Organize and Simplify

A Guide for the Busy, Overwhelmed, and Overworked

Introduction

 

When someone says ‘in your free time’, do you laugh? Are you stressed out and

 

frustrated, overwhelmed by everything? Do you constantly run late, forget

 

things, and miss appointments? Have you fantasized about throwing your cell

 

phone, pager, or laptop into the nearest body of water? Our busy, overloaded

 

lives often leave us wondering where the joy and serenity have gone.

 

Last year, I started work on my master’s degree. I knew life would be tough,

 

but I really had no clue just how ‘tough’ it could get. As a wife, mother of three,

 

system engineer during the day, and student on nights and weekends, I found

 

myself in tears several times. My husband, who also works full time, was doing

 

a great job trying to juggle tasks as well, but the bleak truth was that things

 

were falling through the cracks. So we had to figure out how to fill those cracks!

 

In the following pages, I’ve summarized the tips and tricks I learned during my

 

year of juggling that literally saved me. Some may work great for you, some

 

may not fit well into your life. Take what you can and use it to ease the chaos

 

that seems to be present in our lives.

 

In addition, let me say that ‘Having It All’ isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. In

 

fact, you can’t have it all. Not only would you have no place to put it, you would

 

have no time to enjoy any of it. Many of us, especially women, have been sold a faulty idea. We’ve been told we can have it all. If you attempt to have it all and

 

be it all, I truly think you will be perpetually overwhelmed. Instead, focus on

 

what you love. Go for what makes you happy and fills you with joy. Prioritize

 

everything based upon your standards, not everyone else’s standards. In the

 

end, it’s all about happiness, contentment, and fulfillment. You won’t find those

 

things if you’re busy chasing ‘It All’.

 

Organizing: The Most Important Rule

 

Don’t get so overwhelmed that you give up. Remember: baby steps. Any

 

amount of organizing is going to help. Long journeys are made up of many

 

single steps.

 

Time Management: Planning

 

First and most importantly, PLAN. I was never much of a planner, and I had to

 

make myself start, but the benefits are tremendous. When your head is filled

 

with your to-do lists, they feel larger than life. This causes worry and stress.

 

Getting it all down on paper or in an electronic format will not only be more

 

efficient, you’ll reduce your stress. You’ll remember what you need to do, be

 

able to prioritize your tasks, and increase your organization. Use a planner. At home on the refrigerator, I can’t say enough good things

 

about Mom's Family Calendar. If you have multiple family members with busy

 

schedules, this will keep you on track. Also,Franklin-Covey planners are a huge

 

help. I was introduced to these planners in 1993 by my employer. Their use

 

was required as part of our jobs. After moving on to other companies, I am still

 

very impressed by this requirement. I record everything in myFranklin-Covey,

 

and would be lost without it. I use it at work, and carry it home with me.

 

When you are preparing for an event, trip, or even getting the hang of a daily

 

routine: checklists, checklists, checklists. Keep them in a notebook or in your

 

planner. You can find checklists on the Internet, or make your own. I have

 

checklists saved in my computer for vacation, groceries, parties, business trips,

 

spring cleaning, and the like. Put your grocery shopping list in order of the store

 

you visit to save running around the store. Checklists are great for tracking what

 

you’ve already gotten, packed, or accomplished, and they free your mind for

 

other activities!

 

Speaking of daily routines, make your life run more smoothly – get routines.

 

When I started my master’s program, I laminated routines for my children to

 

guide them through school mornings, evenings, and chores. They looked like

 

this: School Morning Evening