Your Ultimate Guide to Staying Structured and Sane
In today’s society, we are often required to juggle thousands of responsibilities. From our work responsibilities to our home chores and social duties, maintaining sanity can be a challenge at times. Here are 12 tips to get your life back on track by embracing a structured lifestyle.
Create manageable to-do lists
Are you one of those people who never manage to finish a to-do list? Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with you. But there’s surely something wrong with your lists. Here is a rule of thumb to follow. Avoid adding more than two huge tasks and three small ones per day or you’ll easily get overwhelmed.
Schedule more time than needed
We often fail to stick to our to-do list because we don’t schedule enough time for our activities. According to Harward Business Review, you should always plan 1/4 of extra time compared to what you initially thought. For instance, if you think you will need an hour to go to the gym and come back, budget an hour and fifteen minutes for those activities you forgot to take into account, such as finding a parking spot and chit-chatting with your friends.
Routines
Morning routines and night routines are fundamental to start and end your day in the best possible way. But don’t let influencers trick you, these don’t have to be overcomplicated and can take just fifteen minutes.
Use technology in your favor
Nowadays, there are plenty of apps that can help you get your life back on track. For instance, Notion is a marvelous tool to organize your projects and keep track of your goals. Other popular options include Todoist Pro, Clockify, and Google Calendar.
Be realistic with your goals
People frequently fail to follow to stick to new habits because they set unrealistic expectations. For instance, if you want to get into reading, start with one page per day rather than a whole chapter. This will make it easier for you to stay consistent in the long run.
Schedule time off
People often schedule important tasks such as work projects and house chores but forget to do the same with fun activities, such as self-care evenings to recharge and tea breaks in the afternoon. Planning these will make you more likely to take that much-needed time off work while avoiding feeling guilty for doing so.
Declutter
Decluttering is always a great way to simplify your life. Clean your home, and get rid of everything you no longer need to achieve mental clarity. Don’t forget to do the same on your laptop, especially if you use it for work.
Prioritize self-care
This is a must if you want to stay sane and stick to your goals in the long run. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, self-care can help you manage stress, increase your energy levels, and lower your risk of illness. Make a list of tasks that make you happy and add one of these to all your to-do lists.
Break down huge tasks
Big tasks can be intimidating, however, if you think of them as the sum of smaller tasks, they suddenly become more approachable. Whenever you have a huge assignment coming up, break it down into smaller duties to spread throughout your week so that it won’t be too overwhelming.
Trick yourself
If your approaching deadline is on Sunday, make sure to schedule it on Saturday on your agenda. If you have one hour to finish a task, behave as if you had only 45 minutes. This will give you some extra time in case something goes wrong.
Follow your natural inclinations
Some of us are more structured by nature, while others aren’t and that’s ok. Regardless of which type of person you are, make sure to be true to your natural inclinations. If following a schedule is difficult for you, make it as flexible as possible, so that you can stick to it without struggling too much.
Be kind to yourself
Lastly, be kind to yourself. Staying organized is important for living a healthy and balanced life, but unexpected events are often what make life worth living. The key to happiness is finding the right balance between a structured life and healthy spontaneity.
