How to Get Organized So You Can Achieve Your Goals

This week we’re going to talk about organization. We’ve already talked about the first two steps to achieve our goals, imagination and goal setting. The next step is getting organized. Yeah, I know, not exactly fun, but very important. When you get organized, it not only frees up clutter in your life but also in your mind and your emotions. There are many ways to get organized and each different way will push you closer to your goals.

Some areas to organize your life include your workspace, your home space, your relationships space, your fitness space and your religious/spiritual space. All of these areas go hand in hand in your life and also when it comes to achieving your goals.

Your Workspace

Let’s start with your workspace. I’ll be honest, this is a place where I struggle. My desk all too easily becomes a catch all for lists, books, receipts, mail, random post it notes, you name it. Sometimes I foolishly push myself mentally amidst the mess until I can’t take it any more. Then I have to take 15-20 minutes to go through the clutter and get organized. However, once I do my mind feels more relaxed and it’s much easier for me to relax and be creative. How do I organize my desk during these 15-20 minutes? Here are my tips.

• Start with the mail. Go through it and throw away ads and coupons you won’t use. When you get to bills, offers, etc. throw away offers you won’t use and then put the bills in a specific place on your desk. I have a mail sorter that I tuck bills in until I can look at them closer.
• Go through receipts and lists and shred what you don’t need immediately.
• Stash books on a different shelf on your desk so they are out of the way but easily accessible. Most of my books are about writing, that’s why I keep them close at hand.
• I look at each of my post-it notes and toss what I don’t need and organize what I do need from most important to least important.
• I also write important things down in my planner like my blog post topics each week, what and when to post on social media, and other various tasks.

By doing these things, your desk should look clean and neat in no time.

Closeup of white office desktop with blank smartphone, laptop keyboard, computer mouse, glasses, coffee cup and decorative items. Mock up

Your Home Space

This is another place where I struggle and I need to get more organized. We all have busy lives, work schedules, goals, projects that need our undivided attention and a thousand other things we have to do. It’s very easy to neglect our home space. Here are some ideas to help you get more organized.

• Write down everything that needs done in your household during the week. Things like meal prep, cooking, laundry, folding laundry, house cleaning, etc.
• Assign each task a certain day or days. Meal prep for the week on Sundays, folding laundry while watching your favorite show, do one housecleaning task each day.
• Make a chart and assign tasks to each member of your household.
• Make it fun. Turn on your favorite music while you clean house, watch a favorite movie while you meal prep, etc.

summer, holidays, vacation, happy people concept – group of friends having fun on the beach

Your Relationship Space

I know it sounds weird to “organize” your relationship space so think of it more as a “pruning” of your relationships. Sit down and take a long hard, look at the relationships in your life and decide if there are any that need extra attention or those that may need to end or for you to distance yourself from. People will love to make fun of and talk you out of your goals. These are not the people you need in your life. However, there may be relationships in your life that you need to pay more attention to.

• Do you have people in your life that are toxic? You may need to either distance yourself or cut yourself off from them entirely.
• Do you have “friends” who make fun of your goals? Then they aren’t really your friends. Take some time to consider if it’s worth hanging around them anymore.
• Do you have friends who are terminally ill or going through a really hard time? Schedule time to call them, text them, message them, or face time with them. This way, time won’t slip away from you until it’s too late.
• Do you have awesome friends and family who support you in everything you do? These are the people you need to spend more time with.

Other Ways To Get Organized

Your Fitness Space

We all know that eating healthy and exercising is good for us and will help us have the mental clarity, energy, and stamina to achieve our goals. However, with our busy lives it’s hard to make time to exercise and eat well. The other scenario may be that you eat healthy and exercise but you’re just unorganized. Either way, it’s time to get this part of our lives under control.

• Pencil time in your schedule to exercise. As in actually write it in your planner or virtual calendar. Think of it as making an appointment with yourself and honor it just as you would a business meeting or doctor’s appointment.
• Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. You can find all kinds of healthy, inexpensive recipes online. I’m a Pinterest junkie when it comes to recipes. This week we decided to try a company called Imperfect Foods. They source “ugly fruits and vegetables” from farmers and sell them at a discount. Ugly produce is produce that has minor defects, skin scaring, and other imperfections. They also offer other things like meat, dairy products, etc. Their mission is to eliminate food waste. You can order different size boxes as well. I’m excited to get our first box.
• If you are someone who eats healthy and exercises but is unorganized, try prepping fruits and vegetables ahead of time, go through your fitness equipment and decide what needs to go and then organize the rest in your home gym. Do you really need that old Thigh Master? I didn’t think so.
• Make it fun. Invite a friend over and prep meals together. Create a group of friends and exercise together. Choose exercise that you will really enjoy doing, not just what’s popular at the moment.

Fitness or diet concept: dumbbells, fresh red smoothie, apple, towel and activity tracker over wooden background. Toned image. Selective focus

Your Religious Space

I’m a Christian and spending time with God everyday is important to me. It makes me feel grounded and better equipped to handle whatever life brings my way. Studies have shown that there are benefits to believing in “God” or a “Higher Power”. I think it’s important for people to be in spiritual alignment with what they believe. If you have been lax when it comes to your religion, make some commitments and stick to them.

• Commit to finding a church home.
• Commit to spending time every day in Bible study and reading devotions.
• Commit to spending time with God in prayer every day.

Consider spending some time in the religion you practice every day.

As I said earlier, all these things go hand in hand with your goals. When you have a clean work space and a clean house, it’s easier to be creative and reach your goals. When you have positive relationships in your life and people that will cheer you on, encourage you, and pick you up when you fall, it’s easier to reach your goals. When your body is healthy and your spirit is aligned with what you believe, you have the energy and peace you need to achieve your goals. See what I mean? It’s time to get our lives organized so we can achieve our dreams and beyond.