5 Tips to Organize Your Life
YMCA OF GREATER WAUKESHA COUNTY

MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO IMPROVE YOUR ORGANIZATION SKILLS

Sunday, May 1, 2022

By: Coach Jenn, as part of the Stronger Together Challenge

Keeping life organized can often feel like a juggling act. You move quickly to catch one ball - maintaining finances, working out, keeping a clean house - and the next ball is hurtling towards you. Unfortunately, you will drop some balls: failing to prioritize sleep, hitting a fast-food drive-thru, and procrastinating tasks. Organization can, fortunately, be a learned behavior. Instead of throwing life's duties in the air, hoping to catch them, you can make a conscious effort to improve your organization skills. 

BENEFITS OF ORGANIZATION

• Reduce Stress & Depression: People who describe their lives as cluttered and unorganized are more prone to depression, fatigue, and higher cortisol levels (the stress hormone).¹
• Increase Productivity: Being organized helps improve the flow of your day and enables you to accomplish more tasks on your to-do list more quickly.
• Sleep Better: Organization can help you squeeze more out of your 24 hour day, giving you peace of mind to sleep longer and deeper at night.¹
• Accomplish Goals: You're 42% more likely to achieve your goals when you write them down and keep them organized.²

Organization looks different for everyone. Some of us may need things color-coded and labeled, while others know exactly where a piece of paper is in a pile. It's essential to find what works best for you and what you can maintain. Here are some generic tips on how to develop your organizational skills in your life.

TIPS TO HELP ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE TODAY

1. Develop Habits & Build a Routine

We're all creatures of habit, and many of our habits have unconsciously solidified in our lives. The question is whether these habits are intentional or not. Take a look at your habits in life to see what's working, what needs to go, and what new habits would set you up for long-term success in life.

2. Write Things Down & Plan Ahead

There's no need to rely on memory when you can simply write down all your tasks, goals, and priorities to help keep you motivated, process your emotions, and make daily progress. Whether it's a good old-fashioned pen and paper, or a technology-based organizational tool, writing things down.

3. Declutter & Simplify

Find time in your schedule to organize. Stuff does not stay organized; it needs to be reorganized continuously and consistently. Take a look at Life Hack's helpful guide on How to Declutter Your Life and Reduce Stress.

4. Find Balance

Start taking steps toward a more balanced life by having a positive growth mindset, learning how to take control, setting boundaries, and focusing on today.

5. Measure Your Progress

Measurement tells you how you’re doing at achieving your goals and how much progress you’ve made. Progress checks can motivate you, help you catch yourself when you’re slacking, and tell you when to change course. 

Resources: 

1. Simply Placed. (2022). Wellness Wednesday: 5 Health Benefits of Being Organized. It's Simply Placed. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.itssimplyplaced.com/wellness-wednesday-5-health-benefits-of-being-organized/
2. Economy, P. (2022). This Is the Way You Need to Write Down Your Goals for Faster Success. Inc.com. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/this-is-way-you-need-to-write-down-your-goals-for-faster-success.