It's that time of year when we begin to see the late afternoon light of summer shift into the cooler nights of early fall. Before we head for all things pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters, I am reminded that it is a good time to get organized for the coming season. It's always a good idea to plan before the hustle and bustle of new schedules, routines, and activities start up. Whether you're headed back to school, back to work, or simply beginning a new week, here's a few things that I've found to be a big help in getting it together before the busyness begins!
1. Schedule out your time.
It's amazing how quickly my time can get filled if I'm not careful about where I invest it. In order to stay organized and not waste time when working on multiple projects (because I like to do all the things!), I use a calendar that breaks my day into hourly sections. I love and use this particular one. Seeing my day visually helps me to assign my time according to the task, and throughout the day, I am able to keep track of what project or task comes next. This helps me to avoid procrastinating on projects or simply doing tasks in the wrong order...which leads me to the next point.
Are you a morning person? Night owl? Somewhere in between? Once you know when you are able to be most productive, assign your most challenging or involved tasks for that time slot on your calendar. For me, mornings are great and I'm able to work and think creatively when I'm feeling fresh after a good night's sleep. Instead of scrolling on Pinterest or Instagram, checking emails, or any other mindless task first thing, I start with working on the most important task of the day. Once I have completed the task or the portion of that project allotted for the time slot, I move on to address the rest of the items on my list. Doing this creates momentum that is necessary for getting more things accomplished instead of wasting precious time and brain power on something that's not totally important.
3. Make a list.
Have you ever been working on something important and been interrupted by a random thought regarding something you wanted to do, an errand you need to run at some point, or a fleeting idea? You're not alone! I've definitely experienced this, and when that happens, I jot it down on a notepad or put it in the notes app on my phone. Instead of allowing it to totally derail my progress, or forgetting about it altogether, I write it down and will come back to it later. What I've discovered is that many things are often ideas for projects, random activities I would like to schedule at some point, or a task that needs to be completed (just not right away). At the beginning of each month, I'll make a list next to the monthly overview with the activities, main projects, or important events that I need to accomplish, attend, or complete. Knowing that these are part of the monthly plan, I'm able to then schedule my time accordingly in order to ensure that I accomplish or attend them.
How do you stay organized? Tell me below!
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