Written by: Myrto Mangrioti, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Are you at a point in your life where you've realised how much you're in need of decluttering? You find yourself constantly thinking of messy, broken or incomplete stuff around you. You know it's distracting, and it's time to do something about it. Feeling overwhelmed? Guilty for procrastinating?
There's a chance you're postponing getting the job done because it feels like too much work, and you have no idea where to begin. This creates more stress, overwhelm, irritation and maybe self-doubt.
But when there's a will, there's a way. Here's how you can make it happen. All you need is a system… plus time and some consistency!
Step 1: Write everything down
Look into every area of your life and think of anything that is bothering you, needs fixing, decluttering, etc. What do you need to repair, file, rearrange, sell, give, donate or throw away?
Here's a list to help you get going:
Home: All rooms, closets, kitchen (refrigerator, expired food, utensils), attic, garage, storage room, home office
Car: repairs, cleaning
Finances: tax records, bills, filing
Computer: emails, filing system, cancelling subscriptions, backup
Relationships: toxic, to repair
Social: Social Media. Anything that no longer serves you. Use the rule: "Unfollow-Unfriend-Delete".
Go through the list and write everything down. No matter how big or small or difficult the thing is, write it down. And don't worry if the list is big! You'll get to it with the next steps. Just having everything on paper will create space in your mind.
Step 2: Go through the list and rate them
1: Easy - 2: Harder - 3: Very Hard
Easy: are things that can be done in under 15 minutes - like changing a light bulb or calling the plumber
Harder: are things that need time to be done - like decluttering your closets or your home office
Very Hard: are things that you'd rather not do but know you should - like creating a monthly budget or organising your emails
This will create 3 separate lists.
Step 3: Delegate
Go through the lists and decide what you're doing yourself and what you can delegate. Remember, it's ok to ask for help. It could be someone who's an expert for the job (like an electrician), someone who'll enjoy doing the task more than you, or just someone who loves you and wants to help!
Write the person's name next to the To-Do List item and by when you will call/ask them.
For the remaining ones:
Step 4: Do the easy ones first
In your calendar, put all the easy items of your list in specific time slots. Don't put more than you can handle. Spread them over time.
Doing these first will give you momentum and the satisfaction of crossing things off your list!
Step 5: The harder ones
Figure out a plan on how you're gonna tackle each one. Maybe it's a repeat step daily for 15 minutes over a period of time. Or it could be a sequence of steps.
Write down your why: Why do you want this thing done? Why do you need it "fixed"? This will help you stay on track when you feel like not doing it.
Prioritise and put them again, on your calendar:
starting date
how long you're gonna spend on it every time
by when you want to have finished
Spread them over time, and make sure to give yourself enough time to complete them. Start with the most important one.
Think of this process as setting goals and creating an action plan to achieve them.
Here’s an idea: If you think the process I’m describing is too hard, too tedious or too time-consuming to do, maybe put it in this list and START with it FIRST! So that your first To-Do item will be to create this plan!
Step 6: The very hard ones
You want to do step five for these ones too, but also maybe add the following:
Think of ways to make it more fun
Think outside the box. Is there another way to do it?
Plan to reward yourself when you complete it. Buy a specific gift for yourself or treat yourself.
Step 7: Forget about them
If you did the previous steps, you now have a calendar or a To-Do list filled with dates and specific times in the future, of all the messes and incompletes in your life. Congratulations! This means you can now forget about them until it's time for you to tackle them, according to what you have written down in your calendar.
And that's how it's done!
Getting all messes and incompletes done creates space and time in your life, to work on your goals and what really matters to you. It creates peace of mind and boosts self-confidence. Most importantly, every "done" tick on your To-Do list creates a sense of accomplishment, relief and freedom. Can you relate?
That's why I'm such a huge fan of checklists! I've even created a FREE "Fun To-Do List Templates" pdf you can use to put everything down on paper, plan and organise in a playful way.
Get started today.
Myrto Mangrioti, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Myrto Mangrioti believes life is a learning playground that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Struggling with her "good girl" attitude all her life, she found peace by embracing it. That’s when she founded Loving Living to pursue her passion for helping people awaken to their true selves, enjoying their lives to the fullest by living in the present moment. Myrto is a certified Deep Coach, a Canfield Success Principles & Methodology Certified Trainer, and a No.1 International Best-Selling Amazon Author. Early morning, you can find her at the beach. She's vegan and loves nature. Meditation, yoga, music and cooking inspire and ground her. She lives by one word: EMBRACE… yourself, your life, the present moment.
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