Organized For Life
Questions come my way all the time regarding my God-given nature to be organized. It has been said that I stayed under the proverbial "organized spout" too long when I was being created. In fact, at one point in my career I had the unofficial title, "Minister of Organization." However, when a person takes the time to ask me about organization I take their question seriously. If a person is asking about being more organized I know they are considering changes in their life. Changes that could give them more time to spend with their families, time to spend developing the career that they have only dreamed of, or changes that will make them enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror, changes that could be difficult and terrifying. Below are some very practical ideas that you can apply to your life. I have spent my lifetime gathering these ideas, not only gathering but also applying them successfully in my own life. Understand that you might not be a neat freak. As stated above, I was born organized. My parents never punished me by making me clean my room. The only way that they could have would have been for me to mess it up first and then clean it. Don't allow the pressure of someone's neatness make you feel bad about yourself. When you see their neat and clean home, office, automobile, or sock drawer remember they could be a big mess on the inside. Begin with a list. Things often seem less overwhelming if you put them in their proper perspective. Make a list of what you'd like to organize and break it down into manageable tasks. Remember how you eat an elephant, one bite at a time. Get your equipment in order. Well labeled boxes, drawers, family calendars, old plastic storage containers, and more can be used to store and help establish a routine in your life. Be creative. Can you use an old flowerpot to store miscellaneous pencils and pens by the phone? Can you stash old checkbooks in a labeled shoebox and store them in the closet instead of your desk drawer? There are an abundance of inexpensive organizers on the market today. If you find yourself lacking the proper equipment at home, make a list of your needs and shop around. Having the proper equipment for the job will make less work for you in the long run. Less work equals more fun! Create a plan. Now that you have a list and all the tools needed, create a plan of action. Make a priorities list. You don't have to do it all in one weekend. Make a plan and stick to it. Get rid of the junk. That is a blunt way of saying, "If you haven't used it in a year consider throwing it away." Keep in mind that the more things you have, the more you have to take care of. Is your closet filled with clothes that never leave the hanger? Maybe now is a good time to make a donation to your local Salvation Army or church clothing closet. Do you have a storage area packed with boxes that you haven't seen in years? If you haven't used something in over a year, you probably never will. Hold a thrift sale. Give it away. Junk it. Make a place for everything. If you're not really sure where batteries go, how will you put them away? In the junk drawer again? Make certain that everything has a place to be stored. Lose the junk drawer and use boxes and labeled envelopes to store miscellaneous items. You'll eliminate clutter if you make space now for everything. Use F.A.T. bins. When I help people organize their life I suggest they set up helpful bins for all the things that they deal with in a day's time. Three of the bins I suggest are: Action (a bin that should be emptied at the end of the day), File It (a bin full of items to be filed by the end of the week), and Trash (a can to be emptied as often as needed with items that are not filed in other bins). If you apply the F.A.T system it's not necessary to spend every weekend cleaning, you will naturally take care of simple tasks regularly. Do a quick pickup everyday. Is your kitchen table or desk piled high with today's mail, current projects, and miscellaneous items? Make it a rule that the table or desk gets cleaned off every day. Take fifteen minutes somewhere in the day to just put things away. Don't make a chore of it. Fifteen minutes will give you enough time to remove clutter before it gets out of hand. Do a little each day. Make a list of daily chores that you can do each day. Is the Laundromat packed on weekends? Why not go for an hour on Monday night instead? Do you spend more time than necessary waiting in line shopping for groceries before the weekend? Pick a different day. Stores are less busy during early weekday evenings. By doing one task a day, rather than trying to accomplish them all in one weekend, cleanup and organization isn't as painful. Take time to relax. Since cleaning up is work, it often gets put off until it's a huge project. Do a little each day and then, stop. Rest, relax, and enjoy your clutter free home. Reward yourself when you get the job done. I have a friend that recently rewarded herself with a new car! Know how to say, "No." You must realize that you cannot do everything, and if you allow your schedule to become too full you will not accomplish tasks at your highest potential. Being focused on what you want in your life (and your day) will help you say no to many would-be distractions. I would be glad to become your "Organized For Life" coach. Coaching you to your potential is success in my book. Feel free to contact me at jeff@jeffearlywine.com or check out the website link below. Footprints and Monuments is a free monthly leadership and motivational e-newsletter. No names receiving this e-newsletter are sold or distributed to any other source. You are encouraged to forward this monthly article to anyone in your address book. To un-subscribe please reply back with "Un-subscribe" in the subject field. About The Author Jeff Earlywine www.jeffearlywine.com jeff@jeffearlywine.com
Related News
Marin congregations unite over public policy - San Francisco Chronicle
Marin congregations unite over public policySan Francisco Chronicle, USA -14 hours agoWith the goal of tackling those matters, the budding Marin Organizing Committee gathered more than 500 members and presented the issues last week to a host ... |
Naperville doc organizing Comedy Night - Chicago Daily Herald
Neighborhood groups organizing at own pace - Mankato Free Press
Neighborhood groups organizing at own paceMankato Free Press, MN -May 11, 2008By Dan Linehan If Tona Gillispie or Bruce Birkemeyer suspect that a house is over-occupied — eight cars in a driveway is one tipoff — they don’t just call ... |
IOC sends $1M in earthquake aid to China - CBC.ca
IOC sends $1M in earthquake aid to ChinaCBC.ca, Canada -3 hours agoJacques Rogge, the IOC's president, said Tuesday his organization will funnel the money through the Beijing Organizing Committee, which will distribute it ... |
Minute of silence scheduled for path of Olympic torch - International Herald Tribune
Obama signed, sealed, and delivered to an inbox near you - Christian Science Monitor
Chair of Union of Poles in Belarus stands trial for organizing concert - Charter 97
Organizing news of the world - Toronto Star
Organizing news of the worldToronto Star, Canada -May 9, 2008Going back to the company's mission of organizing the world's information, making it universally accessible and useful, we're really trying to do that with ... |
Olympic Torch Relay Celebrations Scaled Back - Washington Post
'Students Making a Change' Organizing at John Tyler High School - Tyler Morning Telegraph
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Can You Make a ?Torpedo? Out of Personal Junk? How to Optimize What You Have
"Junkyard Wars," a TV series showed two teams of experts contending for a title. The aim of the competition was for teams to construct a torpedo that can hit a target. But the challenge was more than just the process of construction. The challenge was creating a torpedo out of a junk.
