It was so difficult to return to work today. It’s not that I don’t love my job. Really, I just love staying home more because I have so many hobbies. While I was home these past two weeks, I organized every single drawer and cabinet. I threw away so much stuff that I was embarrassed. For a while, I was a little worried that I might have hoarding tendencies! And, yes, there is a big pile that has already accumulated in the attic for a yard sale in the spring. I feel so much relief now that everything is in it’s place. I just don’t do well with chaos! The difficult part will be staying organized. I’ve noticed that when my life and my house are organized, I am much less stressed. When I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it tends to affect my eating. I think I might have a problem with OCD…So for health purposes, I must organize!
Chore Organization– Last year, I wrote a post about organizing household chores. You can read that post here. Below is the “House of Order” list of chores that can be downloaded. You can edit it to fit your own needs! The best thing about my doing daily chores is that I eliminate a whole day of housework on Saturday. That means more fun time for me on weekends. Who doesn’t need more fun weekend time?!
Monthly Organization– To help me stay organized, I use a planner to document my monthly obligations. Besides using my planner in the mornings to make my daily to-do list, I take it to work so that I can schedule meetings or appointments. There are lots of planners that can be found on Etsy or at an office supply store. I am currently loving my Kate Spade planner although I don’t use it to it’s full potential. Mostly, I just use the pockets and the calendars. I can never resist anything made by Kate Spade! Everything she makes is so cheerful! Although they don’t still make my planner, this one is super cute! In fact, I may purchase this one next because it’s not quite as large.
Daily Organization– I have a lot of things going on in my life this year that require daily attention. Besides my job, I’m taking classes to become a certified holistic health coach. I also like to make sure I include working out, cooking, and my chores in my daily schedule. When I don’t make a list, there are always things that accidentally go undone. Really, without a daily list, I am a train-wreck. Every morning, I get up a few minutes early to create my to-do list for the day. Since a huge list can be overwhelming, I break my chores down into sections. I divide my list into three sections; morning, afternoon, and evening. It makes my to-do list much easier to tackle! On the right, in the note section, I write down groceries, miscellaneous information I might need, as well as my meals for the day . Below is the link to download my to-do list. I’m checking into having them printed in a smaller size to sell on the blog.
Staying organized takes time and patience. It’s something you have to work at everyday! However, there is nothing more satisfying than feeling in control of life. Less stress creates better health.
If possible, don’t forget to schedule in a few minutes to do something nice for yourself! Today, I had a nice snack when I got home from work and enjoyed every moment of quiet time! I even watched the sun set as I finished my chai tea.
What did you do for yourself to create less stress today?
Great sunset photo!
Thanks so much! I love my new camera!