May 3, 2020

Organizing for Accountability

Christina Scalise got it right; organization isn't about perfection, it's about efficiency. Many of us are currently working remotely due to Covid-19 and its nuances. What that means is a shift in lifestyle operations. Most of us are accustomed to getting up, getting ourselves and the kids ready, packing the lunch bags, doing drop-offs and then head to work. Now, that routine has changed and many persons struggle with managing their time efficiently. Days pass and you have no clue which day it is; you fight the need to do house chores while your work stares at you from the computer; you lose track of which reports are due and what meetings you need to attend.

It's a paradigm shift. How do you now cope in order to reduce anxiety and stress? One of the ways you can cope is through organization. Organizing sets you on the right path to achieving more while holding yourself accountable.

5 Simple Steps

Here are 5 simple steps I recommend, whether working from home or office.They help me remain organized and stress-free.Give them a try and add your variation; find what works for you.

1. 𝑺𝒆𝒕 𝒂 𝑹𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍

Whether you're an early morning person or not, set your ritual or maintain the one you had. It helps to kick start your day, and lets your mind and body know that it's 'action time.' For me, that's making my bed, brushing my teeth and having my first cup of tea. Now that I've cut back on travel time I use that extra time to form new habits and brush up on others; for example spending more time in my garden, reading and journaling.

2. 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚

Some persons are more productive, 'bouncing off the wall' and beaming with thoughts in the mornings. For some that's in the afternoon and for others that's late at night. Work with what works for you, you'll find that you become more productive that way. Working remotely now affords you the flexibility to plan ahead and use your most energized time to focus on critical tasks.

Write it down...make note of things you need to do.

4. 𝑼𝒔𝒆 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚

There are so many options available which make planning, organizing and scheduling so much easier. Use them. Many are free.

I use the following:

Evernote - for note-taking & creating to-do lists.
Dropbox & Google Drive - document sharing & storage.
Gmail Calendar - to remind me of everything.

5. 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑰𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆

Because we're working from home, many of us tend to sit in front of our computers for hours and sometimes not in a comfortable position; that's not healthy. You need mental breaks to help you re-focus. I suggest taking a break every 45-mins. Go for a 10-min walk/stretch (relaxes fatigued body), play a game or listen some music. Work and play. Simple. You'd be surprised how many ideas are born during playtime.

Things You Will Need

These are the things I ensure I have to make sure my 5-step plan works.

1. 𝔸 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣

You can opt for digital or the good old-fashioned way - physical planners. I use a combination of both. Digitally I use Evernote because it syncs between my phone and my computer and information is easily accessible wherever I go. However, I LOVE pretty stationery so I buy the very pretty ones or design my own when time permits.

2. 𝕁𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕤 𝕠𝕣 ℕ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤

One or multiple, your choice. I have several; one dedicated to my 9-5, one for writing down my thoughts and ideas, one for my blog and related projects and then there's one for all miscellaneous stuff.

Again, digital is also an option. I use a combination of both.