#organizationaltips

Dear Reader,

For many of us, the first month of the year is always the busiest, most productive and organized.

I'd tell this to the fact that I myself is also too captivated with the thought of getting my goals for this year.

A lot of us struggle. In all honesty, being organized is a lifestyle nobody can master in a month or in a year. It takes seasons after seasons of trying and failing and eventually creating your own unique way of decluttering your tasks and organizing your schedules to match your lifestyle.

There are NO 1,2,3s or A,B,Cs in being organized that will get you to your target in a jiffy. But there are sure basic steps on how to have your kickstart.

1. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲.

ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏғ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛɪᴘs ᴏɴʟɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʀ sᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋʟɪsᴛ ᴏғ ᴅᴏs ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏɴᴛs. Bᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀᴘᴘʟɪᴄᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ. Fᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ, ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ɴɪɢʜᴛ sʜɪғᴛ ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍ ᴡʜᴏ ᴊᴜsᴛ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ʙɪʀᴛʜ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴄᴇɴᴛ sʟᴇᴇᴘ ᴘᴀᴛᴛᴇʀɴ.

Iᴛ ɪs ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪғᴇsᴛʏʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄʜᴇᴅᴜʟᴇ ᴄʏᴄʟᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅʀᴀᴡ ᴀɴ ᴇғғᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʜᴀᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ sᴜɪᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴍᴀɪɴᴛᴀɪɴ.

2. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

ᴀs ɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛɪᴘ ᴏʀ ᴀᴅᴠɪᴄᴇ sᴏᴜɴᴅs ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴛɪᴄɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ sᴜʀᴇʟʏ sᴜɪᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʟʟ.

Kɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғɪɴᴀɴᴄɪᴀʟ ʟɪᴍɪᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs. Dᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇ ғʀᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴇxᴀᴍᴘʟᴇ ʙᴜʏ ᴀ ɴɪᴄᴇ sᴛɪᴄᴋᴇʀ ʟᴀʙᴇʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴀᴛ.

Nᴏᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴍᴀɢᴀᴢɪɴᴇ ᴏʀ ɪɢ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜʏ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ɪs ᴀᴅᴠɪsᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʙᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏᴏ.

Wᴏʀᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴜᴅɢᴇᴛ. Jᴜsᴛ ᴀs ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀs ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ɴᴇᴀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʟᴇᴀsɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʏᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʟᴇᴀɴ ᴏғᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɪᴛ'ʟʟ ᴅᴏ. Dᴏɴᴛ ʙᴇ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ. Sᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ.

3. 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝘁𝗼 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬

sᴏ ᴡᴇ ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴇsᴘ ᴀᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋ. Mᴏʀᴇ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ ᴡᴇ ᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ғɪɴɪsʜ ᴇᴀʀʟɪᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴜs ɪs ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

Tʜᴇ ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ ᴏғ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ɪs ғᴏʀ ᴜs ᴛᴏ ᴇǫᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅɪᴠɪᴅᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇғғᴏʀᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴜs ᴛᴏ ᴅʀᴀɪɴ ᴏᴜʀsᴇʟᴠᴇs ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴏʀ ғɪɴɪsʜ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴛ sᴀᴛɪsғʏ ᴏᴜʀ ǫᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ.

ɪᴛ ɪs ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏɴᴇ sᴛᴇᴘ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘʜᴀsᴇ ᴀʟɪɢɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴇᴛ sᴄʜᴇᴅᴜʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ʀᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇғᴜᴇʟ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.

ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏʀ ɪɴ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ᴍᴇᴀɴs ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏʀɢᴀɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ.

4. 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗬, 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 , 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹

sᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ғʀᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪᴅs' ᴛᴏʏs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴇss. Oʀ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ғᴀʙ. Rᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ɪs, ᴍᴀɢᴀᴢɪɴᴇ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛ ʟɪғᴇ ᴀɪɴᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟ sᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴜsʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴇʟғ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ.

ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋs ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ. Kᴇᴇᴘ ɪᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟ. Aʟʟᴏᴡ ᴍɪsᴛᴀᴋᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇssʏ ᴅᴀʏs.

Rᴇʟᴀx ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪᴠᴇ ʟɪғᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜʟʟᴇsᴛ.

𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓮𝓭,

How To Organize Your Inbox Like Marie Kondo

We’ve been big fans of Marie Kondo ever since listening to her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, on Audible back in 2015, and we’re thrilled to hear so many of our clients and friends love her Netflix show.  We love to see people focusing on whether or not their possessions “spark joy”, but we have to ask: what about your inbox?? Does it spark joy?

Here are some practical suggestions that will help love your inbox a little more or at the very least stop being stressed out by it.

1. Set Aside Time to Go Through Your Emails

Raise your hand if you tend to respond to emails a few at a time whenever you have a spare moment. (We’re guilty too.) That is counter to the Marie Kondo method of simplifying.  Instead, establish an inbox routine so you can get in the inbox zone. Maybe you check and respond to all emails first thing in the morning and then again at the end of the day. Or maybe it’s at Noon. Figure out the best time for you to manage your inbox and then stick to it.

2. Turn Off Your Email  Notifications

Does your iPhone dinging every time you receive an email spark joy? Probably not. In fact, if you’re like most people it likely takes your focus away from whatever you were doing and may even create some anxiety. Now that you’ve set aside certain times of each day to go through your emails there’s no reason you need to get notified each time you receive an email. Turn off the notifications. If it’s really urgent someone will call or text you.

3. Don’t Create Too Many Categories

Your inbox needs only three categories.

You need to respond to or act on

You’re waiting on someone else to respond

You don’t need anymore (archive) or delete