by Jessica L. Green, Account Manager
Even though January 1 is nearly a month behind us, resolution season is still in full swing, and that means that many of us are still vigilantly on the path to better ourselves in 2014. According to usa.gov, some of the most popular resolutions are to lose weight, to get out of debt and to stop drinking or smoking. If you have committed to these or other more personal resolutions, there is a master resolution you can make that will increase your productivity and give you the focus you need to reach all of your other goals. The resolution solution seems so simple – get organized. Nevertheless, some of us find this mission as arduous as climbing Mt. Everest. Thankfully, there are ways to make this process a little easier.
The first step is to go beyond the vague and get to the specific. We may say that we want to get more organized, but what does that really mean? Does it mean keeping your workplace clean, or does it mean making better use of time or tackling and finishing more projects? Make sure that your goals are clearly defined. You can’t win a race if you don’t know where the finish line is. If you strive for organization in all areas of your life and only clean out your desk, you’ve lost the battle. Mindtools.com, a career skills site, has a great article that gives you the “ins” and “outs” of goal-setting.
When we begin our journey to self-improvement, we often visualize our destination more often than the steps we’ll take along the way. This means that we often see the big picture of our goals rather than focusing on the day-to-day steps to reach them. We want to lose weight, but we may not think about how to motivate ourselves to work out daily. Getting organized is no different. Once you have a clear cut goal, make a daily schedule to help you reach it. Set aside time each morning or evening to make a to-do list or refresh your calendar. Elizabeth Larkin offers several tips and resources for daily organization on personalorganizing.about.com.
Once you have a battle plan, make sure you have the proper weapons to use to win the fight. If you’re tech savvy, you’re in luck. There are thousands of websites and apps dedicated to helping you get organized. For example, Dailytekk.com provides a list of 100 tools to get you started. If you aren’t tech-savvy, invest in traditional tools like desk calendars, portable agendas, labels, and folders. All that matters is that it works for you. If you hate using a particular app or if you purchase a planner that’s too bulky to take with you, chances are you won’t use it to its full potential.
Next, evaluate your progress. As previously mentioned, find out what’s working and what’s not working for you. Don’t get discouraged or stressed out if nothing seems to be effective. Take a deep breath, refocus and rethink your strategies. If you don’t panic, the solution may be a lot simpler than you think. Perhaps you misjudged yourself and prefer old-fashioned organizational tools to technology. Make the necessary changes and keep pushing. If you can’t identify the problem, it may help to ask a friend with stellar organizational skills for help. Your friend may have useful tips and also may know you better than you know yourself, providing you with the tools you need to improve your tactics. Just don’t give up.
The final tip is to accept that you may fall off the wagon. There may be a day or week that you fall behind, but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and keep going. Entrepreneur David K. Williams wrote an article in Forbes entitled “What To Do When You Encounter The New Year’s Resolution Blues.” The entire article is a treasure trove of encouragement to keep you going, but one important concept is called “failing UP.” Failing UP means not letting your failures define or dishearten you; it means using every failure as a stepping stone to help you finally – yes, finally – reach your goals.
You CAN get organized this year. Make your goals, create a battle plan, get the right tools, evaluate your progress and keep pushing through the setbacks. Scaling Mt. Everest is a challenge, but men and women have made the climb successfully. Why not you?