Out of all of the articles that I’ve written for WellBe, I’ve never felt more qualified than I have for this one. I’m organised, work orientated, and I hate wasting time: I definitely have a type A personality. Whilst organisation comes easy for me, my partner is the complete opposite. He’s a big procrastinator, with a laid-back attitude toward his work. In other words, he’s a type B.
Although you cannot change your personality type, this doesn’t mean that you cannot change your habits. Anyone can become more organised, with just a few small changes.
Make a To-Do List (Or Maybe Several…)
Not to sound too dramatic, but making to-do lists will honestly change your life. They can provide structure to your day (which many of us are missing at the minute), and increase your productivity levels. And writing tasks down makes you far less likely to forget about them. That means there’ll be no more last-minute panic buying a birthday present on the way to that party that completely slipped your mind.
To-Do lists can also bring you a great sense of pride and accomplishment. After all, nothing beats the satisfaction of ticking off the last task on your list. And you don’t need to confine yourself to just one list either. Making multiple lists is even more helpful, as it’s a great way of prioritising tasks. For example, I have one to-do list of ‘big jobs’ that need to be done, such as getting a new fridge, and a to-do list of ‘small jobs’ that always seem to be forgotten, such as hanging up some pictures.
If you’re not sure how to make the most effective to-do list, find an app which will help you form one. Todoist is a great app for organisation. You can make daily to-do lists, as well as make a list of tasks for your work any projects that you have. You can even invite others to join your project list, which makes the app really handy for workspaces.
My personal favourite to-do list app is Remente. Not only can you make to-do lists and set yourself goals, but you can log your mood and assess your life balance. You even get weekly insights which show you how your mood has changed throughout the week, as well as all of the tasks you’ve completed. So not only will you become more organised, but you’ll learn more about yourself too.
Make Your Space Clutter-Free
You may have already taken the opportunity to do this during lockdown, like many others. But if you haven’t, you should seriously consider it. Decluttering your space is crucial for organisation. Having less clutter can free your mind from stress, as you will be less distracted by your surroundings. This makes it easier to focus on your most important tasks.
Living in a house without clutter also has many other benefits. For example, having less clutter makes your home far easier to clean. Less dust will gather, and you won’t have to keep moving piles of stuff out of the way to hoover or polish. Too much clutter can even make you unwell. Not only can the stress impact you mentally, but both bacteria and dust can settle in your piles of clutter, leading to a whole host of health problems.
So if you have a home full of clutter, tidying and organising your space should be made a priority. If you’ve hoarded a lot of stuff throughout the years, the task can be very daunting. You may not know where to start, and you might find yourself repeatedly putting the task off. This is when your to-do lists will come in handy. Use them to prioritise and organise tasks, depending on their importance.
If you live with others, you can use the to-do list to delegate to others. If you’re still finding the task overwhelming, start small. Try doing some 5-minute tasks every so often, like sorting out one shelf, or one cupboard. Tackle the clutter at your own pace, and you’ll slowly but surely become more organised and feel far better in yourself.
Reward Yourself
Being organised can be hard work, which is why you need to treat yourself. Rewarding yourself for your hard work means that you’re more likely to keep up your good habits and continue to be organised in the future. This is because when you reward yourself, your body releases dopamine, which gives us a sudden rush of pleasure. This means that if you continue to reward your organisation, you will begin to associate being organised with happiness. Whereas if you don’t reward yourself, it may feel like all your hard work was for nothing.
Fortunately, being organised means that you’re likely to have more free time than others. Use this free time to treat yourself, in whatever way you choose. You could use it to pamper yourself and have an at-home spa day. Or you could use it to watch your favourite film or TV show. Just make sure that you reward yourself proportionally. You don’t want the reward to become meaningless, as this will make you lose the desire to work hard. For small tasks, give yourself a micro-reward, like a cup of tea with your favourite biscuits, or a cheap bouquet of flowers.
Allow Room for Flexibility
This is the aspect of organisation that I struggle with. If you have an all or nothing personality like myself, it can be difficult to be both organised and flexible at the same time. But being adaptable is crucial for organisation and productivity. It’s important to understand that no matter how organised and well thought out your plans are, there is always the potential for things to go wrong. Maybe you’ve made a big to-do list for the weekend, but you’ve come down with a bug, and now nothing on your list will get done. Yes, it can feel like a nightmare, but it’s not the end of the world.
In fact, it could even be beneficial. It will allow you to practice being adaptable and flexible. As well as being crucial for organisation, flexibility is also a great soft skill to put on your CV. Make sure to factor in extra time in your plan to ensure that you have the opportunity to be flexible without completely throwing your plans out of the window. This will not only allow you time for unexpected disruptions, but you’ll also feel less stressed since you won’t be taking too much time out of your schedule.
And remember that consistency is key. If you’re consistent with completing tasks, rather than leaving all the most important ones to the last minute, unforeseen circumstances shouldn’t hamper you too much.
Be Realistic
Rome wasn’t built in a day. If you’re not a type A and you struggle with organising your time effectively, you won’t change overnight. But the good news is that you don’t have to. Becoming just a little bit more organised might be all it takes to change your life for the better. So take these tips and put them to good use. Now, it’s time to tick this article off of my to-do list.
Written by Siobhan Kelly
WellBe is spearheading the way to a brighter future for corporate wellness. Our innovative portal is scientifically designed and tailored to each individual employee to improve their wellbeing. We specialise in a range of services from coaching and therapists, to meditation and reading materials. Our aim is to reduce workplace stress that costs UK businesses £42 billion per year. Get in touch with us by visiting our site wellbe.global for more information.
