How to be Organized in a Chaotic World
In the Middle of Chaos
Do you ever feel like you’re running around in circles? Like you’re trying to take care of everybody and not doing a good job with anybody? Can you even remember the last time you did something nice for yourself?
If you’re like most of us, there always seem to be more things to do than time to get them done. You wake up in the morning feeling overwhelmed with all you have to fit in the day. And when your head hits the pillow at night, you feel disappointed with all that didn’t get done. It becomes a daily pattern that you don’t know how to change.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little planning and a few changes, you can have an organized, well-balanced life.
Ways to Get Organized
1. Write down your priorities.
Take a few minutes and make a list of what’s important to you. Family, children, friends, church and social activities, as well as hobbies that are important to you should go on this list. Anything you absolutely don’t want to give up. But keep in mind, you have a limited amount of time so be very selective of what goes on this list.
2. Write down all necessary activities.
This includes work and regular appointments or other things you have to do, such as running errands, cleaning house, laundry and other obligations. Make sure it’s not things you just think you have to do but could give up.
3. Make a schedule based on #1 and #2.
Think of all the things you have to fit in based on your priorities and obligations and put them on the schedule. Anything that’s not on those lists, don’t put on the schedule for now.
4. Add in free time.
This is time to relax or to allow for unplanned things. If you don’t have space to add it in, go back over your list. Either eliminate something or cut back on the time allowed. Look for places to delegate. Things will come up that you can’t know about ahead of time and if you don’t have that extra time built in, something else will have to go. That is one reason we feel so disorganized and overwhelmed.
5. Eliminate other things.
If it’s not something you truly have to do or something that’s important to you, cut it out of your schedule. It may be commitments that you’ve made or things people have talked you into. Realize that if you don’t do it, someone else will. If you don’t want to neglect the items on your priorities list, you have to cut down on other things.
6. Learn to say no.
When someone asks you to do something, ask yourself if it belongs on #1 or #2. If not, don’t do it. If it’s something you really want to do, replace with another item on your schedule. You have to give yourself a limit of what you can and will do.
Anytime you feel you have too many things to do, ask yourself what is most important to you. That answer is what you take care of first. If you follow these tips and guard your time like the valuable and limited commodity it is, you will lead a much more peaceful and organized life.
