Do you make New Year’s resolutions each year, but find that you can’t even keep them until the end of January?
Well, if your resolution this year was to become more organised, ensure you don’t get to the end of the year just as disorganised as when it started. Let 2018 be the year you actually stick to your resolution with a little help from 8 IDEAL tips.
Use Your Smartphone
Instead of using your phone to procrastinate as you spend hours scrolling through Facebook and Twitter to avoid things you should actually be doing, use it to help you stay organised. With more than 1 million apps in the app store, there are plenty that will help you organise your life – from a shared family planner and menu planning, to personal to-do lists and budget tracking.
Keep A Diary
A diary can help you see clearly what you need to do day-to-day. When you’re making plans you can consult it to see whether you are free, and never double-book a birthday or significant date again. You could also colour code it so you can quickly see the difference between work and social events.
Make A To-Do List
Daily to do lists are the best way to keep you on top of your day and help you to get the most out of it. Use it to write down everything you need to get done, in order of importance or when it needs doing. Then you can cross it off as you go – try not to let anything roll over. Sad though it may sound, you will feel a real sense of achievement seeing it all ticked off! You can also plan ahead and set long-term to do lists than include goals with deadlines.
Declutter
In order to be organised you need to declutter your home and desk at work.
A messy space doesn’t enable organisation, because you never know where anything is and spend half your time looking for it! Throw out everything you can – if you aren’t ready to throw it away yet Self Storage Bournemouth enables you to store it safely and securely until you decide what to do with it.
Give Everything A ‘Home’
Are you forever running around your home because you’re late but can’t leave the house until you have found your keys, phone or wallet? Then it is time to give everything a ‘home’ – from coat hooks and shoe racks to a key cupboard and watch stand.
Delegate
Sometimes, disorganisation can simply come from trying to do everything yourself. This year give yourself a break by sharing some of the responsibilities, whether this is at home with kids and/or a partner, or with colleagues in the office.
Organise Your Inbox
Our computers can become just as cluttered and disorganised as our homes.
Sort through your inbox – deleting anything you don’t need and creating folders to ensure important emails are easy to find. Then do the same on your desktop – deleting anything that is unnecessary and use folders to help stay organised.
Be Motivated
It will be impossible to stay organised without a bit of motivation. Sure, keeping a diary and setting goals will help you with organisation, but you need the motivation to actually fulfil the tasks, otherwise having them written down is pointless. Perhaps keep another resolution this year and get fit – head to the gym or go out for a run – both can clear your head and relieve stress, allowing you to go back to the task with fresh eyes.
Follow the above tips and you may find the more organised you become, the more spare time you acquire!
