None of this brings me joy…
You probably thought when I led with that that I was going to go off on a rant again! Nope, it was a reference to the uber-fashionable Marie Kondo style of de-cluttering and extreme life laundry-ing that starts with questions like ‘does it bring me joy’. I’ve seen amusing memes out of this that say that in response people have thrown out their kids/husbands/bills…
I have nothing against de-cluttering, a lot of us are very guilty of hoarding junk that really we don’t need (with me it’s notebooks, just in case I need to refer to my notes from a telephone conversation back in 2017, which I never have). However, it can be taken to the extreme so it’s important to temper our urge to clear out with common sense.
Stuff holds memories for a lot of people and if you live with a partner they might have far more sentimental attachment to objects than you do – in which case the mass clear-out should be a joint task.
These are my top tips for de-cluttering your workspace/life or as I’m going to call it joy-organising:
Use a single calendar – not written and electronic version as that can cause confusion, especially if you forget to copy anything across.
Don’t write long to do lists, write summaries of what needs to be done – yes there might be 10 tasks behind the heading but you know what needs covering and it will stop the list looking over the top.
Change the way you schedule to include small tasks (yes I know that’s adding something in). If a task or project requires action beforehand (like picking up biscuits and coffee for the staff meeting), make sure that you schedule those into your day, too. Missing small jobs can have big knock-on effects on everything else and add to your feeling of disorganisation.
Don't just restrict your organised approach to your work because a chaotic home life will bring its own problems. Plan your whole day carefully and talk to the people you live with, so that they know how they can help.
Put a high value on your time. Whether you're prioritising your professional tasks for the week, or mapping out your family commitments, think about how to make every second count. And if there are tasks that won’t add value to your day, chuck them!
Celebrate small wins. For example, if you complete three things on your To-Do List, treat yourself to a cup of coffee, or allow yourself 10 minutes of free time to check some of your favourite websites.
Aim for a balanced approach, where your organisational strategies are useful and manageable, for yourself and others.