Being overwhelmed with running any business is inevitable.

You will often find yourself needing to regroup and reorganize. But what if you consider a life change that could avoid the hustle of catching up with files that got away from us?

If you’re looking to get everything back in order, keep reading.

Create Lists.

This is the first new habit you should form. Normally, disorganization comes from not having clear direction. You start with one task, then realize another task needs to be done. And so, you find yourself jumping from one task to the other, never really completing anything.

Take a pad and paper to write down your all of your tasks, even writing down subtasks where applicable.

Seeing what needs to be done helps you figure out the time line it can be completed in. It also gives you peace of mind at the end of the day when you’ve crossed out some of these tasks.

Keep a Calendar.

It’s already assumed that without a list, you may tend to forget things. You miss out on appointments because the dates weren’t written down. Now that you have mastered a task list, add deadlines to your calendar. Be intentional with not allowing business and family life to overlap. What can help this is adding family events to your calendar and differentiate “work and play” with color coding.

Schedule Your meals.

To some people, this is not very appealing. How would you know what to eat a week from now? However, this technique is not only good for your time management, it’s also great for your pocket. If you know your meals for the week, you’ll know exactly what to purchase at the market. This influences you to only purchase what is needed and avoids overspending.

Scheduling your meals daily will allow you to choose a dish that fits into your work schedule.

If you work a 9 to 5, you can prep the night before so that everything is ready for you to cook by the time you get home. If you work from home, you can prep a meal between tasks or meetings.

Do it now!

A part of what causes disorganization is lack of filing while you go. If you’re done with a file, immediately file it away. That way, you don’t have to schedule time later on in the week for your filing. If you are working on a document for someone, don’t push it to the side to work on it later. Working from home? Schedule chores between tasks. You’ll be amazed what you will get done when you strategize.

Delegate!

If you can delegate work, DO IT! This may not be something everyone can take advantage of, especially if you specialize in one thing at work that no one else can do but you. However, you can generate a great work/life balance. Share chores at home. Remember, you’re only one person with 24 hours in a day. You can’t do everything!

Spring clean often.

You know exactly what this means. Paper work that is no longer needed, shred them. Items in your home that are no longer used, donate them. Rule of thumb, if it hasn’t been used in the past 6 months, let it go.

Take it easy!

Some clutter may not be organized in one day. You might have to tackle it in small increments, and that’s okay. A good best practice for “paced organization” is to have it as a recurring half an hour task daily. This is a life change, after all. And if you don’t approach it in that way, you’ll continue to find yourself always trying to catch up.