Get organized, get more done, and be happier.
My friend Matt once said: “organization is about getting your head out of your ass”. I agree with him. It’s true that a lot of us spend way too much time sitting in our heads, obsessing over things we need to get done. But it’s also true that when we get organized, we can accomplish so much more.
In this article, I’ll show you some tips for getting your head out of your ass and organizing your life to be more productive.
Organize Your Day
When you don’t have anything to do, your mind starts thinking of things to do. Instead of focusing on the present moment, you start thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow.
The solution to this is to organize your day. Find a time every day where you block out an hour and a half, and only think about the things you need to do. This means you won’t be thinking about work during non-work hours.
It also means you can’t check email or Facebook during this period. You should leave your phone at home or turn off your notifications.
Get Rid of Your To-Do List
Once you’ve found a time to focus on the present, you should also get rid of your to-do list. There’s nothing wrong with having a to-do list, but if you find yourself constantly checking it and worrying about forgetting something important, it’s time to change.
Your to-do list isn’t going to get you any closer to accomplishing your goals. Instead, write down all the things you want to get done in the next month.
Then, every day, take your list and mark off the things you did. You’ll see that you accomplished far more than you thought you would.
Use Your Calendar to Plan Your Week
As you get started, you’ll probably want to create a calendar for yourself. I recommend Google Calendar because it’s easy to use and you can add reminders.
You’ll also want to plan your week ahead of time. Every day, you should review your calendar and see what needs to be done.
You can also use the calendar to see what projects you have coming up in the next month. When you see that you have a lot to do in the upcoming weeks, you can start planning what tasks to tackle each day.
Track Your Time and Energy
There’s no better way to get organized than tracking your time. Use the Pomodoro technique to help you stay focused.
Every day, set aside a timer for 25 minutes. If you start feeling overwhelmed, you can take a short break or do some quick thinking.
Then, after 4 pomodoros, take a longer break. This will give you time to catch up and think about what you want to accomplish in the rest of the day.
You should also track your energy levels. This can help you to understand if you’re being productive or wasting your time.
These are just a few of the tips I use to organize my days. If you have any other tips, feel free to share them in the comments below.