For many of us, life can be summed up into one word: chaotic. Chaotic as defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary is “complete confusion and disorder”. Yep, that just about sums it all up! From juggling work, relationships, home, kids, health, finances and everything in between, life can most definitely be described as chaotic.
So how do you crawl out of the chaos and become a more organized, happier woman? Well, it’s highly possible, but will definitely take some consistent work and effort on your end to get it done.
Here are some of my favorite hacks to be a happier more organized woman (mama and wife).
1. Have A Catchall For All Of Your To-Dos
I used to try and keep everything in my head. I would say to my husband, “I don’t need to write it down. I’ll remember, it’s in my head”. Well, I guess I started to keep too much in my head and some things started to fall through the cracks, and I realized then that I had to figure out a better plan.
I needed easy tools that I could access on the go and I needed a main hub at home. I’ve collected a few favorites that work for every area of my life.
- Trello: all the blog things
- Google Calendar: all the work things
- Erin Condren LifePlanner: main hub for bills, school functions, school dates, appointments
- Wunderlist: Random lists, brain dump
- Erin Condren Deluxe Monthly: budget, credit, debt pay off, sinking funds
- Erin Condren Wellness Log: water intake, steps taken, workout done, food eaten
Have a look at how I use my Erin Condren Deluxe Monthly Planner and some of my favorite apps that keep me organized.
2. Wake Up Early
There is nothing like those uninterrupted quiet moments in the morning. There is no one else awake and you have that time to yourself when you don’t have to yell, fuss, or referee. My day always seems to go smoother and feels like it’s off to the perfect start if I’m able to work out, shower, meditate, have my one-on-one time with God, and journal before the rest of the house starts to stir.
3. Routines, Routines, Routines
I want you to listen very carefully, routines are everything when it comes to being more organized. The fewer decisions you have to make throughout the day, the better. If you have routines all setup, you can reserve that mental energy and put it towards other things.
Of course, there will be some things that happen throughout the day that you can’t possibly plan for, but those things you can control, you should and routinize.
4. Delegate To Others
Sometimes it’s easier to just do it all yourself rather than give instructions and then police the job, but the more tasks that you can get off your plate, the better! This is where delegation comes into play.
If you’re truly striving to be more organized (and happy), try lightening your load by giving the kids chores to do, and telling your significant other where they can help around the house throughout the day. Having designated tasks helps in the long run when trying to avoid burnout (and resentment).
We are all on our own very unique journey. Sometimes we like to compare our Chapter 5 to someone else’s Chapter 25 and we get stressed. We become unhappy. We get comparisonitis. We start to think everyone is ahead of us. What we fail to realize is, it takes time to start making real progress in the direction we’re trying to go.
It’s so important to fill your life with happiness, even if that means trying to fit small bits of happiness in every crevice of your day as you work toward making those big overall life changes.
We only get one life. Focus on what makes you happy. Focus on what brings you joy. Organization and happiness go hand in hand and don’t let anyone tell you differently. If your life is a cluttered mess, there’s no way you’ll be able to find any peace or joy.
What are some things that you do daily that brings you joy or brings your life meaning? What are some of your favorite organization tips?
I wish I could wake up early, but I’m emphatically a night owl! Great post!