HOW TO ORGANISE YOUR LIFE FOR BETTER BALANCE

We all lead extremely busy lives these days & trying to keep on top of things can be a daily struggle. Trying to juggle work with parenthood, being a daughter/son, a partner, a sibling, a friend, a pet owner along with trying to keep fit, have a life away from work with hobbies to keep you sane etc etc you can often feel like you’re meeting yourself coming back.

When you’re trying to be everything to everybody, unfortunately the person that often gets forgotten is yourself!

However, taking time to organise your life & get everything in order really does help you on a daily basis to ensure you never miss anything and to keep your life as stress free as possible.

 

SELF CARE

Up to a few months ago I was getting very busy and stressed & it began affecting my health. Nothing drastic, just feeling tired, sluggish and lacking in energy or enthusiasm for anything.

I made a decision to work on myself and incorporate self-care into my daily routine as a non-negotiable which has really helped me get my life much more in balance.

My self care includes a good morning routine consisting of gratitude, affirmations, reading & exercise which all help to set my day off to a great start along with a lemon water to cleanse my body when I wake up.

 

PODCASTS & AUDIO-BOOKS

One of my New Years Resolutions this year was to read much more. Sometimes we’re too busy to read at home (although I have made sure it’s part of my daily routine now) and so I decided to download Audible. I spend a lot of time in my car, so I find that listening to audio books is a great way to multitask at the best level.

As I’ve also been working on myself so much this year, I also find Podcasts are wonderful for learning so much about a vast array of topics.

LISTS

I swear by lists, I always have and my daily/weekly/monthly to do lists keep me organised and on top of everything.

However, be careful not to fall into the trap of writing huge unattainable items on your daily to do list as you’ll just end up fed up and disappointed in yourself, these are for your bigger, long-term lists or bucket lists. Your daily list should be prioritised by what’s vital & must get done that day, what’s important that week & it would help if it got done that day & what could be done if you have any spare time.

I just find that a well organised to do list helps to avoid missing deadlines and important tasks, jobs & appointments.

 

PLAN AHEAD

 This goes without saying really but, sometimes the best laid plans….

However, the more you can plan ahead the better such as bookings, planning outfits, travel arrangements, gifts etc etc certainly make life more organised and run much more smoothly.

 

GETTING EVERYTHING READY THE NIGHT BEFORE

This is something I swear by & I’ve drilled into my kids. By getting everything ready the night before, you avoid last minute panics such as a ladder in your tights, clothes that are not cleaned or ironed or not being able to find the right shoes in time.

This also works for packing bags & making up packed lunches for the next day to avoid any last-minute mishaps or stress!

 

MEAL PREP

If you’re in a position to do so, planning the weeks meals ahead is an excellent way to be completely organised for the family. Batch cooking & freezing meals is a budget friendly way to avoid waste too & you know your family will be eating home cooked meals each night rather than grabbing processed foods.

It just takes a bit of planning at the weekend to buy everything you need for that week’s meals.

 

CLOTHES PREP FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

You can’t always have everything planned but if you know you have a busy week ahead it’s a good to have an idea what you want to wear each day to make sure things are washed & ironed so you’re not rushing at the last minute.

 

DE CLUTTER REGULARLY

We all end up with things we really don’t need and a good de clutter 2 or 3 times a year does wonders for clearing your mind. By taking any unwanted clothes, games, toys etc to local charity shops you’re not only clearing out for yourself, but you’re also helping other people at the same time. Bonus!

 

DEVELOP GOOD HABITS

Drinking water daily, eating healthily, regular exercise, dog walks, getting up & going to bed at a similar time each day, gratitude, a good skincare routine etc – getting into good habits & good daily routines helps your day-to-day life run smoothly and helps to keep you fit & healthy avoiding peaks & troughs in your life.

 

CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION

We can all be guilty of setting ourselves unrealistic goals that you can never achieve on a weekly basis such as a to do list that is as long as your arm. I try to break mine down more realistically as much as I can to prioritise things that need doing immediately on my daily to do list then having a general to do list for things that can be done at a later date when you have a bit more time such as clearing out the loft, garage etc.

The more you can break things down in order of urgency, the less overwhelming it can be.

 

BALANCE & PRIORITIZE APPROPRIATELY

This is always the hardest one, trying to juggle friends, family, exercise, work, self-care, a balanced diet, housework etc etc

We can’t always be everything to everyone

‘You can do anything but not everything’

and trying to stretch ourselves too thinly only causes stress and poor health.

Learning to say no is important here, especially in work situations in my opinion as family time is precious. It’s also wonderful to be a good friend but sometimes, even in social situations you have to say no from time to time. It’s not the end of the world missing one meal out and sometimes a night at home will do you more good. It’s also important to look out for friends, colleagues and even family members who need you there for them but are not there for you when you have a problem or need a favour.

 

DAILY, WEEKLY & MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD HABITS

I like to break down household chores into ones that need doing daily such as making the beds, doing the dishwasher, cooking etc, weekly ones such as changing the bedding & ironing and monthly ones such as cleaning the insides of windows & cleaning out the fridge. It can make it less overwhelming on a daily basis but also ensures everything is done regularly.  

 

KEEPING A CHECK ON YOUR FINANCES

Dull & boring but a complete necessity. This can be once a week or once a month but by keeping track regularly it then doesn’t have to take much time & you know you’re always on top of things.

 

FUN

Sounds obvious but, sometimes we can get so wrapped up & busy with work, making sure the kids are organised, household chores, family matters etc etc we forget about the having any fun ourselves. Life’s too short so never forget to have fun in the process.

 

RELAX

And lastly, don’t feel guilty for indulging in a bubble bath, spending an afternoon reading or having a lie in now & again. We all need a few hours of relaxation now & again to re charge our batteries.