It never hurts to get more organized in life.
Organizing helps a person maximize time, focus on important things, and make the most of every opportunity. Organizing is always a work in progress. At times, I get one thing organized in life, only to realize another area needs attention. But be encouraged – today is a great day to get things organized. Start with something small and get it together.
I just finished re-reading John Maxwell’s book, Develop the Leader Within You. Here is his list of ten ways to get life organized:
Set Your Priorities
What do you need to bump to the top of the list? What are your top most important items to do? Those are your priorities.
Place Your Priorities on the Calendar
What gets put on the calendar gets done. I’m a firm believer in this because I’ve seen it work in my life. Amazing things happen when I put goals on the calendar and break them down over the course of a few weeks or months.
Allow Time for the Unexpected
Productivity needs to be tempered with reality. Plan in time for things that you can’t control. Interruptions, phone calls from family members, car trouble, house trouble, sick kids, you name it – something always happens. Allow for cushion in your day. 
Do Projects One at a Time
I’ve heard it said that anyone can do two things at once; what’s really impressive is to do one thing at once. In our world of multitasking, it’s easy to do a little bit of everything and not get done with anything. If you want to organize and accomplish something, write down your six things for the day and don’t stop working on the first one until it’s complete.
Organize Your Work Space
I’m not a prime example of this because my work space gets filled up quickly. However, I do know the breath of fresh air that comes with straightening my desk or office. When I take a few minutes at the end of the day to make sure things are all clear and ready for the next day, I’m much more productive and organized the next day and the next week.
Work According to Your Temperament
Are you a morning person? Put your most important work in the morning hours. Most everything I do for this blog and website happens between the hours of 5:00 and 6:30 a.m. I enjoy mornings and try to maximize my planning and creative time during these hours. Identify your prime time and maximize it.
Use Your Drive Time for Light Work and Growth
Safety comes first, but you can do many things in your car to keep your life organized. Listen to a podcast with sermons or topics on productivity; make calls on a hands free device; or think through your plans for a coming event or meeting.
Develop Systems That Work for You
Is there something you do all the time? Create a system to save time and energy. Do you find yourself sending the same basic emails to people all the time? Create a template. Organize the way you get work done, process emails, batch your time for phone messages, etc. The best system is one that works well for you.
Always Have a Plan for Those Minutes Between Meetings
Ten minutes doesn’t seem like much, but much can happen. You may not be able to start a big project, but you can knock little items off your to-do list. Instead of wasting time between phone calls or meetings, utilize every moment.
Focus on Results, Not on Activity
What have you accomplished or completed today? Celebrate the results.
Pick up a copy of John Maxwell’s book, Develop the Leader Within You here.
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