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How to be Organized |
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Being organized is the process of
applying a structure or system to an otherwise chaotic
process. In less technical terms, getting organized is
removing part of the chaos from an area and then keeping the
chaos from returning.
Take the simple analogy of a
front yard. Left untended, the grass will die; it will become
overgrown with weeds and debris and fall into chaos. If you
apply an organizing system to it— clear the yard, install
sprinklers, lay down sod, and fertilize—the chaos is gone.
Temporarily. The system must also be maintained in order to
keep weeds (chaos) out.
To be organized, it’s
important to follow these simple steps: |
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How
to be Organized, Step #1: Start Small
If you feel your
home is disorganized, don’t try to instantly organize everything all
at once. Pick a manageable subset of the whole mess, apply an
organizing system, and see if you can maintain the new organizing
system over time.
For example:
How to be Organized
Personally
Start with: |
How to be Organized
at Home
Start with: |
How to be Organized
at Work
Start with: |
| A system for keeping personal phone
numbers, street and e-mail addresses with you at all
times |
A system for listing needed grocery
items to be purchased during the next trip to the store
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A system for organizing names and
addresses of business contacts |
| A personal to-do list of only three
items — the most important three items to be done each
day |
A system for managing dirty clothes,
separating, laundry schedule (wash/dry/fold/put away) for the
household |
A system for scheduling the weekly
activities for each family member with start and end times,
and any things that need to be completed prior to the
activity |
| A daily system for filing all
incoming mail including bills, papers to be kept for taxes,
etc., and discarding junk mail into the trash |
A system for tracking all your
reimbursable expenses |
An appointment system for all your
calls, meetings and
travel |
As you implement
and learn to maintain each small organization system, move on to the
next small area of chaos.
How to be Organized, Step
#2: Apply an Organizing System
Try something, modify it,
and don‘t be afraid discard it for a different system that might
work better. Be clear about exactly what it is your trying to
accomplish and how organization will help achieve that goal.
How to be Organized, Step #3: The Organizing System
Must be Simple
Your goals for organizing will include a
system that you must maintain in order to stay organized. Don’t go
overboard with an elaborate organizing solution. Simple is better. A
system that is easy to set up and easy to maintain will almost
always outperform a complex one. A difficult maintenance process
will fail, and you’ll be back to chaos.
How to be
Organized, Step #4: Be Disciplined about Maintaining Your
System
Reject the “I’ll do it later” syndrome.
(Procrastination is often at the root of poor organization.) Commit
to be disciplined and do it when it needs to be done now, not later.
Most disorganization is not the result of a poor system; it is the
result of not using a system when it needed to be used.
How to be Organized, Step #5: Keep the Ultimate Goal
in Mind
Don’t lose site of your original goal.
Organization is a means to an end. For example:
- The goal isn’t to cut and alphabetize coupons; the goal is
to save money.
- The goal isn’t to have neatly categorized piles of dirty
clothes; the goal is to have the laundry done well and
efficiently.
Organize the daily tasks according to
a plan that achieves your goal. (See below for more information
about tools for achieving your organizing goals).
Getting
and staying organized saves time and money, but it might also
require a little upfront time and/or money. Think of getting
organized as a small, ongoing investment; spend a little now to save
a lot of time, money, and frustration in the weeks to come.
Tools & Resources to Help You Become
OrganizedmyGoals.com (this Web site) was designed to help you
organize and manage all your personal and professional goals. As you
identify an area of your life that you would like to improve,
myGoals.com will help you prioritize, organize, and manage the
process. myGoals.com's pre-made GoalPlans®, goal-setting
wizard, and task-specific email reminders are extremely effective in
creating viable plans and keeping you organized and on track. The
ability to access your GoalPlans online makes it easy to checkoff
tasks as you complete them and to modify your plan as you progress.
As priorities change, and circumstances change, goals
will change as well. myGoals.com provides a convenient, flexible,
and easy way to organize and manage the most important goals in your
life. We encourage everyone to pursue their goals with
passion. We are here to help.
To
learn more or sign up for a free trial, visit our goal-setting
homepage.
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