New systems and routines
I always find it interesting when people are planning to start a new routine, system, diet or whatever it is, that they choose to make a start on a Monday, at the start of a new school term, or even at the start of the year.
Obviously it’s because psychologically it feels like a ‘new start’ in someway, so an ideal time to begin whatever it is. Do you do this? Do you find it makes starting a new routine easier?
Of course, the reality is that we can begin something or make a change at any time. Any time we choose to start can be the beginning of the change.
Calendars
There is something about having a new calendar though, for the year to come, and the ability to plan for the year ahead. The Card Factory have tons of calendars to choose from that will help you plan and stay organised in the year to come, at a bargain price I might add.
I don’t know about you, but it feels good to mark up the new yearly calendar with all the birthdays and events to come over the year. It helps to plan and plot other things in, whilst ensuring you remember key events.
What sort of calendars do you go for? I love the family organiser type calendars. You know the ones where everyone has their own column, it means you don’t have to cram in a ton of arrangements on one day, you can see at a glance what everyone has on each day of the week.
These are great, BUT my main problem with these is that there are rarely ones with space for six people, so I end up putting two names on one and then it kind of defeats the point of having one like that. If anyone knows of any great calendars like this with space for six family members, do let me know in a comment below!
Write it down
I really think that part of learning to be more organised comes from writing things down. Even if you have a great memory, family life is hectic and we can’t expect ourselves to remember EVERYTHING – why put that pressure on yourself? As soon as you get a date for something, pop it on the calendar, or in your phone if you prefer to use that. Be careful storing the information in multiple locations, as you can end up with different ‘versions’ of a what a week looks like!
I like to-do lists. It helps me to keep on track when I forget my own name, but it also acts as a positive reinforcement on days when I feel like I’m not achieving anything, I can look back on my list and all the things I’ve crossed off and realise that I am more productive than I probably realise.
Hotspots
Keeping the “hotspots” clear in the home really helps stay on top of things I find. Every home has a hotspot – you know the dumping ground for things. The place the rest of the family leave things when they walk through the door.
We have two of these in our home, one is one of the work surfaces in the kitchen and one is the hallway – I try really hard to clear these as quickly as possible every day because it seems to help me to keep on top of everything else. If only my email inbox was that straightforward – anyone got any tips for that?