6 Tips To Organize Your Life
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It's a busy time of year. School is starting back up, and fall activities are almost in full swing. Before you know it, the holidays will be around the corner.
As we ramp up our schedules, it's easy to get swept up in all the things we have to do. I know I struggle with keeping track of everything and staying ahead of tasks and responsibilities.
This week is a crazy one for us. As I looked at my calendar, I thought to myself, "Thank goodness I planned well for this week, otherwise I would be STRESSED." And I would.
Between Elliot's homework and softball, our church worship team rehearsals, my other band's rehearsals, cooking, cleaning and working full time, things can pile up quickly. Also, we own two dogs who require much attention and lovings. Can’t forget them.
When things pile up, ya girl gets stressy-depressy, and that's not good for anyone. In order to prevent that, I've started picking up a few habits here and there to help stay organized in the hectic, and I thought that maybe they could help someone else, as well.
Planning Meetings.
This one could be the whole post. Seriously.
Elliot and I try to have a "planning meeting" on Sunday afternoons, where we each grab our planners/calendars, and sit down and share our plans for the week. Between the two of us, there's a lot going on, and it's helpful to communicate these things before the week starts so that we can help each other out and stay on the same page. We will discuss any appointments, meetings or other events we have going on, as well as weekly tasks, such as grocery shopping, meal planning/prepping, and laundry. We also try to plan a date night at least every other week. These meetings only take 20 minutes or so, but they are super helpful for effective communication and reducing the stress of a crazy week.
Use a Planner/Calendar.
This one follows the last one. I can't express to you how helpful it is to write things down. I have a pretty good memory, but it's a relief to know that I don't have to remember everything, because it's in my planner. I have used this planner for the last three years, and I like it so much, I don't think I'll switch it up anytime soon. Elliot uses this one, and he rates it an 8/10. It's got a lot of room for notes and task lists, which is helpful for his job.
Go To Bed Earlier. Wake Up Earlier.
This is a tough one, but every time I've found myself in a rut of consistently disorganized and running out of time, it was when I was sleeping in. Sometimes we need a little extra rest, but I've found that I function optimally when I'm in bed early and get up early. Since I started my new job and work a regular schedule, I like to get up early and workout before work. This means that I have to make it a priority to be in bed earlier, but it is so worth it for me. Even if I'm not exercising, it's nice to just have some extra time to work on something or to sit and read for a bit and have my coffee.
Use Your Phone.
Our phones are so helpful for keeping us on track. Most phones come with a Reminders app, which makes it easy to make a list of things to remember and when to remember them. I also use the calendar app to remind me of things, and set events to alert me once or twice for certain appointments. In the Calendar app, I have a personal calendar and a shared one with Elliot, which we use not only for events that we're both attending, but also for vet appointments for the girls and other things that we both like to be aware of. It's helpful for when I forget to remind him of something, and he gets an alert on his phone anyway.
For work and the blog, I organize content in a content calendar in Notion. I've found this platform to be super helpful, as it's entirely cloud based, and there are countless templates to choose from.
Turn Off Notifications.
Also, don't use your phone HAHAHA. Go through your settings and turn off any notifications that don't matter. You don't need them, I promise. The more your phone goes off for nothing important, it becomes less helpful, and more distracting. I actually turned off all my social media notifications, so I only check social media when I want to. It's nice to not have those annoying red bubbles all the time and I can spend more time doing something meaningful or relaxing.
Give Yourself Some Grace.
It's okay to have a crazy week. When that happens, just know that you don't have to cook a meal from scratch and have your house deep cleaned at the same time. Be realistic about the time you have. If you only have a little bit of time to yourself one day, don't fill it with random chores. It’s not worth it.
As we begin a busy season, take a moment to remember what’s truly important (check out last week’s post if you need a hint) and remember that every day is a gift. Be organized when you can and enjoy the time you have with those you love.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:23