How to Stay Organized When the Going Gets Tough

November 12, 2022by Deb Smithin Organization

How to Stay Organized When the Going Gets Tough

You usually are organized with plans and schedules, but sometimes life happens. Things occur that weren’t expected, and suddenly your well-planned life seems to crumble around you into chaos. There are things you can do to prevent that from happening. Ironically, it does mean that you must have been organized enough to plan for these eventualities!

So what can you do when things aren’t going as planned so you can stay in control and on top of everything?

Take Care of You

Providing that you take care of your mental, physical and emotional health by exercising regularly, eating healthily, and practicing meditation or mindfulness. You will feel more able to cope when things don’t go to plan or life spirals out of control. Don’t forget to get enough sleep.

No matter how organized and well-planned you are, there will be times when life gets busy, and you start to worry that you won’t get everything done. Following these tips will help you to stay organized and in control.

Get Up Early

While getting up early may seem pointless, it can provide a focused way to start your day, especially if you create a miracle morning routine that includes power habits such as exercise, meditation or visualizations, planning, and a healthy breakfast.

You can start your day feeling both energized and organized by getting up earlier by completing essential tasks to ensure that you and your family are ready for the day ahead.

Be Prepared

Being prepared is the key to everything. By planning, you will know what to do when you’re snowed under with work, and the kids have after-school activities every day.

Get as much ready as possible for the next day before bed. That includes clothes, work, school bags, your to-do list, and, if possible, breakfast and lunch.

Plan for the week ahead on a Sunday, so you know the schedule and have a meal plan in place.

Plan Your Meals

Meal planning may sound boring, but it will save you time, stress, and money. Planning meals and doing as much prep work as possible will make you less likely to head for the take-out menu.

Keep a selection of pre-prepared meals in your freezer. Freezer cooking doesn’t have to be a chore, as plenty of make-it-ahead dishes can be frozen and ready to cook in a slow cooker.

Turn off Technology

If you’ve got an impossible list of things to do, don’t let yourself be distracted by the television, internet, FaceBook, email, or another messaging service.

Once you’ve completed everything that needs to be done, you can go back to chatting with friends via Skype or watching your favorite tv show.

Prioritize

Don’t run ragged trying to be a superhero and get it all done. Instead, look at your to-do list and prioritize each item. Cross off or move to another day, anything that isn’t essential. Check off anything that you’ve already completed. Delegate whatever tasks you can. Only do the things that need to be done, and you’ll feel more in control.

Remember: if it’s not essential, then ignore it.

De-Clutter

Clutter is easy to create. Don’t let it become a problem. Instead, take a few minutes each day to put things away and throw away junk. Put the dishes into the dishwasher immediately instead of leaving them on the counter. Deal with the mail directly instead of going it piling up on the side.

About the author

Deb Smith
Deb Smith
I’m Deb, a digital trailblazer helping boomers and digital nomads turn decades of life experience into simple, profitable online income all while chasing sunshine and living life on our terms. After leading projects at AT&T and raising six incredible kids (including one on the autism spectrum), I swapped corporate chaos for the open road and built a business that fits around my life, not the other way around.

About me

Hi, I’m Deb

— a former project manager, a wife and mom, and a firm believer that life after 50 can be the best chapter yet.

In 2017, after a corporate layoff and years of burnout, I went looking for a way to earn a living without punching a clock. I wanted freedom, flexibility and more time with my family, especially our son, who's on the autism spectrum and needed more of me than a 9-to-5 could give.

After some trial and error (and a steep learning curve!), I found a simple system that finally worked. It gave my husband, our son and me the freedom to spend years living on the road in our RV, following the warm weather. All along, our dream was to someday trade Wisconsin winters for a home in Texas. Now, after all those miles, we're finally making that move.

That's why I started Simple But Profitable: to show fellow boomers and seniors how to build the same kind of simple, flexible income, so you can tell your boss you're done, book that flight to see the grandkids or finally have some breathing room in your budget.

I'm not a guru on a stage. I'm a friend who found something that worked and wants to share it. You don't have to be a computer whiz, and you won't be doing this alone. You already have more wisdom and life experience than you realize, so let's put it to work.

Pop your name and email in the box below, and I'll send you each new post. 💛

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