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Associated Press

Being an adult comes with a lot of freedom; but it also comes with more expectations and responsibilities than you get when your parents are in charge. It can also be pretty upsetting when you can’t accomplish what you want to.
For instance, you might want to clean out your closets or write that novel you’ve been putting off. Maybe you try to focus, but you feel overwhelmed by everything else you have going on.
Finding control boils down to one simple strategy: developing the habit of being organised. This means you’ve got to think ahead.
When you can get organised, keep things under control, and live a neat life, you can work faster and think more creatively.
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These tips can help:
●Take a few minutes each day to declutter. Use small bits of time to clean out just one drawer or toss clothes to donate into a cardboard box.
●Get in the habit of buying organisational tools. They’re especially important if you’re in a dorm room and space is at a premium. Don’t buy every basket in the shop, but do pick up containers for storing mail, pens, bills to pay and more. Buy hanging hooks for coats and jackets.
●Group similar tasks. Answer several emails calls back-to-back. Or, clean out the fridge while you’re waiting for your laundry to finish washing. Don’t jump back and forth from room to room or jump from one task to an unrelated one.
●Pay attention to your methods of living and working. Remember that people who are very organised can “see” what needs to be done. They visualise the cupboard all neat and tidy before they remove the clothes to toss and sort. They “see” how they’ll shop efficiently for food by making a list and planning an orderly route up and down the aisles.


These are skills that will serve you well in the future, too. An author we’ll call Paul wanted to write a book for 10 years. But his desk was messy and his habits weren’t conducive to getting things done.
“To get organised, I decided I’d neaten my home office first,” says Paul. “I spent an entire weekend sorting and tossing papers on my desk. Next, I vowed to write every weekend for three hours on Saturday and three hours on Sunday.”
Paul says he was able to complete his book, find a publisher and stay on track all the way. Within 10 months, he’d completed his project.
How to set goals and stay motivated until you’ve achieved them
Paul emphasises that decluttering should be a top priority for every family.
“We’ve thought about buying another house,” says Paul, “but once we declutter, I believe our house will seem twice as big and more livable.”
Getting organised should extend to your activities outside home or work as well. Putting everything in order leaves you a clear calendar to plan for more activities with friends, co-workers, and extended family.
7 adulting skills that will make life so much easier when you leave home
“Once I got my life in better order,” says a guy we’ll call Allen, “the more I could enjoy my friendships.”
Allen says he and four of his friends now schedule time to have dinner and a movie every Sunday afternoon.
“Feeling on top of things enables you to manage time a lot better,” says Allen. “Clutter and feeling disorganised eats up your energy and ability to focus.”
Motivating yourself to get organised should start with the rewards you’ll experience. It’s much easier to form the habit of getting organised, if you can imagine how the changes will make you feel.

This article was curated by Young Post. Better Life is the ultimate resource for enhancing your personal and professional life.



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When you are in control of your life, you can think more creatively and get more done



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