Getting Organized For the New Year

Is clutter causing stress in your life? Do you look around at a messy house or workspace and feel like there’s no bottom to the mounds of junk? Do you find yourself missing appointments or forgetting engagements?
Then you need to get organized!
It’s been said that lack of organization is one of the major causes of stress today. It’s certainly true that feeling unorganized can leave you feeling ineffective and overwhelmed. For some of us, organization comes easily. Others of us, however, look at those people with envy, only wishing we could be as calm and collected as they are. The good news is, you can. It just might take a little more creativity on your part.
Maybe cutting the clutter is your New Year’s resolution. Whether it is or isn’t, though, today is always the perfect time for positive change in your life. Plus, a little organization might be all you need to help you reach your other goals this year. On that note, here are a few tips for getting organized in 2005.
Put Your Mind in Order: Before beginning the monumental task of getting your life in order, it’s a good idea to take a moment and get your mind in order. Replace thoughts of panic or depression with thoughts of your organized, clutter-free future. Try some self-hypnosis or a Hypno-Acceleration™ to get yourself in the right state of mind.
Prioritize: You’ll only complete the important tasks if you know what the important tasks are! That means it’s important to sit down and make a list of your priorities. This also keeps you from neglecting major responsibilities because you’re putting out daily “fires” — i.e., forgetting to pay the mortgage because you got sidetracked looking for a lost CD.
Prepare: Try spending 10 minutes at the beginning of your day organizing your thoughts, goals and tasks. Taking just a few minutes to prepare often saves hours of wasted time later.
Simplify: Keep tasks as simple as possible. Learn the easiest, most effective way of completing your duties and then repeat that process. You’ll gain nothing by making things more difficult than they need to be.
Clump: On a related note, simplify your life by clumping similar tasks. If you have several errands to run, plan to do them all at that same time, rather than going out several times. When going from one room or office to another, save yourself some extra steps by collecting everything you need to take to that room and putting it away while you’re there.
Keep Track: It’s hard to be organized if you can’t keep track of what’s been done (or not been done). Find a system with which you’re comfortable and practice using it every day. A simple “to-do” list is often the easiest and most convenient way of keeping track.
Organize Your Home: To put it bluntly, it’s hard to get your life organized if your home is a mess. Getting a grip on your organization at home will naturally help you get organized in your work, your school, and your life in general. So get rid of the clutter!
Organization doesn’t happen overnight. Hopefully, though, these tips will help you have a happier and more clutter-free New Year!
The CD process MM-008 - Turning Procrastination into Motivation - Practice the eight steps to transform procrastination into the motivation you need to complete tasks, start new projects or live the healthy lifestyle you always dreamed of.