5 Tips to Help Organize Your Life

With aspirational social feeds and blog photos that make everything look perfect, life can look pretty on the outside, but the reality is, life is hard! And adulting is even harder... no one teaches you how to do it, but you're expected to figure it out as you go. On top of adulting, if you have multiple things on the go like I do, things can get a little tricky when your trying to balance it all.

I've thought about this a lot, and even though I'm a pretty busy person, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my life, and all the frustrations and joys that come with it. But it's taken a while for me to develop a routine and a way of managing my time that works with the amount of commitments I have going on at once. Now I'll preface this post by saying I'm no expert, but if you're curious about how I prioritize the things that are important to me, I may have some insight into how you can manage it all (or appear to, anyway)!

1. Lists, lists, lists

Even though I have computer screens and my phone in my face all day long, I still live heavily off of real, written lists. If something is on my mind, I write it down. At the beginning of the week, I write out every single one of my to do's for the week, including:

• Work to do's
• Upcoming blog posts/photos I need to take or edit
• Freelance to do's
• Personal chores and errands
• Meals and grocery lists

Yes it's a lot, but it really helps to declutter my mind and preps me for the week ahead. Bullet journaling is also another list I try to incorporate daily; it's incredible how much writing something down will clear your head.

2. Use a calendar (and colour code it)

Ok, this may not be for everyone, but once something is confirmed or even tentatively scheduled, I put it in my Google calendar immediately, and sometimes I even invite my friends so they don't forget (lol s/o Megan!). I may be a little OCD with my colour coding, but my calendar is always jam packed like a pretty little rainbow, and I love it. I have a colour specific to everything, including fitness classes, blog posts, dinners/events, book club nights, bills, package arrivals, etc. Without my calendar, I'd likely forget it all!

3. Schedule in "you" time, or things that bring you joy

Whether it's reading a book before bed, lighting a candle, doing my nails or taking Dash for a long walk, I always try to fit "me" time in whenever I can, and I block out that time on my calendar. It's so important, especially if you have a stressful life, and tend to say "yes" to almost everything like I do. Someone needs help planning an event? Yes, I can help. Someone needs social media guidance or help decorating? Yes, I'll help with that too. There's something about saying no to people that I have trouble with, but sometimes, it's necessary.

It's safe to say that I'm often burnt out by the end of the week, so Sundays are like a breath of fresh air. They've become a day of picking up the house, meal prepping, and unwinding - super duper necessary.

4. Make time for friends and/or family once a week

I see my family regularly throughout the week, so prioritizing their time isn't an issue for me. As far as my friends go, I've met them through all walks of life, so many of them don't really know/hang out with each other. Because of this, I make time for each of them, so I usually see at least one of them every week. They've become my ultimate stress relievers, because they give me the energy, motivation and confidence I need to keep going. Women supporting women is a powerful thing, and after a dinner or catch-up with my besties, I feel 100000x better than I did before, which is exactly how your friends should make you feel. I have the utmost respect for them, so prioritizing them is a must in my books. Flaky, negative people aren't worth your time!

5. Take a deep breath

When people try to make plans with me the night or week of, I often laugh at the idea (sounds so mean, I know) but the reality is, I plan my days out at least a week in advance, and my calendar makes sure I don't miss a beat. But when everything is said and done, you have to take a deep breath, catch up with yourself, and prioritize conflicting events. There's something to be said about spontenaeity, and because I say yes to so many obligations, I've learned the importance of saying no, too. You can't maximize your full potential if you're too tired or stressed, so some nights, you just need some time to yourself, or time to do something completely out of the norm. There's no point in exercising or working on extra projects if you're too burnt out to begin with.

And with those tips, I'm able to somewhat get everything and more done in my schedule. Ironically, I used to think I was a lazy person outside of my work (and maybe I was), but if you called me lazy now, I'd have a few reasons to argue otherwise ;) Push yourself to your limit, and you'll accomplish more than you ever thought possible. I hope you're able to utilize these tips! And with that said, back to hustlin'.

xo

Linnea