by Vicki Peel | Jul 7, 2020 | Organize |
Top 5 Habits of Organized People
Have you found it to be harder to stay organized these days? I used to think I was an organized person. I developed a plan and worked the plan to accomplish my goal. But lately, I find that I’ve been falling into habits that sabotage my efforts to get things done efficiently.
Ever wondered how some people stay a lot more organized than others? Well, the secret is habits!
Those who appear to have it all together tend to follow the same habits day after day. They aren’t born super-organized, it’s a skill that can be learned by absolutely anyone. So, what are these habits you should be doing to make your life more organized?
Keep reading to discover the top 5 habits of organized people you can adopt today.
- They write everything down
In order to be organized, you either need to have an extremely good memory, or you need to start writing things down!
You’ll notice one of the main traits of an organized person, is that they appear to remember everything. They never miss sending out greeting cards on time, they’re always early and they know exactly what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. So, do these people just have a better memory than you? No! They simply make sure they write everything down.
I have notebooks for everything! I’m almost embarrassed to admit how much I write down. I have a performance planner for my business that directs what I plan to do each day. It also keeps me motivated by helping me realize how much I have accomplished and how to feel good about it.
My everyday notebook is where I “dump” everything – things I need to remember to do, bright ideas of projects to develop later, or household tasks I need to do. Then at a time when I have some time, I go back through the day’s entries and do something with them, such as move to a specific list for taking action later or take action now.
So, start making lists for your shopping and always mark down important times and dates. It’s also better to write them down physically, rather than saving them as a note on your smartphone or tablet. While it may be more convenient to digitally make a note of things, it’s actually not as effective as having physical notes.
- They have a set routine
Another habit organized people have is a set routine. If you’re a parent, you’ll know just how important routine is when it comes to setting good habits for your kids. It’s exactly the same with adults too.
Just because we’re older, it doesn’t mean we don’t need a regular routine to keep ourselves happy and healthy. Organized people know this, and they use it to their advantage. They have a routine for everything, not just for bedtime or exercise. For example, they’ll also set aside 10 minutes each day to carry out specific chores or tasks.
One of the good things about setting routines is that you don’t have to exert energy making decisions about what to do. Setting a morning and evening routine can help set the tone for your day and help you end it relaxed for a good night’s sleep.
For example, my morning starts with what I call a “vitamin cocktail”, a blend of water and orange juice with polyphenols, flaxseed oil, vitamin B12, curcumin and vitamin C. It actually tastes very good! Then I have a quiet time of meditation. I read a passage in the Bible daily and listen to soothing audio tracks. Then, I map out my day and what I need to accomplish.
So, if you’re looking to become more organized, getting into a routine is going to prove crucial to your success. Developing habits of organization help you accomplish your goals.
- They create schedules and goals
Those who are organized don’t waste any time at all. They schedule their time and set goals to work towards. What’s more, they don’t stop until they achieve them.
When you have a schedule, you know exactly what you need to do and when it needs to be done by. This reduces the risk you’ll miss anything important. It’s important to remember that when you are making goals, you’ll need to make them as short as possible to ensure they’re achievable.
For example, you want to become more organized, so that’s your main goal. However, there’s a lot of smaller goals you need to reach before you can achieve the overall goal. So, start by writing your main goals, then work on splitting them down so you have a clear idea of the smaller tasks you need to work on in order to achieve them.
- They don’t put anything off
Do you tend to put things off for as long as possible? Organized people don’t! To an organized person, their motto is “Why put off something until tomorrow when it can be done today”. This simple rule can help you to become so much more organized.
Sometimes when I find myself putting something off, it’s because I don’t see a way to address the issue. If I simply stop and quietly think about what needs to be done and how to do it, a plan emerges that can efficiently get it done.
If you want your life to be much less stressful, getting things done as quickly as possible is sure to help. So, stop procrastinating and start getting things done.
- They know when to seek help
Finally, out of the many habits organized people have, knowing when to ask for help is a crucial one.
These days, it’s common to feel like you need to do everything by yourself. Social media has played a large role in making people feel like they need to be super human. You should be able to easily juggle your work, family, financial and social life without any help from anyone else. It’s a myth! Organized people know when to ask for help in order to maximize their time.
This is probably the hardest habit for me to develop. I’ve always relied on myself to do everything. I grew up thinking self-sufficiency was a most admirable goal. However, I am learning that people are very willing to share what they know with you. It feels good to help someone else. So, give people a chance to help you and let them feel good about themselves.
These are just 5 habits organized people have. While there are many more, if you focus on developing these habits, you’re going to become a lot more organized.
by Vicki Peel | Feb 21, 2020 | Organize |
When my mother’s declining health necessitated
around-the-clock care, my three sisters and I accepted the privilege. I use the
term “privilege” because it was an opportunity for us to give back just a
little for all she had meant to us through the years. It also provided precious
time for us to spend with her when we knew such times were limited.
One of the challenges during that time was managing our
individual schedules so someone could be with my mother at all times. It was
also challenging to know what she had eaten and what medications she had taken,
as well as sharing anything of significance when we were with her.
While thinking about and researching ways to manage the
process, I discovered an app entitled Cozi, which is a family organizer app.
Cozi became a lifesaver for sharing pertinent information with each other about
the caregiving process.
Cozi allowed each of the four of us to view a calendar and
enter the times that each of us could stay with our mother. When there were
gaps in time where no one signed up, we collaborated to determine who might be
able to step in and be there.
We keyed in her medications and when they needed to be
administered and left notes for each other to keep up to date.
We also entered data about the meals she ate and at what
times. Cozi had a journaling tab where we were able to share stories of our
times with our mother that contributed to our own personal memories.
Although our experience with Cozi centered around helping us
manage a difficult period in our lives, the app is a great way for families to
“be on the same page” in managing everyday family life.
With a 4.8 star rating out of almost 200,000 reviews, Cozi
obviously works for many other families. The app is available for both IOS and
Android devices.
A few of the most important features of Cozi include:
- Family Calendar
- Keep track of schedules of family members in one
place with a simple color-coded calendar
- Set reminders of important events or practices
- Send automated agendas via email to family
members
- Subscribe to other calendars, such as work,
personal or team schedules
- Shopping Lists and To-Do Lists
- Keep updated grocery lists
- See items any family member needs and adds to
lists
- Create to-do lists or checklists for any family
member
- Recipe Box
- Organizes recipes in one place for anytime
accessibility
- Add ingredients to shopping list quickly
- Schedule meals on your calendar
- No-dim button allows you to cook from a recipe
on your mobile device
- Additional features
- All features are accessible from any mobile
device or computer
- Family journal option allows any family member
to add notes or ideas
- The same information is stored in one place and
accessible to all family members
- Entire family shares one account, which can be
accessed with their own email and the shared family password
All above features are free. There is also a optional
ad-free subscription called Cozi Gold. The premium subscription offers
additional features like contacts, birthday tracker, mobile app themes and more
reminders, views and notifications.
If keeping up with family members schedules and appointments
is something that might make your life easier, check out the features of Cozi.
The more complicated family activities are, the more such an app could benefit
your family.
There are also many other family organizer apps available on
Google Play and iTunes App Store. If you’re looking for different features,
check out some of the options there.
Do you use a family organizer app? If so, tell us how you
use it and why you like it.
