Trying to organise your life can feel like a juggling act. As soon as you catch one ball, another one is coming right at you. Life is such that some balls will end up on the ground and you will face failure, but instead of tossing all those balls in the air and hoping for the best, it’s better to develop a framework to help you keep every aspect of your life in order.
Here are five basic principles that can help you start organising your life. By following these simple rules and applying them consistently, you’ll be able to organize your life in a way that adds quality to your life, brings order to your weeks and improves your wellness.
Develop habits and build a routine
Good habits will not only make you feel good but they’ll also set you up for long-term success. Re-evaluate your present habits and declutter – see what work and what doesn’t, and what new habits you could possibly develop that would help you reach your goals.
Ultimately, the habits you have matter because they help you become who you want to be. Once you’re satisfied with the habits you have, use them to create a daily routine that keeps you efficient and productive. You’ll be able to rely on such a routine and avoid procrastinating and feeling demotivated and distracted.
Plan ahead
Life has always been unpredictable but this doesn’t mean you can’t do some planning. Balancing family and work can be quite tough sometimes especially if you live in a big city. Find some time to plan your days and weeks. When your obligations and responsibilities are clearly set out, you look back and add more to-dos to your task manager.
Don’t forget to add in small things as well such as cleaning and laundry as they do tend to pile up. Look into your busiest days and opt to have your meals delivered in Sydney so you can relax knowing your lunch or dinner is covered. Make an effort to squeeze in one hour a week to make these plans and also give each task a bit more time – overestimate on purpose so you have more wiggle room.
Prioritize
American productivity consultant David Allen said: “You can do anything, but not everything”. To get things done, consider this to be one of your guidelines. You will still have to juggle lots of life’s demands at once, but knowing you can let some of the balls drop will make it all easier on you. You’ll be able to take a step back and make room for what is important to you and get comfortable with saying “no” when necessary.
The key to good life organisation lies in prioritization. It’s impossible to do it all, but when you prioritize your goals, they’ll be within reach. Once you develop a strong sense of what matters and what doesn’t, you’ll be able to make more efficient decisions about where to allocate your time and energy.
Strive for consistency, not perfection
If you constantly push yourself and always aim for “all-or-nothing” can lead to self-sabotage. When you fail to meet your unrealistic goals, you may want to throw in the towel altogether. However, if you attempt to understand slow but constant progress and the power of compounding effort, you’ll have a more realistic outlook on life and be able to get more out of life.
The first step to take is to design a realistic plan that fits into your life. Unrealistic goals will hinder your progress and push you into a downward spiral of shame and regret when you don’t manage to achieve those goals. Strive for consistency in your endeavours and accept imperfection. By choosing continuous effort over a perfect score, you will leave more room for everything you want to accomplish in life.
Find balance
It often happens when you first try to organize your life perfectly that balanced gets sacrificed. You end up working deep into the night instead of going to bed, or missing out on meeting your friends because you need to study all weekend.
This strategy might work in the short term, but its long-term effects will leave you stressed out, burnt out and lethargic. The key is in opting for long-term sustainability paired with balance and self-care. This can be achieved using several strategies – being regularly physically active, avoiding overexertion, meditating, journaling, practising gratitude, spending time with family and friends but also spending quality time in silence and solitude, and ensuring you get enough sleep.
It’s also beneficial to take day-to-day pauses to breathe but also longer breaks as well. Make an effort to take week-long breaks from work twice a year. This will help you recharge your batteries and refresh so you can go back to being efficient and productive again.
There’s a very close link between your overall wellness and organization in your life. It’s not just about a tidy wardrobe and decluttering. Being well-organised and setting your priorities appropriately will add quality to your life, and improve your well-being and mental health. All of that will result in your improved ability to process difficulties in your life making you a stronger and more content individual.
