I hope y’all are enjoying the new Organized Living series. So far, we’re in our second week and it has certainly gotten off to a wonderful start!
And in week one of our Tips, Tricks and Your Project series, we’ve talked about hanging in there and understanding that organized living is a lifestyle.
Now, I want to share another tip with you that works for me and has surely made a huge impact for me and was mentioned by Tammy last week as well. Organizing my day.
It sounds simple and really, it is. Basically, here is what I do.
Organize Your Day
1. Schedule time. Start by allocating times on your calendar for your appointments and major activities you have for the week. For me, this includes that I mark off my mornings for homeschooling activities. This helps me to focus and allows me to visually notice the time I dedicate to homeschooling my son. It is the priority of my day and is first on my calendar.
2. List and prioritize tasks. At the beginning of each week, I list the major tasks that I need to accomplish for the week from scheduling any appointments, calling on clients, to individual tasks related to major projects that I may have going on that week. Again, be sure to prioritize this list to focus on the most important tasks you have to accomplish. At the end of the week, if those have been completed, you are doing well.
3. Assign days. Then, assign your prioritized tasks to days of the week for handling. This may take sometime for you to find a way to assign tasks that fit you and your family best. I’ve found that bundling tasks as much as possible helps my schedule. For instance, my post office and banking errands are usually bundled for the same day since they are near one another physically.
4. Understand that things happen. There are times when plans just get shot out of the water. You know what I mean, you’ve organized your day to get major things accomplished and something happens to throw the whole plan off course. The washing machine breaks, the phone rings constantly, or your child gets sick. Things happen. Determine what your priority is and pay attention to it. My child will always get my attention over a ringing phone or a trip to the post office.
5. Plan for life. Do not get so caught up in your planning that you leave out the most important things. Take a look back at your schedule and list of tasks, did you make sure to include time to play with your children? How about exercising? A date night with your husband? Yeah, these are some of the most important things in our lives and are honestly the things that aren’t loudly screaming for our attention. Go ahead and add these things to your plan. They really are the things that make life worth living.
Now, let’s hear from you.
Leave your tip, trick or update on your project in the comments. If you have a blog and have written a post regarding the same, feel free to leave a link as well. We all want to see what you’ve accomplished!
great ideas Robyn. This is by far, my biggest problem. I do not plan or organize like I should. I make some things priorities. I’ve been working with a coach for several months trying to get my act together and I just like to keep it all in my head, it’s not that helpful. I should adopt your skill set and I’d have it made. If I start with baby steps I will get it accomplished.
cecedon recently posted..junk
Baby steps are definitely the way to go. If you start with too much at one time, things start to slide. At least they do with me.
I think starting with organizing your day makes a huge difference quick. It’s amazing where little pockets or time get away from us quickly and at the end of the day, we wonder “what in the world did I get done today?”
When you start, remember to pace yourself and not overload your days at first. Maybe only start with the major 3 things for the day and learn to add in as you get more comfortable with it.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Robyn recently posted..Organized Living – Tips- Tricks and Your Projects
I have lots of my organizing tips listed in the link below. I look forward to joining in this – organization is a passion (as sad as that sounds!) of mine and I get so excited at just the talk of it! Ok
as you can see, I could talk hours on organization. Sorry. 
http://www.thetuckerstaketennessee.com/search/label/organization
Meghan recently posted..Gratitude Community- 187-220
Thanks for sharing your link, Meghan.
Such great advice and tips. We all would do well to implement even a small portion of this!!!
Amanda recently posted..Cake Decorating Ideas Valentines Day Edition
Wise advice! #4 is something I need to plan better for these days.
Amy | She Wears Many Hats recently posted..Botany Bay
I have taken some time management classes offered through my employer and this fits right along with them. I like how you look at it a week at a time and then a day at a time.
Sonya recently posted..What I Want to Accomplish in 2011
Thanks, Sonya. I can’t wait to hear how it works for you.
I use to be organized. I stopped using a planner about a year ago and tried organizing my days on an electronic calendar so my husband could sync our calendars. The only thing I got out of this is my husband reminding me of appointments that I had put on the calendar. I lost interest and found it took too much time. After reading your article and given all the events in life that are going to make the next year a busy one I think tonight is the night to go buy a refill for my paper planner and begin the process of organization all over again.
I love a mix of paper and electronic too, Stephanie.
Robyn recently posted..Lasagna Recipe
Great tips and insights. I use my BlackBerry for everything. It keeps me straight. I even sleep with under my pillow for the alarm to wake up.
I love these tips – I am an organizing junkie (Although my house doesn’t always show it…but then again, I have kids – they like to undo the neatness…)
Michelle (What’s Cooking with Kids) recently posted..How NOT To Give a Cookbook As A Gift and cake!
Lovely suggestions, just browsing around your site and loving all of you ideas.
All the best, Coryanne
Coryanne Ettiene recently posted..The essential household management book
i am usually pretty organized but with The Professor back in class and me running our business solo and keeping the house up and paying the bills, both personal and business and the blog . . . lordy, it is any wonder my mind is in total disarray these days???
SMITH BITES recently posted..SAUSAGE & FENNEL PIZZA W-CARAMELIZED ONIONS & PEPPADEWS
I am bookmarking this because I need to read it over and over again! I’ve been trying to get organized lately, but I’m finding it difficult. I bought one of the Busy Body Book blank tablets, which is helping!