Do you ever feel like you live life on fast forward? I know I do. I’m always rushing somewhere, and planning my next move. Recently I decided that I need to organize my life a little better, so that I can stand in the slow lane and enjoy the view! I quizzed some life coaches, and here are my top eight ways to organize life a little better...
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I love lists, so I did this in list form, but you can do it however you feel is best. Create a ‘list’ of what is most important to you, and number them, with 1 the most important. Include anything you enjoy doing, and don’t want to give up. For example, my best friend loves gardening, and looking after her garden came close to the top of her list. For you it could be shopping, learning to drive, studying...
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Look at your schedule for the next two weeks, or print off a schedule and fill it in. Include everything you have to do, from picking up the kids to doing the housework or walking the dog. It should be complete! Then look at the things you have to do that you don’t really want too. Maybe it’s shopping for your best friend, or looking after your sister’s animals. This time, you’ll probably have to do what you’ve agreed too, but envision what you’d do with that time if it was still yours. Then use this as motivation to turn down any requests which take up your time, and you don’t really want to do. I’m terrible for never saying no!
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Save yourself money and stress by booking things in advance wherever you can. For example, booking a train ticket two weeks earlier could save you 40%, and you know you definitely have a seat and the correct times. The same works for a lot of other things...whether it’s reserving a table at a restaurant or booking a holiday.
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It might take a bit of initial effort, but this really will save you time. Produce a document of all important details, and one with important phone numbers. Save them in password protected folders, and print off copies for your diary, and for babysitters. Include any information which you might need, from passport numbers to blood type. Just make sure this folder is secure, or print it and delete it.
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For me, this is housework. Think about it this way. Every Friday, I like to make sure the house is sparkling. I can either do it for two or three hours in one big effort on Friday, or I can work towards it all week. Simple things like mopping the floor, cleaning the toilet and doing the washing takes next to no time but gives me less to do on Friday. You can apply this to a lot of tasks, so see how it can work for you!
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Enjoy yourself occasionally. Don’t stress about goals or schedules, as they are only intended as a guide. If it comes down to cleaning the house or enjoying the sunshine, go into the sun, and enjoy the day. Life is for living, and you can always get back on track later. Keep smiling!
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Have a massive clean out every now and again, and get rid of things that you don’t like, don’t use or that doesn’t fit. Donate useable things to your favourite charity, or sell them online. Take anything else to the skip, and get rid of it. A tidy house is a tidy mind, after all!
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How many times have you found yourself washing up while you are on the phone, or hovering while your partner tells you about their day? These days, everybody is too busy to commit their full attention to anything, and it makes life a lot less fulfilling. Set yourself an amount of time to do each task, and give it your full attention. It’ll be much more rewarding!
I’ve found that by following these tips, I’ve given myself enough time to do each thing properly, and get something out of it. I’ve also now got enough time to enjoy life, and just stop for a while sometimes without feeling guilty! It’s been life changing. Have you got a tip for organizing life? Please let me know!
Top Photo Credit: hey mr. eric