I’m a very organised person. I run a lifestyle blog that’s really just a thinly disguised brainwashing mechanism to get as many people to colour co-ordinate their socks as humanly possible. My house is almost always visitor ready and my handbag looks like a fake movie handbag with six tiny items in it and zero rubbish. I also tend to organise other people’s stuff when I’m their houses. I’m very annoying.
It’s a common misconception that organised people are born that way and it’s simply not true. I was a very messy teenager and if I’m travelling and have no where permanently to put my things, I can regress back to my Cyclone Carly days quite quickly. For the most part though, I’ve trained myself to enjoy order, minimalism and cleanliness and I’m convinced that anyone can do it. I think we’d all like to be more organised (even me!) so I thought I’d knock together a list of things that organised people do every day…
1. They write things down
If you ask an organised person to do something for you, chances are they’ll write it down immediately. Get a diary or day planner and write down your appointments so you don’t forget where you need to be and when. You can even just use the notes app on your phone. Personally I use a combo of Timepage, Actions and Flow which is the Moleskine Studio Digital bundle. I also love writing with an extra fine nib fountain pen and a classic leather notebook. Makes me feel all old timey like I’m writing a letter to my lover abroad.
2. They believe that now is as good a time as any
Organised people rarely put things off. If there’s washing to be done, they’ll jump up and get it done. Organised people rarely run out of clean underwear. Get things done and get them done quickly. If you can do it in under 5 mins do it now.
3. They empty their inbox every night
An inbox full of unanswered emails is the Achilles heel of the organised. Reply immediately to what you can, file away any emails that require a more intense response and only check your emails twice a day. Never go to bed with a pile of un-dealt with emails.
4. They know their own work cycle patterns
An organised person won’t waste an afternoon working on a difficult mathematical task when they know they’re better at things like physical labour in the afternoons. Organised people understand their work patterns and use it to their advantage. If you know your brain is a little cloudy in the afternoon, don’t leave your complicated tasks for the afternoon. Do them first thing in the morning and perhaps run errands or have meetings in the afternoons.
5. They clear their work space
Organised people have enough room on their desk to get their work done in a timely manner. Clear your desk of anything unnecessary and keep it that way. It can be tempting to have your desk decorated with clusters of knick knacks but a clear workspace is much more conducive to productive work. Keep these eco desk wipes handy to keep your desk gleaming.
6. They plan
An organised person starts thinking about their next activity well before the appointed time for that activity. If you have to go straight to a dentist appointment after work, have a think ahead about how to make that run smoothly. You might like to pack your travel toothbrush to give your teeth a quick brush before you go. What time do you have to leave to get there in time? Where will you park? Do you need coins to pay for the parking meter? Just thinking about the tasks you need to complete before you start rushing off to complete them will make an enormous difference to your day.
7. They make decisions quickly
Organised people don’t labour on decisions. They know that the lunch they eat today is unlikely to be their last meal ever so they pick a salad and get on with it. Don’t waste time trying to decide between the dark blue t-shirt and the light blue t-shirt because it actually doesn’t matter.
8. They have rituals
Organised people have habits and rituals that they go through every day. If you do the same things to get ready in the morning, every morning it will make the task of getting out the door much more seamless and pain-free.
9. They embrace imperfection
Being organised doesn’t mean being a perfectionist. It means doing the best you can, with what you have. Don’t get bogged down in making sure everything is 100% the way it should be. Organised people know that done is better than perfect.
10. They remain optimistic
Organised people don’t see road blocks. They won’t drop their bundle the second something doesn’t got their way. Remain positive and flexible and you’ll be more organised in no time.
Are you an organised person? Does it come naturally to you? Or do you have to work at it?
P.S I have a Very Excellent Habits newsletter I send out every Wednesday. You sign up for it here.