I recently conducted a survey of several hundred mothers asking them what is one thing, if resolved, would make their lives much better. Can you guess the number one answer? They said, having their lives and homes more organized. Surprised? What about you, would you have answered my question the same way? There has been plenty written over the years about how to be more organized and how to improve time management. Honestly, it can be a little overwhelming when you start to research the topic. I am a simple guy—so just tell me one thing I can do to make a change in a particular area and I am happy with that.
If you naturally struggle with time management, organization….etc, I may have already started to lose you, but please don’t click away quite yet. This week’s blog is written just for you! Believe it or not, with the help of these strategies, you can start feeling more organized and feel less stressed and frazzled—and more in control of your day.
5 simple tips to reduce stress and beat disorganization:
What Do You Want? – First things first, define what is bothering you, and answer the question, what do you want? Whether you feel like you don’t have enough time for the important stuff, or you always feel stressed out because of something not being done, identifying what the problem really is will help you find the right solution. Sometimes we need the help of others, so don’t avoid sharing your situation with someone you respect and trust. I have done this many times and it was a big help.
Observe Yourself – The next step is to figure out what you are doing to sabotage the goal you want from happening. Maybe sabotage is a harsh word, but the truth is that once we realize that some things may happen outside of our control, we can make a plan and identify what we have the power to change. Take a minute to think about how you typically respond to the problem (now defined) and how that typically turns out. You’ll find both successes and ways to improve here—and you may even discover some new things about yourself. It may be that you just need some extra “alone time” now and then to be able operate on all cylinders.
Identify Time Suckers – Whether time management is an issue for you or not, we all have “time suckers”. A time sucker could be anything, and it isn’t always a “bad” thing. Anything can become a drain if it becomes imbalanced with the other things in your life. Here’s the key, being able to choose when to say yes or no is a skill we all have to have. Sometimes we have to choose to say NO to something good for something that is ultimately better.
Get a Little Nerdy with Lists – I make tons of lists so this is natural for me, and has helped me immensely. Lists are a great tool to get you organized because they help you visualize things you need to do, and of course—help you remember things! It’s really easy when you’re in the thick of life to lose track of the smaller details. Lists also help you break things down into manageable, bite-sized tasks. And bonus: A list can also help you identify if a task can be delegated!
There’s an App for That! – There are a lot of tools out there to help you get organized and stay on top of things. For instance, Any.do is compatible with Android and iOS and can keep you on track with your to-do list, send you reminders, make notes, and also lets you share lists with and assign tasks to others. If you just need something simple to share with your family members or anyone else, Google calendar is great to help you remember all of your appointments. And because you can share it, you and your spouse can stay on top of who drives you where, and more.
We can only do so much. None of us are superhuman, as much as we like to pretend we are. One small change can make a huge difference in reducing stress and help you live not such a frazzled life. It takes a little time upfront to figure things out, but once you do and you stick with it, over time, you will feel more in control. It really is possible!
Any organizational pros out there? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. And if this blog has given you some good tips, the biggest ‘thank you’ we can get is by seeing our blog shared and to watch our community grow. Thanks for being on this journey with us!
Your Virtual Life Mentor,
Doug