10 Ways to Stay Organized

1. Use a planner

I am a huge advocate for planners. I know they are not for everyone, but what I have learned from my experiences is that it is so helpful to write things down. The world moves super fast and sometimes things that don’t get written down get forgotten. My planner goes with me everywhere and I write everything down, even things that happened the day before. I think it’s cool to use it to document everything and then look back at what you did. If you are looking for a planner, I strongly recommend Transcending Waves. This planner takes it to the next level with not just a monthly calendar, but a daily and weekly layout with a monthly reflection. Ithelps you reach personal goals, track habits and fosters a happier and more positive outlook and appreciation towards life.

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2. Find your focus space and keep it clean

I don’t know about you but I definitely work better in my “work space.” I have a desk in my room that I decorated with little quotes and sayings that inspire me. I like to work there and I find that I do better when I put myself in that creative space. If I need to do something productive, I sit there. How many people have a desk that is covered in clothing? I’m sure we have all been there. Try cleaning up a space and keeping it clean and I guarantee you will get more done.

3. Use apps on your phone

Since the world is now using smart phones, we have the world at our finger tips. I have apps for everything. You can pay off your credit card on your phone, check the weather, coordinate group events, pay your friends, etc. Check out apps in the app store and organize your folders on your phone. It will really simplify things.

4. Prepare for your day the night before

This has been my saving grace. I cannot fall asleep at night until my clothes are laid out and bags are packed for the next day. I lay out my riding clothes, pack my work clothes along with my breakfast and lunch. If I woke up in the morning and tried to get my stuff together while I am half-awake I know I will forget something. Preparing the night before allows for clearer thoughts and better planning for the next day.

5. Put things away immediately

This is a hard one for me but one that I have grown to practice. I feel like everyone is guilty of taking off clothing and throwing it on the floor. It probably takes 0.5 more seconds to grab the hanger and put it on the rack, but humans tend to think it’s better to throw it on the floor or stack clothing on a desk or chair. I purposely didn’t want a chair in my room so that it didn’t become a mountain of clothing. If you hold yourself accountable to just put things away immediately, it will make your life a lot easier.

6. Do one thing at a time

The world multi-tasks. People walk, text, eat and talk all at the same time. I find that part of the reason I haven’t been consistent with my blog posts is that I don’t sit down and devote time to them, but I work on them periodically throughout the other hundred tasks that I am completing. If you don’t do one thing at a time, you may forget things, lose your place and make mistakes.

7. Control your time and priorities

Life’s short, do what is important. As I have gotten older, I have truly started to value time and really started to weed out what isn’t important. The hour I spend on my phone before bed could be an hour I spend gathering my thoughts for the next day, catching up on something that I have been putting off or just relaxing my mind. Controlling my priorities as allowed me to balance work and riding. My days start early and end late so every spare moment I spend getting myself organized.

8. Create lists

I have lists for everything – grocery lists, password lists, song lists – you name it, I got it. I have so many accounts and passwords and it I found myself creating a new password every time I signed in to my accounts because I couldn’t keep them all straight. When I started writing my information in a list in the front of my planner, I have felt so much more organized.

9. Routine

Depending on what your interests are, start your day with something that you really enjoy. Clear your head for the day ahead. I ride my horse first thing every morning and it starts my day off right. Starting a routine has changed my life. Someone told me, “the busier you are, the more time you have” and that could not be more true. When I created a routine for myself my days became not only more organized and structured, but much more enjoyable.