How can I be more organised? 10 tips for making life more stress free

Have you ever noticed that some people seem to have it “all together”? No matter how busy they are, they take everything in their stride and manage to get things done.

We all strive for the perfect, uncomplicated, simple life, yet for some it seems easier to achieve than others. Some people are born organisers and it just comes naturally. For others, it takes a bit more strategy and planning.

How are the super-organised so organised?

So, what are the secrets of the super-organised? Here are a few simple tips and tricks which can be easily incorporated into your everyday life to help you become more organised.

1. Start by writing a list

write-list We are not all blessed with a good memory so, the number one tip for keeping organised is to simply write everything down. Carve out some dedicated time at the beginning or the end of the week to write down what you need to achieve in the coming week. Writing things down will help give you clarity so you can focus on what needs to be prioritised instead of drowning in overwhelm.

2. Take care of quick tasks immediately

Tick-list Have you ever looked at a task knowing it would take two seconds to complete but still thought “I’ll do it later’? Then everything else builds up and suddenly that small task will take a lot longer. Next time you see a quick task, just do it (unless of course you’re in the middle of something else – see below!). Otherwise it’s the start of a slippery slope to everything becoming unmanageable.

3. Do one thing at a time

Focus-on-task When you set out to complete a task, focus on that and don’t get distracted. It’s far too easy to become side-tracked when you’re in the middle of doing one thing, and you see something that will take two minutes. Before you know it, you’ve become distracted by several other jobs and will have completely forgotten your original task. Concentrate on one task at a time and you’ll be much more productive.

4. Appreciate what has been done and don’t stress about what hasn’t.

Dont-stress How often have you set out to complete a certain number of tasks only to complete about half of that? You then feel disappointed and annoyed that you didn’t get more done. Stop it. You might not have completed everything, but you’re still further forward than when you started which is definitely an achievement. Be realistic about how long something is likely to take to complete, but at the same time, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything ticked off the list.

5. Everything must have a home

Declutter-your-room If something doesn’t have a home, then it’s clutter. Clutter can build up if it has no place to go, so before you bring anything into your home, make sure it has somewhere to live! Something else to consider is whether or not these items are easy to put away. If their “home” is difficult to access, then you’re less likely to tidy the item away and it will just become clutter.

6. Keep on top of your paperwork

organising-paperwork Don’t let your paperwork pile up. Have a system in place to go through and deal with paperwork as soon as it comes into your house, or at least within a few days. Having dedicated time to deal with paperwork and filing it away stops it from piling up and means you will always be able to find important documents when necessary.

7. Work out a routine and stick to it

daily-routine When you’re balancing work, family, and life in general, it can be difficult to keep on top of what you’re supposed to be doing and when. Figuring out when you’re most productive and having designated times to carry out specific tasks, will help you figure out a routine that works for you so you’re more likely to stick to it. Maybe Mondays are the best day to tackle the vacuuming, and Thursday is the most convenient time to do the household shopping. Think about what else you need to achieve in your day-to-day life and what else can be factored in each day, and you’ll soon have an effective routine.

8. Use your wait time

Best-use-of-time How often are you standing waiting for a meal to cook or a washing cycle to finish and otherwise doing nothing? Could you complete a simple task such as going through your post or unloading the dishwasher? When you realise how much time you spend waiting for something else to happen, it all adds up to extra time that could be utilised in achieving mini tasks.

9. You need to delegate

Delegate-tasks You can be the most organised person on the planet with plenty of systems in place but if you live with other people, they need to work with you to keep things ticking along. Perhaps the best way to delegate certain tasks is to outsource to a cleaning company to reduce some of the load. However some chores can’t be outsourced so keep a rota of jobs for you and your family and allocate age-appropriate tasks to your children. This will help them learn a bit of responsibility with the bonus of helping you around the house and should help keep arguments over the division of labour to a minimum!

10. Give yourself a break

Much like appreciating what you have done, even if you don’t complete every task on your list, you have to take a break. There is absolutely no harm in sitting down with a coffee and a book when you’ve completed a task. In fact, it’s more beneficial to your well being than constantly pushing yourself to get everything done.

10 Secrets of organised people – will they make a difference?

Adapting to any, or all of these tips, will take a bit of time and dedication, but will help make an organised, uncomplicated life that little bit more attainable. Just remember to keep a prioritised to-do list and don’t stress out about things you haven’t managed to get done. It is possible to have an organised life; you just need to incorporate a little planning, and perseverance, to achieve it.