Monday Meditations #8

Organization - 3 Ways to Organize your Life and Work

Welcome to another edition of Monday Meditations, I am your host Jon Belt, I hope this Monday is a great start to your week!
My focus this week and the focus for this episode is organization. I would consider myself quasi-type A. I want to be organized, but I don’t lose sleep over it if I’m not. I know the more organized I am the more my brain relaxes and focuses on the important stuff. Benjamin Franklin is quoted for saying “For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned." 

“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned." Benjamin Franklin

And I know this to be true. Some of the most successful people I know whether it be administrators, teachers, coaches, entrepreneurs are detailed oriented and plan ahead for everything. If you tend to procrastinate like me there is hope. One step at a time. Here is a short list of how to get started. This list is based on the research I have done that fits my personality, so you might look into what works for you. If some of the things I list sound like a good idea then test them and see, and if they don’t work try something else. Do not give up because it doesn’t work, keep pushing through.

Number 1: Write it down
Our brains get inundated with new tasks sometimes minute to minute. So writing down the essentials is key. Start with just making a wish list of what your ideal environment would look like (your office, desk, classroom if you’re a teacher). Then make a list of things you need to fix (too many papers, add more binders, place for your pens and highlighters)

Number 2: Priority and Timeline
Turn that list into a number of priority. One being the first thing you tackle. Remember the things you would least like to do tend to get pushed to the bottom, but usually need to be bumped up to the top. If you knock those out first then your momentum starts to take hold, because the things you were dreading got done first. Next to each item put how long you think it would take to get started.

Number 3: Time Block
Use the days of the week to tackle one or more of the priorities. For instance, if you want to move all of your files into binders and to keep that a regular thing then maybe make it "File Friday." Or if you want to have a day where your focus is organizing your random small items make it "Small Item Sunday." The alliteration is corny but makes it easy to remember and keeps your mind focused on one thing instead of many things per day.

That’s my simple list that I am going to start working on this week. Do you have something that works really well for you? Leave a comment below. 

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” – Lao Tzu