How to Stay Organized When the Going Gets Tough

You usually are organized with plans and schedules, but sometimes life happens. Things occur that weren’t expected, and suddenly your well-planned life seems to crumble around you into chaos. There are things you can do to prevent that from happening. Ironically, it does mean that you must have been organized enough to plan for these eventualities!

So what can you do when things aren’t going as planned so you can stay in control and on top of everything?

Take Care of You

Providing that you take care of your mental, physical and emotional health by exercising regularly, eating healthily, and practicing meditation or mindfulness. You will feel more able to cope when things don’t go to plan or life spirals out of control. Don’t forget to get enough sleep.

No matter how organized and well-planned you are, there will be times when life gets busy, and you start to worry that you won’t get everything done. Following these tips will help you to stay organized and in control.

Get Up Early

While getting up early may seem pointless, it can provide a focused way to start your day, especially if you create a miracle morning routine that includes power habits such as exercise, meditation or visualizations, planning, and a healthy breakfast.

You can start your day feeling both energized and organized by getting up earlier by completing essential tasks to ensure that you and your family are ready for the day ahead.

Be Prepared

Being prepared is the key to everything. By planning, you will know what to do when you’re snowed under with work, and the kids have after-school activities every day.

Get as much ready as possible for the next day before bed. That includes clothes, work, school bags, your to-do list, and, if possible, breakfast and lunch.

Plan for the week ahead on a Sunday, so you know the schedule and have a meal plan in place.

Plan Your Meals

Meal planning may sound boring, but it will save you time, stress, and money. Planning meals and doing as much prep work as possible will make you less likely to head for the take-out menu.

Keep a selection of pre-prepared meals in your freezer. Freezer cooking doesn’t have to be a chore, as plenty of make-it-ahead dishes can be frozen and ready to cook in a slow cooker.

Turn off Technology

If you’ve got an impossible list of things to do, don’t let yourself be distracted by the television, internet, FaceBook, email, or another messaging service.

Once you’ve completed everything that needs to be done, you can go back to chatting with friends via Skype or watching your favorite tv show.

Prioritize

Don’t run ragged trying to be a superhero and get it all done. Instead, look at your to-do list and prioritize each item. Cross off or move to another day, anything that isn’t essential. Check off anything that you’ve already completed. Delegate whatever tasks you can. Only do the things that need to be done, and you’ll feel more in control.

Remember: if it’s not essential, then ignore it.

De-Clutter

Clutter is easy to create. Don’t let it become a problem. Instead, take a few minutes each day to put things away and throw away junk. Put the dishes into the dishwasher immediately instead of leaving them on the counter. Deal with the mail directly instead of going it piling up on the side.