Organization: The KEY to a Healthy Mind
Sometimes it can feel like it’s impossible to keep up with all of the tasks and responsibilities of adult life, and on our worst days, it can seem like everyone else is more organized than ourselves. It can be easy to compare yourself to others, but it is important that we are patient with ourselves. Each of us is different and unique, and therefore different methods of organization can help you reach your own personal Ultimate Potentials. This acknowledgement will allow you more freedom to organize your life in a way that suits you best.
How do you figure out what works best for you, then? How do you build positive, constructive habits that will help you in your everyday life?
Think about the circumstances under which you feel the most productive (time of day, with music playing, on your feet and moving around, etc). For example, a close friend of mine has their own set of rules for productivity—nothing productive or leisurely can happen in the bedroom, because the separation of sleep and other activities helps them stay productive. In other words, productivity can look however you need it to look. Once you have freed yourself from expectations of what productivity is supposed to look like and you have identified what makes you more productive, you can think about specific ways to optimize your time.
Here are just a few ideas to help you optimize your time and organization:
Keep a journal
In one of our other blog posts, we’ve recommended bullet journaling to keep organized. This method of journaling and planning is great for customizable organization and gives you an opportunity to be creative!
Make yourself a daily routine
Perhaps it is as simple as coffee and reading two news articles in the morning, because it helps you get energized for the day. Or, maybe you commit to listening to one podcast before you go to sleep. Structure can be helpful to many of us when it comes to organization, so structuring your days may help you stay on task.
Make deadlines for yourself
If you know that you need to clean the kitchen floor, make a note of it and choose a day that you need to get it done. You’ll have to get accustomed to holding yourself accountable for your own deadlines!
Write things down
We’ve all done it—thought to ourselves that we will remember something without writing it down, and then we forget. Cut your future self some slack and write yourself little reminders to keep yourself on track.
It all comes down to this—being aware of yourself is the first step to learning your own needs and the personal boundaries you need to keep yourself organized. Make sure you’re aware of your needs and respond to them in kind. You’ll thank yourself later!