Mission: Simplification

Many people make their lives more complicated then they have to be. The more you simplify your life, the less time you have to invest getting and staying organized. Here are five simple ideas.

1) Part with some possessions. I have a personal rule to only have things in my home that I use regularly and/or truly enjoy having. I always keep possessions that have special meaning or great purpose to me. Everything else, however, is considered fair game for the donation box, a rummage sale or the trash can. Because of this rule, I never have clutter in my home. Simplify your life by parting with anything you currently have that doesn't meet the 'I use it and/or I enjoy it' standard.

2) Unpack your schedule. There's no way I'd want to be running from one place to the next all day long. I like my life to be full and balanced, but not hectic. Therefore, I'm also sure to keep my schedule as simple and uncrowded as possible. If I have to take my daughter to music class on Monday mornings, I never schedule anything directly before or directly after the class. This way, we have plenty of time to get to the class without rushing, and ample time to get home and have lunch before taking on the next item in line. If your schedule is so full you don't even have time to breathe, it's definitely in need of some simplification.

3) Get someone to lend a hand. Can you get your son to do a load of laundry each week? Can your daughter handle the grocery shopping on the way home from high school? Can your spouse, partner or live-in relative help get dinner started before you arrive home from work? How about paying someone to clean your house or mow the lawn? Can a volunteer high school student assist you twice a month with getting your papers filed away or your bills paid? Part of simplifying your life means delegating some of the responsibilities you're currently doing to someone else. It's difficult to simplify if you're the only person doing everything there is to do.

4) Simplify your processes. Everyone has processes, such as the process you use to do your laundry, your process for answering the telephone or your process for sorting through the mail. Some processes are efficient, while others waste an immense amount of time. For instance, I used to know someone who would leave her clothes in the dryer for hours after the cycle finished. The clothes would be so wrinkled as she removed them, that she had to spend hours ironing each week. Another person answered her phone every time it rang and would get caught in long conversations at the most inopportune times. An answering machine would have solved this problem--the machine would pick up throughout the day and then this person would return calls at her convenience if she wished. Simplifying and streamlining your processes will help you get more done with less work.

5) Give yourself a Time Out. So often, people forget to schedule time for themselves to do relaxing activities that actually get them to unwind, such as meditating, soaking in the tub or reading a book. A balanced, simplified schedule always includes this quiet time that everyone requires for a balanced, content, happy life.

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak and E-zine, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site.