As a seminary student and freelance writer, I know the power that results from being organized. While there are many benefits that result from recognizing and implementing principles of organization, saving time and money are probably two of the most advantageous. If you know that you need to become more organized yet don’t know where to start, consider implementing the following three strategies:
1. Purchase A Planner.
Purchasing a planner can help make you more organized quickly and effectively. In addition to including a calendar in which you can list your weekly appointments, most planners now come with a few pages of notes where you can write down things such as grocery list items or create an ongoing To Do list. Additionally, the calendars in planners notify you of upcoming holidays, thereby helping you organize your schedule around events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
2. Get A Watch.
It is very difficult to be an organized person if you can’t keep track of time. Since this is the case, you should get in the habit of wearing a watch if you don’t already. Doing so can increase the likelihood that you will be on time. If you don’t like the idea of wearing anything on your wrist, be sure to purchase a cell phone that makes the time easily visible on the phone’s face so you can quickly glance at it to see the time.
3. Establish SMART Goals.
In making a commitment to become more organized, you need to develop goals to motivate you and help you determine how effective you are at accomplishing your objective. When you establish your goal, make sure that it is SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Specific. A good example of a SMART goal would be “I will be on time to every personal and professional event for the next thirty days.” Here, we have a very specific goal that can be measured. It is also realistic and attainable given that being on time for a month isn’t an outlandish expectation that you can have of yourself. Finally, the goal is time-specific given that thirty days is the period of time that you have to complete it. (Learn more about SMART Goals here.)
Conclusion
Although you may at some point have become a disorganized person, you do not have to let this pattern dominate your life. Instead, learn how to apply effective strategies that can help you become more organized. In so doing, you will likely become more productive and positive in all that you do. Good luck! :)