5 Habits That Will Help You Stay Organized

Are you having trouble staying organized?

Don’t worry—it’s a common issue that can be fixed by building healthy habits. The good news is that even if you are not naturally organized, you can become that way by creating a solid routine. Research proves that habits are extremely powerful, as 45% of all our daily behaviors are automatic. Therefore, by building healthy habits, we are working towards transforming our daily lives for the better.

So, if you want to be more organized, you need to start by building habits that will help you get organized and actually stay that way. Here’s what you should do:

1. Finish One Task Before Moving on to the Next

Working on multiple projects or tasks simultaneously can be counterproductive. The more things you have on your plate, the more difficult it is to stay organized.

Therefore, even if you have a long list of tasks, you should try to deal with them one at a time. While it might sound impossible, especially for busy people, it’s actually doable. 

Start by figuring out what you need to accomplish and then choose the tasks that you want to prioritize. Then, start working on the most important task, and don’t skip to the next one until you are done with the first. Not only will this help you become more organized, but you will also be more focused. Plus, by working on a single task at a time, you will also be able to finish it more quickly and more efficiently. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

2. Make Lists

Lists are one of the most efficient tools for staying organized. They can help you stay focused and motivated, prioritize things, and make sure that you don’t forget anything. Plus, you can make lists about anything—tasks, groceries, books you want to read, appointments, and everything else that is important to you. 

For example, you can start the day by creating a list with everything you want to accomplish that day. Not only will this help you determine what you need to do, but you will also be able to easily figure out what your priorities are. Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than checking tasks off your list once you have completed them.

Lists are also helpful for remembering things. For example, you might receive a book recommendation from a friend or read about a movie that you would like to watch. It’s important to write these things down so that you don’t forget about them. You can use your phone for these lists or, if you prefer the traditional way, you can carry a small notebook with you everywhere you go.

3. Leave Extra Time for Your Tasks

Are you always in a rush? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to make a change.

Sometimes people are disorganized because they commit to more tasks than they can accomplish, or they leave little to no free time in their schedules for unexpected events. So, in order to stay organized, you need to leave some extra time for accomplishing your tasks.

How will that benefit you? 

First of all, you will no longer feel stressed about not being able to accomplish your tasks in time. Secondly, your plans won’t be ruined in case something unexpected happens. Plus, you will have more time to relax or to do activities that make you happy, like reading or watching movies.

4. Follow a Routine

It’s much easier to accomplish your goals and stay organized if you have a solid routine. While you don’t have to schedule every minute of your life, it’s important to establish a pattern that you will follow every day. 

Your morning and evening are especially important. How you start your morning sets the tone for the entire day, so it’s important to start it on a positive note. On the other hand, your evening routine has a significant impact on your sleep, and we all know that sleep influences our general wellbeing.

Therefore, determine the actions that are important to you and fit them into your schedule. Make sure you repeat them on a daily or weekly basis so that, in time, they become a normal part of your life. 

5. Don’t Procrastinate

Stop procrastinating. The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get in the mood for it. Plus, you will also get more stressed as the deadline approaches.

Procrastination is one of the main obstacles keeping you from being organized, so you need to quit this bad habit as soon as possible. Therefore, create a schedule and stick to it. While it might be challenging in the beginning, you will get used to avoiding your responsibilities and sticking to a schedule.

Final Thoughts

I hope the tips above will help you become more organized. Remember that it is all up to you and that being organized is something you can learn, even if you are not born with it. Start by creating healthy habits and see how your life transforms one step at a time.

In the meantime, I would love to hear from you. How do you stay organized? How do you plan to change your life in 2022? Let me know in the comments below!