The Five-Step Process to Get Organized in 2023
By Amanda Da Silva, B.Hkin, B.Ed, and M.Ed
5-minute read
For many of us, getting organized is the top resolution for the new year.
Clutter, life admin, and endless to-do lists can get unmanageable quite easily.
It’s hard to believe but we are already two months into 2023. So, if you haven’t already created some new positive behaviours, habits, and workflows that will serve you, now is the best time to start. This means creating a productivity system that suits your personality and needs. By defining the appropriate tools and workflows, you can set up a system to help you better manage daily tasks, goals, and projects.
Disclaimer: the organization blueprint proposed in this guide will help you optimize your productivity. That being said, tools and methods may vary based on your personal preference.
No.1: Capture
Start by capturing everything, from tasks and goals to thoughts and ideas, into one place.
This could be in the form of a document, file, notebook, journal, sticky notes, voice memos, etc. You can choose whichever method you find to be most efficient and easily accessible. Doing this allows you to add everything to your productivity system a lot faster. Don’t give too much thought to what you’re compiling -we will get to categorizing later on. For this initial step, you should solely focus on the “gathering” part. As I always say, well begun is half done.
No.2: Record
Now that you have all of your materials in one place, you can begin making entries into your productivity system.
There’s no need to follow a specific structure yet, write your thoughts down as and when they come to you. This part of the process consists of notetaking, so put everything into key points to make a comprehensive list. The goal is to create a database where you can store all the different tasks and projects that clutter your mind (and workspace).
No.3: Organize
This is the part where you get to translate all of the items on your database into actionable and non-actionable.
Once you do that, you can make different piles to categorize those items.
A suitable productivity method is the Eisenhower Matrix in which you sort tasks based on their urgency and importance. So, if a task is urgent and important, it goes into the “Do” pile (this means tasks with a clear deadline that need to be addressed in a timely fashion).
If a task is not urgent but still important, it goes into the “Schedule” pile (this means tasks that can help you achieve your goals but have no set deadline). On the other hand, if a task is urgent and not important, you should put it in the “Delegate” pile (these are tasks that need to get completed but don’t necessarily require your expertise or input). The remaining tasks that only serve as a distraction and bring no measurable value go into the “Delete” pile -these are not urgent and not important.
No.4: Plan
Once you have clear categories with each task neatly put into the pile it belongs to, you can move on to planning.
Document your goals with the appropriate tasks, actions, and time frame.
This will help you better track and update your progress as you go. Every actionable item in your piles should have a specific purpose and outcome. Writing that down helps you remember the need for that task and what you can achieve by completing it.
You can use a calendar and a to-do list to make sure you’re planning your week more effectively. One approach you can take when doing that is assessing tasks by how much time they require. For instance, if an item takes less than 5 minutes to complete, then do it immediately. On the other hand, if it takes more than that, then add it to your task management tool.
No.5: Manage
Review your productivity system regularly and manage it accordingly.
Make this a daily task to avoid cluttering your system or overloading yourself.
Items in quick capture should be categorized into their respective piles at the end of the day. There you have it- my list of the five-step process to get organized in the 2023 new year. Keep in mind that the point is to build a system that allows you to get things done at the right time. You can take a look at how you’ve done things in the past year and note what areas are in need of improvement.
Wishing you a productive start to the month!
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Hi! I’m Amanda Da Silva.
I’m a mother of two boys, a wife, daughter, teacher, entrepreneur, former CEO, and life-long learner. I’m all about personal growth, community 💕, and being of service. (Find out more about me here.) In addition to being passionate about personal development, I’m an educator and coach with 20-years experience teaching and leading in the BC school system. I have a B.Hkin, B.Ed, and M.Ed, specializing in leadership and administration. Creating community and leading thriving teams are two of my favourite things to do. I also love helping people live empowered and growth-oriented lives.
I hope you’ll join me as we build our success together! 🙌
