With the dawn of a new year comes a lot of new resolutions.  We are always thinking up ways to keep ourselves on track and to make sure that we are accomplishing everything that we set out for ourselves.  Here are some tips that we’ve used over the years that you might find useful:

1. Start writing things down

This might not seem like the most novel idea, but creating a checklist is the easiest and best step you can take towards getting yourself organized.  It can be hard to remember all of the different tasks you’ve set out for yourself, so making a checklist is a helpful way to keep all of your ideas organized…and boy, doesn’t it feel great to cross something off once it’s done?

2. Make sure your ideas are SMART

Before writing anything down on your checklist, take a minute to really consider what you are trying to achieve.  The method we use at the office is the S.M.A.R.T. system.  Whenever we’re creating a new resource or adding a new feature, we make sure that our goals are

Specific (Ex: Do well in Math – Get 80% in Math),

Manageable (Ex: Get Healthy – Exercise 30 minutes a day),

Attainable (Ex: Bank $50,000 a month – Bank 10% of what I earn this year),

Relevant (Ex: Become a rock star – Learn to play the guitar),

Time-bound (Ex: Finish my Halloween costume – Finish my Halloween costume by October 15^th).

3. Time Management

People today like to multitask more than ever before, but if you’re planning to become more organized this year, it would really benefit you to set aside a certain amount of time per day for each task you’d like to accomplish.  Whether it’s doing your homework, or answering emails, you’ll do a better job if you are focused on one task.  It’s also a great way to make sure you are checking everything off of your list (fun!).

4. Hold yourself accountable

At the end of the day, you should be your biggest critic.  If you aren’t accomplishing what you set out to do, you will feel bad for letting yourself down.  You owe it to yourself to do your best, and anything less should disappoint you.

5. Don’t stress out!

Your goal here is to get organized, not change your whole life.  Try and keep your list as short as possible because you don’t want to put too much onto your plate at once.  It’s also important to make sure you leave room for plenty of breaks in your schedule.  They will help you stay relaxed, and keep you more productive when you are getting down to work.

Have a better way of getting organized?  Let us know in the comments section!

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