Becoming organized has so many benefits. Perhaps the greatest is the ability to turn days filled with chaos into days of focus and effectiveness. Stress has a very negative impact on health. When you’re organized, you’ll no longer worry about all the little things that might be slipping through the cracks.
With greater organization, you’ll also be more trustworthy in all aspects of your life. Trustworthiness is the cornerstone of all relationships, both business and personal.
Consider these adopting these habits:
- Have a place for everything. This habit also relates to your papers, electronic clutter, and even the desktop on your computer.
- Try to limit yourself to just a couple of email accounts. Consider one for business and another for personal emails. If you frequently fill out web forms that result in a lot of spam, another email account could catch all those.
- Find a solution for your scheduling. One calendar is ideal. It makes sense to use an electronic system if you have a smart phone. Gmail, Yahoo email, and many other free systems are available that can integrate your email, to-do lists, appointments, and calendar.
- For your desktop, make a few folders and categorize things. Place photos in the appropriate folders. Come up with a system that works for you. There’s no reason to spend 30+ minutes over the course of a single day searching for items.
- Put items away immediately. Disorganized people tend to be poor at putting things away in the moment. It’s only after enough clutter piles up that they have enough discomfort to do anything about it. Then, it’s a major project.
- When you grab your mail, go through it and file it immediately.
- When you’re done using something, put it away.
- List that appointment in your system as soon as you schedule it. No organizational system can be successful if you procrastinate.
- Have a daily routine. Use a to-do list. Ensure the dirty dishes are out of the sink before you go to bed. Spend 10 minutes picking up the family room each morning. There are many things that only take a few minutes if they’re done regularly.
- Create your to-do list each night. Starting the day without a plan is a mistake. It’s far more challenging to get anything done. Before hitting the hay, spend a few minutes and list everything you’d like to get done. Then pick the three most important and make that your list for the following day. Three items might not seem like a lot, but it’s plenty.
- If you get the three most important things done each day, you’ll be surprised how differently your life looks after a couple of weeks.
Maybe it’s time to finally get organized and get your life and your clutter under control. You’ll be more relaxed, more effective, and a better friend and partner. Developing a couple of effective habits can really make a huge difference in your ability to stay focused on what’s most important to you.