How to Get Organized Without Being Organized
Managing your life and your growing business is always a challenge for aspiring digital entrepreneurs. Many of us believe because we are online, we need less time and paperwork to run our business. And though that may be true to some degree, the reality is that we still need to be organized to keep track of our business. However, nobody wants to be organized to the point where they spend more time being organized and less time being flexible in running their online business.
Why You Should Be Organized
We all know our businesses should be organized, but the benefits of being organized go beyond your online business. MB HAVEN is about building the digital lifestyle and as such, your organization skills should benefit you in both your personal and professional aspects of your life.
Here are 7 key reasons why you should be organized;
Timeliness, Efficiency, and Productivity
Organization streamlines tasks and processes, reducing wasted time and effort. When everything has its place and systems are in order, you can complete tasks more efficiently and effectively. This increased productivity allows you to accomplish more in less time.
Reduce Stress and Better Health
Disorder can make both your environment and your mind cluttered leading to stress and anxiety. An organized space and life can create a sense of calm and control while assisting with better sleeping and eating habits. When you know where things are and have a plan for your tasks, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed and have better physical and mental health.
Improved Focus, Concentration, and Decision Making
With minimized distractions, you can better concentrate on priority tasks and complete complex assignments. A clutter-free and organized space can promote the creativity needed to generate new ideas and solutions. It also improves your decision-making and problem-solving skills. In turn, this leads to improved productivity and a better work-life balance.
Professional Growth and Professional Development
Being organized often involves self-discipline and developing good habits. These qualities contribute to personal growth and self-improvement. In professional settings, being organized reflects positively on your work ethic and professionalism. Colleagues, clients, and superiors are more likely to view you as reliable and capable.
Financial Management
Did you know that budgeting is the financial equivalent of being organized? In fact, aside from your time, your money should be the next thing you focus on getting organized. Organized financial planning and budgeting help you stay on top of your expenses, avoid unnecessary costs, and save money for future goals.
Improved Relationships
Being organized can positively impact relationships with others. For example, showing up on time and being prepared for meetings or appointments demonstrates respect for other people’s time. Being organized also showcases your expertise and capabilities to a higher extent.
Achieve Your Goals and Long-Term Success
Organized individuals are better at setting and achieving goals. They can break down larger tasks into manageable steps and track progress effectively. Long-term success in life or in a profession is often linked to organization.
“The difference between a mob and a trained army is organization.”
- Anonymous
Overall, being organized is a valuable skill that can improve various aspects of your life, from daily routines to achieving long-term goals. It allows you to make the most of your time, reduce stress, and create a positive and efficient environment for yourself and those around you. Keep in mind that you don’t want to be too overly focused on being organized and end up procrastinating on actual tasks.
How to Get Organized Without Being Organized
Whenever I see people with Post-it notes everywhere I inwardly cringe at that messy disorder that is supposed to help them be organized. First off, this is not a good way to be organized, but it's a great way to get stressed and look unprofessional. You can still use post it notes to be organized but the how and why needs to be changed for you to be organized without being that type of organized.
Set SMART Goals
Separate your goals into short and long-term goals. Create SMART goals that are easier to achieve and produce measurable results. Then break down your goals into actionable steps.
Declutter Your Mind and Space
Decluttering your mind is just as or maybe even more important than decluttering your space. Your mind leads, so ensure your leader isn’t carrying around unnecessary baggage and trauma. Incidentally, a decluttered space also aids in decluttering your mind.
Organized To-Do Lists By Priority
One thing I see people doing is making to-do lists with a bunch of mundane tasks that won’t benefit their personal or professional growth. When you create a to-do list be sure to prioritize tasks that are vital to immediate projects or will improve your professional or personal growth. No more to-do lists of repetitive tasks that should be part of your daily habits anyway.
Practice Time Management with Self Care
One thing people believe about time management is that it is about blocking your day into productive blocks and though it can be done this way, it's best to leave room for mental days and emergencies. Time management is best used to create space for an important task or event. Outside of that, keep your day as flexible as possible to reduce stress and allow yourself room for creativity and spontaneity.
Build Healthy Productive Habits
Routines are great but don’t get bogged down by them. Instead, create healthy and productive habits that can be integrated seamlessly into your life. Self-care, regular exercise, social participation, and reading are great habits that can benefit both your personal and professional growth.
Utilize Digital Tools
Being organized ensures your digital lifestyle is done right and one way to stay organized online is with digital tools. Digital calendars, post-it notes, and notebooks are a great way to stay organized online while saving the environment. Digital tools can help you plan, manage and automate your online business.
Automate and Delegate
The best way to save time is to automate and delegate. Outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant or hiring for complex tasks can save you hours of time each week. Automation tools make scheduling, creating, and managing your business easier.
Write it Down
Just because everything is digital that doesn’t mean that taking pen to paper is now obsolete. Writing things down is great for improving your memory and hand-to-eye coordination. And if you are like me who loves journals and planners then writing things down can also be a pleasurable pastime.
Learn more about business growth and organization at MB HAVEN.
Being organized is a leadership skill that is highly requested by employers. Part of being organized is developing time management, project management, and people skills to achieve your tasks as efficiently as possible. Getting organized is easy, staying organized is how smart digital entrepreneurs find success.
Staying Organized As You Grow Your Online Business
Now comes the tricky part of being organized.
It’s easy to get organized at the start of your digital lifestyle but as you and your business grow, staying organized becomes more of a challenge. As a solo entrepreneur and as a parent who is working online, you’ll need to be able to stay organized as different aspects of your life overlap. Sadly, many of us fall off the organizational train as issues prop up in our lives or as our business grows.
The best way to stay organized and keep your digital lifestyle running smoothly is to not be as organized. As the saying goes; “the branch that doesn’t bend, breaks.” So, If you don’t leave room to adjust for growth, you are going to have a hard time adapting to evolving changes in your business and personal life.
Consistency and self-control help you stay diligent and dedicated to your goals. Consistency also helps with building habits and routines that help you stay on track. Being consistent is also beneficial to your mental health, time management, and developing a strong foundation where your business can safely grow.
Being adaptable to change is vital to your success as a digital entrepreneur and part of being adaptable must be a willingness to learn and accept criticism. This is how you grow personally and professionally. Fighting change and trying to argue with commenters will only take up unnecessary time and energy better spent on actually working on your business.
Stay organized as you grow your business by being consistent, staying adaptable, and subscribing to MB HAVEN.
