Get Organised

I took my daughter out with me for one of those mum-daughter days out and towards the end teased her about how much she’s becoming like me. I was surprised to have her accept and then she chipped in ‘I am truly your child mummy, my friends can’t stop talking about how organised I am’/

Being organised is one of my foremost skills. I remember a disagreement I had with my mum when I was about 6/7 years old. She had ironed my uniform for me for school the next day and was shocked to find the uniform neatly laid out on the polished shoes on the floor by the door of my room. As far as I was concerned, it was the best place to put the uniform – it will make it easier to get dressed in the morning! As I got older, say me early 20s, I remember my sisters teasing me cos every Sunday, I would iron and line up my clothes in the order they would be worn for the week. Today, a working wife and mum of 2, I employ my organisational skills in meal planning, holiday scheduling and running the house. Yes I know I was quite extreme in my bid to be organised but one thing I can’t deny was it freed up my mind to concentrate of other things that made me productive. Other advantages of being organised include:

1. You are free of stress and all the ailments that result from stress. I once had a fridge magnet with the words ‘Organised people are just too lazy to search for things..’. Just think. Becoming organised would mean everything has its own place and you never have to look for them
2. Your brain is in a calm mode because it isn’t constantly searching, therefore it is more productive and you are more successful
3. You appear more confident because you always feel in control
4. You are able to enjoy variety and a better quality of life because you plan ahead
5. You have more time on your hands

Now that I have listed the benefits of being organised, you might be wondering if it’s something that can be learnt. My answer is YES. Being organised is a skill and while it will come more naturally to some, everyone can learn to be organised and enjoy the benefits. Here are a few tips

1. Decide – it starts with a Decision. If you think you can, you sure will and if you think you can’t, you never will. Set a goal and a time frame to become more organised and stick to it.
2. Declutter – by this I mean declutter everything – your wardrobe, your home, your brain, everything! Start from the easiest and develop the confidence to take on the trickier ones.
3. Debug – write out a diary of your typical day and critically assess what needs to be changed. You might find the way you make meals, your laundry schedule or even your free time can be better utilised
4. Delegate what doesn’t need to be done by you. My rule is ‘if someone can do it better, then let them’. You are never going to be able to
5. Design a system that works. I can’t remember where I saw this but it struck me. A SYSTEM Save You Some Time Energy & Money. Make a plan from the results of your Debugging that have not been delegated. I have a friend who organised her dressing by picking a colour every fortnight and allowing it guide her clothes choices. I organise my meals on a monthly basis because it was an area that cause me stress but could not be ignored. Designing your life is all about doing whatever needs to be done so you have no stress when you wake up in the morning!

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