Life is hectic. We all have busy schedules, whether it be at home, work or in our personal lives. The chaos, of looming deadlines, appointments, gym sessions, catchups with friends… the list goes on. But what if i said staying organised and productive amongst all that kerfuffle doesn’t have to be so stressful?
1. Keep Track of Your Commitments
A key way to being organised and productive is knowing what is ahead and planning for it. Meeting at 10am on Monday? Schedule that in your work calendar. Brunch with the girls at 1pm on Sunday? Note that down in the diary.
I find the best way of keep track of my commitments is to record it visually on a calendar; whether it be in the form of an Outlook Calendar for work or a Weekly Planner for personal matters. This is so that I am able to get an overview of my upcoming commitments in one glance.
There are so many tools out there – desk planners, diaries, phone calendars etc. Choose a tool that works for you.
2. Write To Do Lists
To do lists are an amazing tool to keep you focused on tasks you need to achieve. Write a list of tasks you want to accomplish before you start work/your each day in order of priority and stick to it. As you complete each task, tick/cross it off the list. There is no better feeling of satisfaction than productivity.
3. Don’t Let Things Pile Up
It is so easy to procrastinate and put things off. I’ll do the dishes later. I’ll start this project tomorrow. I’ll start once I finish this Netflix episode. But try not to. Get into the habit of finishing things sooner rather than later; before they become too overwhelming. It will save you from a lot of stress and frustration in the long term. Believe me. I’ve been there.
4. Keep Your Space Clean
Whenever I feel stressed, I always find it helps to take time out to organise and declutter my space. It’s as if clearing my space also clears my mind.
According to researchers from Princeton University, clutter makes it more difficult for an individual to focus their attention and complete tasks effectively. Other research have also shown clutter to be related to increased stress levels.
If you are finding that you are lacking concentration and stressed, maybe a spring clean of your area could be beneficial. Straighten your books/papers and put away any unnecessary items. If there is anything you no longer use/ no longer serves a purpose, don’t be scared to Marie Kondo it (i.e. purge and throw it away).
5. Have an Effective Filing System
This goes for emails, paper files, receipts for tax time etc. Have a system to categorise your belongings and stick with it. Not only will it allow for easy future access, it will help you keep track of where everything and give you a peace of mind.
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Do you guys have any other tips to stay organised and motivated in 2022? Leave comments below.
Wishing you all a wonderful, successful 2022!
1 Comment
Haha I was just thinking about doing a massive apartment clean today. I really needed this motivation 🙂 thank you!