*Edit for 2016: so what better way to kick start the year by getting organised!? Happy New Year everyone! And I hope this helps :)*
One month? Yes, really…one month
Organisation is something that is essential for life, and whereas I hear a lot of messages encouraging people to pursue their dreams, I don’t hear as many message addressing the question of “how”. I’m a firm believer in passing on, and sharing knowledge, so I’d like to share with you a few tips on how to be more organised, and productive. There are 4 stages to this approach, which should take you 4 weeks.
- Step (week) 0: Define the objective.
- Before we can begin with anything else, we have to first of all write down what are actually trying to achieve. Are you trying to start a new fitness regime? Are you just trying to be more organised in general? Whatever it is, write it down clearly in not so many words; it will help keep you focused, and will be a tool to look back on in saying “did I achieve what I set out to or did I deviate from it and miss the mark?”
- Step (week) 1: Change Nothing, Notice Everything.
- This may sound strange, but the principle behind it is this; you can not change what you do not know. Spend the first week doing your usual routine, but this time notice your usual routine. How do you actually spend you time? How do you actually spend your money? This week is really about realising the things we are doing that are less productive so that we can change them in week 2.
- Step (week) 2: Plan Your Change.
- This is probably the most important week out of them all. In this week, your goal will be do plan your change. What did you notice about your time last week? Revisit the goals you wrote down and see what habits you can change from last week to achieve them. Do you need to purchase some apps or exercise equipment? Do you need to rearrange your room or purchase a desk? Do you need to wake up an hour earlier so you can have your devotion rather than trying to squeeze it into a hectic morning schedule? What ever you need to do, plan it this week.
- Step (week) 3: Implement Your Change.
- It is really is that simple; whatever you planned to do last week, do it this week.
- Step (week) 4: Review Your Change.
- And finally, this week is all about continuing to be productive. In all honesty, steps 3 and 4 should also occur periodically to ensure that our productivity increases. Look back on step 3 and think if there is anything you can fine tune. Were you too ambitious or can you actually give more? Whatever it is, plan it, implement it, and review it. If there is something more you can do, do it. If you need to bring it back a couple notches, do that. Remain focused, but be flexible; there is no point committing to a failing or over ambitious plan. Keep striving the best, and a lot of the time, that means making new changes quickly.
Now these tips work for any goal, so let me use a few examples:
| Financial Goals | A new diet/exercise regime | |
| Step 0 | Write down your savings goal | Write down your weight goal |
| Step 1 | Account for how you spent your money last year | Analyse your current diet & exercise habits |
| Step 2 | Plan how you are going to change your spending habits to meet your goal (plan your new budget) | Plan what you’re going to do to achieve your weight goal. Research new recipes or exercise techniques |
| Step 3 | Start your new budget | Start your new regime |
| Step 4 | Review your accounts and see if you are sticking to your new budget or need to be stricter. | Review your regime; Do you need to change your exercises as you get stronger? |
Hopefully these work for you guys too!
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The next life blog will be posted on April 6th, 2015
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you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?