Being disorganized can make your mind and your home feel cluttered and it can definitely put a damper on your productivity. When your home or office is unorganized it can make it difficult to get anything done even when you start out with the best of intentions. Which is why you need these tips to get yourself organized.
Having clutter throughout your home or office makes it very easy for your focus to be drawn to something else other than what you are working on. So how do you get all of that clutter under control both at home and in the office? Keeping reading for some tips to get you started.
Make Your Bed
You may be wondering what making your bed has to do with being more organized, and truthfully it doesn’t. It does, however, make you feel like you have accomplished something first thing in the morning which can help you to be more productive throughout the rest of your day. It will also make your bedroom feel less cluttered and more welcoming when you get back to it in the evening.
Declutter
An abundance of things seem to make their way into our lives while we aren’t paying attention. Take the time to declutter your home and office and get rid of things that you don’t really need or want. If some of these items are valuable you can sell them for some extra cash, and other unnecessary items can be donated. Having less stuff around makes it easier to keep things clean and to find a home for everything to be placed in.
Decluttering does not just apply to “things”, you should also take the time to declutter your inbox for your emails, and your bills and other important paperwork too. Have a designated place and system for important paperwork and bills, and aim for zero emails in your inbox at the end of the day. Don’t worry it may take a little time to develop the best system for handling your inbox and paperwork, you aren’t aiming for perfection, you are looking for progress.
Clean up the Kitchen and Straighten Up the House
If making your bed is the first thing that you do each morning, then straightening up the kitchen and picking up the house should be the things that you do each evening. Picking up the day’s clutter from around the house and wiping down the kitchen at the end of the day means that you can start tomorrow fresh with no mess in sight.
Remember that this task does not fall solely on you. If you have kids have them pick up their toys and any mess in their rooms. Teach them where everything goes and why it is important to put it in its proper place. If you have a spouse or partner have them wipe down the kitchen or pick up clutter in a room or two of the house. Everyone will benefit from a clean space after all.
Get ideas to organize your kitchen in the Resource Library, get access here.
Complete a Task Before Moving On
This applies to both work and home, once you have started a task stick with it until you finish it. Not completing a task before starting on a new one can leave both your home and office looking like a disaster zone at the end of the day.
For example, you start folding laundry on the couch, then your son asks for a sandwich for lunch, while you are making the sandwich you hear your email notification on your phone while checking the email the dog lets you know he needs to go out. The end of the day rolls around and you have laundry on the couch, sandwich crumbs on the counter, and unanswered emails that need your attention.
Learning to complete one task from start to finish can take some time, especially if you are used to bouncing around on multiple tasks all of the time. Once you get the hang of it though, you will find that you are much more productive.
Get Plenty of Sleep
You may be thinking that getting enough sleep has nothing to do with keeping you organized and productive, but that is not true. If you aren’t getting enough sleep then it is going to be hard for you to have the energy and brainpower that you need to get those things on your to-do list done. There is nothing more important to your health or your productivity than a good night’s sleep.
Make a To-Do List
When it comes to tasks that need to be completed both at home or in the office making a to-do list can be helpful in tracking what has already been done and what needs to be done. Scratching things off of those lists can also make you feel incredibly productive and encourage you to stay on task to complete that list.
You can break down your list into both daily and weekly tasks. If you find that you have already completed all of your daily tasks you can move on to some of the next day’s tasks to get ahead or use that extra time to take a well-deserved break.
Everyone tackles the task of staying organized and productive in different ways. Use these tips to help get you started, but in the end, you will need to find a system that works best for you and that you will stick with. What are your favorite tips for staying organized and being more productive?
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