New Year – New Organised You!
Have you already started plotting in your 2020 New Year’s resolutions? For most of us, getting organised is always near the top of that list! January is National ‘Get Organised’ Month (and just around the corner), so I couldn’t think of a better time to dust off the cobwebs and get things in order. Stop telling yourself you need to think about it and make a start today! Here’s my favourite tips and tricks to help get you organised for January.
Don’t rely on your memory
One of my favourite things to carry about with me is a small notepad. It means I can jot down important thoughts or make little sketches. Taking notes is a great stress reliever, as it helps you declutter your mind and remain focused on the task at hand. Our handy A5 puffin notepads are compact enough to throw into a small bag and make notes on the go!
Keep track of time
I recently heard someone say, “Time is a dangerous resource to have, because we don’t look at receipts of how we spend it.” The next time you tell yourself you didn’t have time to do something, ask yourself, “What did I do with that time instead?” I’ve found it useful to start writing down how much time I spend on the internet; Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest – who else is guilty of swiping their lives away on their tablets?
Bullet Journals
The bullet journal is like a modern-day Filofax, the beauty of it being that it can be created in any notebook you like. I love my bullet journal! It allows me to incorporate my own creativity and take a step away from digital focus of everyday life. I’ve tried all sorts of organisation apps, but they could never beat the good old (tried and tested) pen and paper method. Our new thistle notepad contains 120 unruled pages, making it an ideal blank canvas for you to get arty.
Take a look at my ‘Bullet Journal Accessories’ post for inspiration and tips for getting yours started.
Avoid the ‘I’ll do it at the weekend’ excuse
How many times have you said, “I’ll do that at the weekend”? The problem with adding something to your weekend itinerary is that this list can often spiral out of control – quickly becoming overwhelming and exhausting! Before you know it, you’re out of time and you feel like you’ve wasted the whole weekend. Get yourself into the habit of setting aside half an hour after work every day. Whether you need to chip away at the cleaning, make a start on that new language app, or just generally get some adulting out of the way, don’t let it eat into your days off!
Keep track of chores with our handy Scottish highland cow magnetic to-do list pad!
Declutter!
Did you buy a new phone this year? Sell or donate your old one! You don’t need two phones. In fact, get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last year. De-cluttering will help you de-stress and boost your mood with positive productive feels.
Reflect
Before Get Organised Month gets started, sit down with a cuppa and write down at least 5 goals that you wanted to accomplish in 2019, but never did. Ask yourself what stopped you from hitting these goals; were you nervous? Short on time? Note down ways that you could have overcome these barriers so that you’re ready to tackle them head on in 2020. Break your goals down into ‘sprints’ – Ryder Carroll, author of The Bullet Journal Method explains how to do so brilliantly here.
It’s also just a good idea to write down the things that you did achieve; how did it make you feel? Did you reward yourself? If not, make sure you get into the habit of doing so in the future, even if it is just a small fist pump and a barely audible ‘woohoo’ cheer!
Whichever of these tips you decided to try, remember not to beat yourself up if things get a little messy! For many, getting organised is a gradual process that comes about by changing habits. Have fun setting goals for 2020 and remember to reward yourself when you hit your goals.