Organizing Your Life, Finding the Best Solution

SHOW NOTES:

On this show...we are being proactive! No better time to get a jump on the new year than with a solid solution instead of a weak resolution. You might feel a bit turned around as if this last year was a blur. How do you get a handle on what lies ahead when so much is uncertain? You start with what you know, organize your current life, and find the best solution...for YOU! Let’s dig into what is working and what isn’t. What you want and what you need. What you can reach for and what you can realistically handle. Remember, this solution is about you and what fits you best. Isn’t it nice to assert a little control when the world seems out of control? You have the power to make your next move count.

Who loves to organize? Come one now let’s do a quick little test. How many papers are stacked in your file 13 (you know the ones waiting for a day of meticulous filing)? How about your junk drawers, let’s be honest, one rather tidy one or several filled with...hmmm no clue and don’t care? Do you have a closet or two hiding things that have been pushed to the back that you have almost certainly purchased again?

What about your schedule - planned out to the minute or cluttered with more than humanly possible, missed timelines, forgotten appointments, and to-do’s that keep piling up? 

I’m not sure there is a person out there who couldn’t stand to spend a little time organizing their life to find the most manageable way to handle all life throws your way. 

It’s not just about getting on top of what you currently have but to find time to build in rewarding and life-enriching experiences. Don’t get comfortable with punching the clock of life without wanting more. 

With that said - I do feel like there is a systematic way to achieve organization. If someone handed you the formula that removed the guesswork that led to a positive end result quicker with more accuracy...wouldn’t you take it? Why recreate the wheel?

I found a guide with How to Organize Your Life - 10 principles for organizing your work, home, health, fitness, hobbies, finances, and more...from Ambition & Balance, by Doist.

Instead of throwing life’s tasks in the air in hopes you’ll somehow manage to catch them all, follow a framework to keep every area of your life in order.

1. Develop habits and build a routine
2. Plan ahead
3. Embrace your natural inclinations
4. Consistency over perfection
5. Find balance
6. Prioritize appropriately
7. Declutter and simplify
8. Measure your progress
9. Automate or outsource
10. Experiment

Now that you know the ten aspects of the Organize Your Life framework, you can apply it to any number of areas in your life. By having some specific guidelines, you can approach each area with more confidence and less stress. 

Work

It’s likely you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. Work represents what most people are actually organizing their lives around. There are endless conversations on how to organize the time we’re not working – early mornings, during lunch breaks, and after-hours into the evening. Less attention is paid to how people should organize their workdays and make the most out of the 8 hours you’re likely spending at a desk. 

Home

Home is where it all happens. From doing the dishes to dinner parties, keeping up a clean and tidy household is a never-ending unpaid job. However, by being diligent and using some outsourcing hacks, running a household can be a little easier. 

Health and Fitness

Making time for a healthy lifestyle is a multiplier for everything else: we become better at our jobs, can be more present for our loved ones, and feel more motivated to tackle life’s other challenges. Unfortunately, it’s also often the first thing to fall to the wayside when the stress of everyday life takes over. 

Finances

Money can buy financial freedom and peace of mind. It can also buy a whole lot of things we don’t need. By organizing your finances with care, you can set yourself up for the future without depriving yourself in the present. 

Relationships

Make time for planning social outings. The older and busier we become, the less time there seems to be for spontaneous date nights and random coffee dates with friends. Proactively plan time with all the people in your life you care about, rather than waiting for plans to assemble themselves.

Deciding how to organize your life isn’t about precisely what time you should wake-up in the morning or exactly where you should store your important documents. Rather than getting caught up in these details, pay attention to the bigger principles of leading a good life. 

 

CHALLENGE: Instead of being led by your life, find the right solution to lead your best life. Organizing, reprioritizing, letting go, and making space will give you the control and enrichment your life is craving.

 

I Know YOU Can Do It!