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Every January, we all want to start afresh. Resolutions are made, new ideas are put together, and changes are awaited. So today, I bring you tips to get organised this new year, with a to do list so that you are able to maximise your potential and take control of your life for the better.
Do a new year clean
We’ve all heard of a spring clean, but what about a new year clean? Let’s face it, every Christmas means a new pile of unwanted presents, or new found treasures that replace old ones. And let’s not forget the Christmas and new year’s eve decorations that we need to take care of.
To do: Decide what you want to keep, what you want to donate, and what needs to be thrown away.
It’s time for new storage systems
For all the things you want to keep, decide on how you can store them effectively. Be it neatly labelled kitchen containers, or just learning how to fold clothes more effectively to save space in your wardrobes, there’s something out there for everyone. And it need not be expensive.
To do: Identify the room in your house that needs most attention in terms of storage, and research ways in which those items can be stored away effectively.
Make a cleaning timetable
Let’s face it, cleaning isn’t most of our hobbies. But it has to be done because a clean house is a clean mind, after all. One of the best tips to get organised this new year is to stick to a cleaning timetable. It’s no fun having to give your entire house a deep clean every week, so why not spread it out so that there’s only a little to do every couple of days?
To do: Have a good think about your professional and personal commitments and think about how you could best spread out the cleaning tasks over the week. If you live with your family, assign tasks to every member according to their capabilities and schedules so that no one is solely responsible for the cleanliness of the house.
Use your diary
In today’s times, we all own at least one diary… yes I’m talking about the calendar app on our phones! But the sad part is that not many of us use it effectively. Pencilling commitments into a diary (be it digital or paper) helps us to stay focused and prevents being constantly overburdened. The great thing about our phones is that we have them with us all the time, so the fact that we are able to set reminders and notifications on them means we are less likely to forget things. This in effect helps us to stay on top of everything.
To do: Use your diary (if you have one), or the calendar app on your phone for EVERYTHING.
Set realistic mini-goals
Aiming high is great, because it helps us to think outside the box. But aiming too high also has its negatives, one of them being the feeling of never ending dissatisfaction because you’re either unable to see the results because it’s taking too long, or that the goals are unrealistic in a given time. Setting mini-goals that lead up the your ultimate target, however, help you to stay focused, so make sure you do this often.
To do: Make a list of your big goals that you want to achieve this year, then bullet point at least 3 steps you need to take to achieve them. Think about how long it will realistically take you to achieve your mini-goals, and write them down too.
Review your success routinely
As mentioned in my previous post, looking back at our achievements has many benefits. Make sure you do this often so that you are able to celebrate your success, and also see where you need to pay attention for improvement.
To do: Set bi-monthly reminders to track your progress, and produce an action list for every target you’re unable to meet.
I hope that this post will help you to get on top of your life, and ultimately motivate you to get organised this new year.
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