How to zero-in on your organizational skills
By Marissa Mitchell
Life can be crazy and unpredictable. There is always one thing after another. It’s easy to become overwhelmed. Whether it’s your bills, your homework, your job tasks, or your errands, it can feel like everything is piling up on you. Then on top of that, trying to be present in your personal life by making time for friends and family, can also be a heavy load. Well, one thing that you have to remind yourself is that no one is perfect. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget things, run out of time, or have to cancel plans. But, there are some tricks to help you out. Do yourself a favor by adding this feather to your hat: Organization.
As you get older, you are often required to multitask. You develop a “balancing act”, that allows you to juggle between multiple things. The people that are best at this are organized people. In general, successful people are very organized. This is probably because it is easier to be productive when you are organized.
Additionally, organization can be a form of self-care. Personally, I feel better, mentally and emotionally, when things around me are organized. When I am organized, I can operate at my highest self. When things are a mess, I feel anxious and stressed, and as a result, I do not get as much accomplished. Let’s help you get organized so you can live your best life, even when it’s crazy and unpredictable. Here are some tips for avoiding the morning meltdown of waking up late and then remembering you double booked yourself for appointments; or the Sunday night breakdowns when you realize you didn’t get to finish anything you needed to do.
Time Management
First and foremost is Time Management. Your timing can add to your life or take from your life. To best utilize your time, you have to implement effective scheduling. Then, record the things you are scheduling yourself for. I recommend using multiple calendars:
First, use a monthly calendar or household calendar that can be displayed somewhere in your house. These are normally larger and are good for holding miscellaneous items. You can rely on this calendar to remind you of things like errands, chores, grocery lists, car maintenance appointments, and more.
Monthly calendars are also good for jotting down holidays or events (e.g Mark’s Christmas Party, Jade’s Baby Shower, etc.). You’ll glance at it everyday you walk by, so you should remember! Next, having a personal planner/datebook is great. I recommend weekly planners if you have a lot of specific tasks (such as a 4-page essay due in Mr. Harvey’s class) and even some of your own personal dates to remember (Me & Sam’s 2-Year Anniversary). This is something you bring everywhere with you, or leave in your room or office.
Lastly, utilize the calendar on your phone or tablet. It’sreally neat when you are able to sync up these digital calendars with your Email. It will take all of your calendar invites or confirmation emails and record them on your calendar app. It is very helpful and it can save you from forgetting about those less common appointments that you usually forget about (eyebrow waxing, dentist appointment, etc.)
Check Your Finances
When it comes to being organized, dealing with your schedule is about half the battle, so if you implement those practices, you should start to feel better. The other half of the battle can be money-related stuff. Finances can be a whole beast within itself, so I won’t be able to cover everything, but I will give you some of the starter tips.
Make sure your main bank (most used checking account) app is on your phone or tablet. This is going to make your life a little easier. To be able to have access to your funds, know what's going on, see what's coming in and what's coming out, is a good thing. It will save you multiple bank trips and keep you on top of your finances.
Bookmark the websites or download the apps to the top 3 bills you pay each month (phone company, car insurance company). This will help you track your bills and make payments with ease. I do not recommend just arbitrarily signing up for auto-pay on everything, but it is useful to have easy access to your bill/account numbers once you are ready to pay.
When you are disorganized with your finances it can create a hysteria for you, making them seem twice as big as they are. “Oh my gosh, I have thousands of dollars worth of bills this month and I don’t have the money to pay for them,”versus, being organized with your finances and having confidence, can reassure you: “Okay, the insurance is due on the 20th, but I am paid on the 17th, so I am okay to pay that, and still go out of town next week.” It’s all about mind over matter!
You don’t have to be perfect. Sometimes, life is out of our control. You can’t plan everything, but you can at least prepare. You got this!!! But, stay organized!Stay ready, so you never have to get ready.
Good Habits (Organized) V. Bad Habits (Disorganized)
A disorganized person often feels like they are chasing their tail. They are all over the place. They say “yes” to every event, meeting, and appointment, but they end up being a no call/no show, because they didn’t even know what day it was on. They have good intentions, but they often overbook themselves or spread themselves too thin. As a result, tasks don’t get completed and they are left feeling like they are behind and that they will never catch up.
An organized person is more strategic. They prioritize their appointments based on what is the most urgent and they schedule their events on specific days they have availability. They write everything down so that they will remember and they think again. As a result, they always feel one step ahead.