10 Simple Steps to a More Organized Household
1. Divide big jobs into smaller jobs. Make a list of all the places in your house that you would like to see become more organized. Now you may seem overwhelmed by some of the jobs so break those jobs down into smaller jobs. Now each task is more manageable. Take each job one at a time and before you know it you'll be done.
Five Simple Tips to Get Organized Today!
Take time to declutter this summer...
Get Rid Of The Clutter
You really can have a successful business and a great life. Often we get caught up in growing our business or climbing the corporate ladder that we put our personal lives on hold. Rather than filling up your calendar with work, organizations, commitments, and activities that don't bring you joy, think about putting on your calendar the activities that you really want to do first. Make having a great life your top priority.
The Clutter Campaign - Design Your Vision
I like a room you can dance in the middle of! Mariah Burton Nelson
Getting Organized - Getting Fit
In a speech entitled "Organized Living in a Disorganized World" I made the statement "Getting organized is much like exercise and healthy eating. It is something you incorporate into your daily living." Immediately one attendee sighed loudly and blurted out, "I'm doomed!" Many people feel the same way, but based on my own experience with incorporating exercise into my daily life style, I can offer new hope.
Organization and the Opposite Sex
In many of the companies I have worked in, there is a very high proportion of male managers to females. This causes a major challenge in the work environment, (although many of them are unaware it is an important issue).
Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces
"I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common cry amongst the disorganized. But sometimes, they just aren't looking closely enough. You can find additional storage in the most unlikely places. All of those wasted areas -- ones that can't be used for active living space and seem inappropriate for conventional storage -- are normally considered DEAD SPACE. But you can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse with the right tools and a little imagination.
Family Management Tip #2: Choosing the Right Organizer for Your Family
What method do you currently use to organize your family? Do you mean my paper calendars or my electronic ones, you ask? If you're like the vast majority of people we surveyed, you're probably using a wall calendar on or near the fridge. And, for portability, you keep the same information on your pocket day planner, which you carry around.
The Balance of Balance
Life is about maintaining a balance of all aspects. At times some areas might receive more focus than others, but remember we're always undergoing constant change. It takes 3 weeks to develop a habit, so develop these habits with balance in your life, you won't regret it.
Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter
Paper
35 Santity Savers - Get More Productive
Use these 35 sanity savers this year to help you become more productive and get more done in less time, so you can get on with life!
5 Easy Tips on Light that You Can Use to Improve Your Day
Light, Work, and You
Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 2
In part 1, we discussed a system you could use to organize your office. In this article we will discuss what material is needed to implement that system.
Overwhelmed? Try the Red Zone Tactic
Some people seem to be born organized. You probably remember them from school: the ones who always had well-organized pencil cases equipped with erasers, sharpeners, pens, scissors and glue-sticks (probably in duplicate). Their hair was always neatly done; their clothes ironed and bearing a full complement of buttons.
Quick Organizing Tips From Assistance For You
Keeping on task and getting organized starts with a basic plan that can be implemented into everyone's daily life. Just by following these simple steps you can be on your way to a more productive and friendly work environment. Below are some quick tips to get you started on the right track towards self improvement and a better work style.
The Clutter Factor: From Packrativity to Productivity
? Are you embarrassed when you walk into your home or office?
? Do you frequently run out of space?
? Is your desk piled high with UPO's (unidentified piled objects)?
? Are you frustrated by the amount of time you spend looking for things?
It?s Spring Cleaning Time? Let?s Make Room For Abundance!
I gathered some things you can do this spring while you take a minute to smell those roses. There are things we need to do to clear our space and to reflect on what exciting things we'd like to bring in. My approach to Spring-cleaning touches on areas that all professionals and entrepreneurs can relate to:
Spring into Spring
Hasn't time flown? Already we're into the last quarter of the year and isn't it perfect timing to clear out the cobwebs of winter and prepare yourself for the next few months of sun, sand, surf or is it work, work, work?
Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle
I have a good friend whom (also being in the same business) I often compare notes with.
|
