My 5 Steps to Get Organized

None of us have enough time anymore. We jam pack our days and, in my opinion, we are all just doing way too much.

One of the most common sources of stress is the feeling that there is too much to do and not enough time. Time management gets you working smarter, not harder. You gain immeasurable time back into your life, so you have more time to do the things that bring you joy. You cultivate balance and quality time.

Lack of time management causes clutter, you can’t find things, you’re always late so you lose time, and you spend the first hour of your day trying to figure out where to start. This is what I call a gigantic waste of time!

When I was a kid, I used to have a ritual on Halloween after trick or treating. I would come home and pour all of my candy onto the floor and make murals out of it, it was like abstract art (or something like that). When I finished with my creations, then I would organize everything into categories— type, colour, favourites, sweet, salty, etc. Pretty cool, eh?

My mom loves telling people about this, she sees this story in all of the work that I do today. She knew I would be highly organized and extremely creative. She also thought I’d be a lawyer with my ability to negotiate but that’s a whole other story…

Time management gets you working smarter, not harder.

“Organization isn’t about perfection, it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life”.

I am the organizational queen. I’m a planner, and I anticipate just about everything. It’s not just a thing I do at work, but also at home, in my personal life, social activities, relationships, everything. Organized fun anyone? A combination of being raised by someone who is type-A by definition and working in an industry that requires the ability to do a dozen things at one time perfectly or a mistake could either seriously hurt someone or cost your boss tens of thousands of dollars, or both. 

Being organized does not come naturally to everyone and it can be difficult to implement these skills into your life and work ethic. Over the years, I have helped teach many of my employees how to become more efficient and manage their time better. These days, I seem to be surrounded by creatives (right side brain) and through my coaching work, I have grown to hold deep empathy for people who struggle with time management and it has become my mission to sort them out. So, today I am going to do you all a solid.

Here are 5 important steps to become more organized in your life:

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1. Clean Up

The first step to getting organized is to de-clutter your life. That means at home, your car, and in your work space. Clean up, be tidy, all of your things need to have a place. This may mean you need a complete overhaul, and if so, you need to dedicate one full day (maybe more) to do this! Create clean spaces, get some plants, light a candle, hang some artwork, buy wet wipes, open the windows. And once you’re done, you need to maintain these spaces by putting things back where they belong, every single time!

2. Use Your Calendar (this is huge!)

Blocking time in your calendar and setting reminders helps keep you on track and accountable to your commitments whether they are work related, social, or simple things you can’t seem to find time for like going for a walk. Colour code the different categories if you are a visual person. The phrase, “I don’t have time” is no longer part of your vocabulary if you use your calendar. There is always time, you just need to block it out for yourself and follow through.

3. Plan Ahead

Work two weeks ahead, or more if you can. On Sunday’s I spend time in my calendar mapping out the next two weeks. When you do this, you naturally memorize what’s coming up so there are no surprises. When things get really hectic, I block personal time for myself in advance so that when the last-minute requests start coming in, I can make a decision (sometimes you need to say NO!) rather than over committing or double booking myself. Set yourself up for success by meal prepping, planning outfits, and clean up your space at home (as noted in step 1 above). You want to walk into your work week knowing your life is completely organized.

4. Use Lists

Make lists and follow them. You can make daily and weekly lists, put things in order by deadline or priority, whatever makes sense. I am all about being green and utilizing our devices, but when it comes to your to-do list take it back to the pen and paper. You need your list to be somewhere you will see it every day like on your counter, desk, or your night stand. When you do something on your list, cross it off. It is a working list, when you think of something you need to do, add it. Don’t spend all day making lists, they are not supposed to look pretty. Think brain dump— get everything into your list. Once you get through everything you wrote down, then you can start a fresh one. 

5. Quality Time

In order to be organized, you need to have a clear and healthy mind. You absolutely need to make time for things that fill your cup and provide you with joy which leads to clarity. I always write in my journal in the morning no matter what. It helps me release my thoughts and practice gratitude. I will put on a playlist or podcast and go for nature walks. I do a lot of my best thinking by myself when I’m walking, and I often process whatever is going on in my mind. By the time I’m home, I have a clear mind and there is space available to fill my brain back up. You cannot feel like you are “too busy” all the time and not spend time with yourself. Cook, exercise, stretch, meditate, read, have a bath, get a manicure, watch Netflix - make time to think.

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The phrase, “I don’t have time” is no longer part of your vocabulary…

If you are constantly feeling frustrated, guilty, overwhelmed, and like time is never on your side, focus on implementing these tactics into your routine.

The truth is, a lot of people that experience these types of challenges need a coach because they can’t hold themselves accountable. If this is you, don’t feel bad about it, you would be shocked to know how many people suffer deeply because of the inability to manage their time. 

If you have questions or if there are other areas of getting organized that you would like to hear about, please connect with me it would be my pleasure to dig deeper on this.

See you next time!