On Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

How are you going to start your new year? 

It’s time to begin working on those 2020 goals. Actually, maybe there’s one thing you should do BEFORE you start. If you take a small amount of time to get organized first, you will find it worth your while!

How often do you spend needless time trying to find something when it should have been at your fingertips? The National Association of Professional Organizers says we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. There are many reasons why an unorganized life costs you money and precious time.  

How often do you find yourself buying unnecessary items because you didn’t know you already had plenty? You lose time going to the store and lose money paying for the very same thing. On top of that, you also lose free space as your inventory grows.

Most of the time, disorganization will cost you much more than what a duplicate item can entail. You may miss important deadlines, miss certain details, and spend unnecessary time fixing errors when it could be spent on more important things. Aside from that, disorganization causes you to be reactive instead of proactive. Your bottom line suffers along with your physical and mental health. 

It is hard to feel efficient and productive when things are not organized. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can apply to keep you organized and focused:

• Use a calendar to organize your time. Google Calendar and Outlook are free to use and offer several features that let you create and track events and appointments.
• Creating lists is also an effective way to keep yourself organized. They don’t take long and they are easy to manage. You can use the notepad on your cell phone or download apps such as Evernote that let you create checklists within seconds!
• Keep everything in the right place and make the extra effort to return it there.
• Get rid of clutter. If you haven’t used certain tools in five years, do you really need it?  Keep your surfaces clear. If you don’t need it every day, get it off your desk. Reducing visual clutter will help reduce mental clutter. Get rid of the stuff you don’t need so you can put things you do need away and out of everyday sight. You’ll feel instantly calmer!
• Make a habit to take a few minutes at the end of each day to set yourself up for the next day. That way, you can jump right into being productive.

Studies show that disorganization interferes with your brain’s ability to process information. In this sense, you’re better off keeping everything you need within reach and clearing your life of any clutter.

Take a few minutes to regroup and be the best you can be by being organized. All the benefits work together to help you reach your full potential and take control of your life.