10 Tips to an Organized Mind

By organizing your mind, you get rid of clutter that fills the brain, which causes stress and anxiety. We all have enough things in our lives that are uncontrollable that can create problems, so why not organize the things that we can control, giving us a true feeling of accomplishment and stress free living.

These 10 tips will help you to keep your mind on-track and help you organize your life:

1. Make a note.
Always carry a pocket size notebook in your purse or pocket and when you remember something that needs to be done, the very best thing to do is write it down. Check your notes daily to help make your next ‘list of things to do.’

2. Keep it all in one place and create a workspace.
Always have a workspace or work center in your home. This is the heart of your work area, where you keep your notes, bills, calendar etc.

3. Keep your body healthy.
Eat healthy; get plenty of rest and lots of good exercise. This will see you through to having a good memory, staying focused and being alert. A body that is healthy, works well, is more active, concentrates better and functions on a higher level.

4. Record those ‘instant’ thoughts.
Mini pocket recorders are available that attach to your key chain for those fast little thoughts that run through your mind and need to be written down. Unfortunately when driving a car, working on an important document or running after kids it is not easy to stop and write a note. HOWEVER, it is easy to record your thoughts on a mini recorder and play them back later.

5. Leave a message for yourself.
Call your answering machine and leave a message for yourself. It could be things you need to take care of in your home; you may need to make an appointment, to schedule a play date for your child, clean out the gutters, or something you need to add to the grocery list. By leaving a message, it will eliminate it from your mind and you will have a note in place to remind you of it later.

6. Trust yourself.
Know that the note you have left is important and not to be ignored. Do not overlook a note or message that you have left for yourself thinking that it can be done later. It was important enough to jot it down, now do it!

7. Email reminders.
If your job is computer related or you have access to one, you can send yourself an Email or subscribe to an email, calendar or reminder service. Most of these are already ‘free of charge’ on your own computers.

8. Use Post-it sticky notes.
The bright, neon colors will be great to catch your eye. Need to make an urgent call first thing in the morning? Leave a Post-It Note on your telephone. Need to remind the kids to brush better, leave a note on the bathroom mirror, or keep all of your notes at your work center for fast reference.

9. Use timers for instant reminders.
Set your timer to beep a few minutes before you leave for work to start your air conditioner in the car. Set your timer for a break in your work schedule, to remind you that you need to make that important phone call or that you have ‘x’ number of minutes left for a particular goal to be accomplished.

10. A picture is worth a thousand words.
You may need to remind yourself what your goal is so you do not get off task. If it is organizing a closet, hang a picture of an organized closet on your closet door. If it is getting a document ready for a client, have a picture of someone smiling holding a paper. If it is making a shelf, have a picture of the finished product hanging up to remind you that all of the work is worth the effort.

Gentle reminders help you to take the stress out of your mind and remember specific information. You will feel relieved to know that you have a back-up plan and can retrieve information from various places, leaving your mind open to enjoy life!