How to Get & Stay Organized in Your Life

We all have one of those days sometimes: There are a thousand things to do and not enough time to do them all. You feel as though you are being pulled in multiple directions at the same time and you are overwhelmed. What if that feeling extends to the next day, or the next week? What if every day feels like you are out of control of your own life? It can easily happen to the best of people. Taking back control of your life and keeping organized can start as soon as you want, simply by getting organized mentally.

Things You'll Need

• daily planner

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Instructions

• 1

  Forgive yourself for allowing things to be overwhelming and disorganized. The first step to creating positive change is positive thinking. Don't dwell on past mistakes but rather look forward to fixing them and be proud of yourself for wanting to take charge. Positive thinking can greatly alter your mood and ability to handle stress.

• 2

  Set goals for yourself. It is hard to work toward a goal you can't see. Write down in simple terms what you want and where you want to be in your life. Be realistic and truthful to yourself. Set immediate goals as well as long-term goals. Detail where you want to be in five years, or 10 years -- you might find your priorities changing once you have a better view of where you want to be heading in your life.

• 3

  Write down the list of things you need to accomplish, then put them in order of priority. These can include anything from "Drop the kids off at school each day" to "Call my mother more often." Don't allow yourself be overwhelmed by this list -- just think of it like a grocery list. You are just writing down items that need to be done.

• 4

  Keep a daily schedule. By setting a schedule for yourself you'll be able to determine how much time you have for each task and when it needs to be done. Use a daily planner to list the standard day-to-day tasks you have and when you need to do them. This will also let you realistically see when you will be able to fit in other tasks that need to be accomplished from time to time. Keep to the schedule but maintain your priorities. If you are still working on a low-priority task when you need to start on a higher-priority one, you should switch your focus and come back to the low-priority task later if you can.

• 5

  Allow for setbacks and don't let yourself become overwhelmed. Take small steps as you get organized and take your life back. Don't feel like you need to change everything all at once. Keep thinking positively and tackle each obstacle one at a time, not looking to the next until it is time for it.