ahead is the key to staying on track. In the increasingly digital world we live in, sometimes it’s nice to take a moment to sit and actually write something down. That also allows us to take time and prioritize the tasks that will dictate our day. That’s where the Weekly Planner Notepad can come in handy. This 55-page pad is undated, and spacious. The 8.5 by 11 inch size lets you comfortably fill in all of your priorities without running out of room. Map out your entire week so you can see it all at a glance. Use it for to do lists, meal planning, or even your plant watering schedule! Marking the box when you’re complete is one of the most satisfying feelings.
3. Tidy Up
Never underestimate the power of tidying up, even if it’s not to the level of Marie Kondo. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but this one action can make a huge impact on your mood, your mind, and your time management. Take 10 minutes at the end of the day to free your counters of clutter and pick up things off the floor. Place your items into organized piles until you can set aside time to deep clean. I promise you will feel so much more at peace. When your space is more organized, your life instantly feels more organized. It’s amazing how much the two go hand in hand.
4. Manage your inbox
Like many people, I realize how easy it is for my inbox to reach an intimidating level. Many let their inbox get to an overwhelmingly full level, and give up on getting a handle on it because it seems unmanageable. Life hack: it feels incredible to have an organized inbox. That’s probably why services that will bulk unsubscribe users from unread newsletters and promotional materials from businesses are flourishing. You don’t have to pay for a service to clean out your inbox and get that unbelievable feeling when your inbox no longer looks like a jungle to navigate.
I suggest setting aside a chunk of time to implement these steps, although you can clean and organize your inbox in multiple appointments with yourself.
- Create folders for recurring emails like receipts, shopping, business, travel, social media, etc. Having folders for specific types of emails makes it easier to find them later, and gives your inbox a cleaner look. If you take the time to create the folders and move mail into them as you manage your email daily, this lessens the potential that your inbox will be a source of massive anxiety.
- Set up filters for emails you want to receive but don’t need to see right away.
Most email providers allow you to filter your incoming email so that it goes straight into folders you’ve specified. Some providers will automatically flag certain emails and categorize incoming mail based on your previous actions. - Unsubscribe from emails you no longer wish to receive. It’s normal to sign up for newsletters that you find intriguing, but if you find that you’re not actually reading them on a regular basis, it’s time to let them go. There’s no need to take up precious space in your inbox. Hit unsubscribe. Your mind will thank you.
5. Make a List
Sometimes you just need to write it down. The art of writing something gets those thoughts weighing you down out of your brain and into the world. You no longer have to wrestle with them, and the actual act of writing it down makes it easier to remember. There’s actually physical connection!
If you have a lot of errands to run, write them down. If you have a list of things you need to purchase, write them down. Or maybe you’re just feeling overwhelmed and anxious – write all of those things down!
Because I firmly believe in the power of writing, I put together the Organization Pack. This three-piece kit will help you plan your weekly priorities, to-do lists, and shopping lists.
Ready to get organized? You don’t have to tackle all of these tasks in a single day, or practice them every day to see the benefits. Give them a try and let me know how it goes! Have other tips? I’d love to hear them!
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