We've all been there, the new year roles around and you're flooded with posts, articles and videos on goal setting and resolutions. The new year can feel like a new start, that fresh, clean slate feeling full of possibility and change... aaaaaand then you're hit with a year like 2021, a year following 2020. How on earth do you follow THAT?! When life feels put on hold it can be hard to know how to plan or feel organised.
It's no secret to anyone, I love feeling organised, it's no accident that I ran a stationery brand for nearly 6 years. However, for me, it's not just about pretty notebooks and wall planners, it makes me feel calm, it eases my anxiety and helps me feel in control. So if you're anything like me and feeling at a lose end when it comes to having no structure or you just want to start the new year feeling on top of things, here are a couple of things you could try.
*Please note, if getting out of bed and getting through the day is enough for you right now, please, please, do not feel pressure to do any of the below. You do what you need to do. Everyone needs to be focusing on what they need do to get through this time*
Focus on what you can control.
As an anxiety sufferer, I am the first to know how hard I know this can be. BUT, when it comes to feeling organised mid pandemic, you can feel a lot better by focusing on what you can control and plan. Be that a meal plan for the week, regular catch up with friends or a dedicated time to journal each night before bed. Having some kind of structure, routine or schedule can be a very calming thing, focus on the things you can add to your routine.
List happy, good things you can do easily.
Part of what makes this January feel different to others, is not having things, for certain, to look forward to, with everything so up in the air. One thing I've found really useful is writing down a whole heap of things I can do, from home, to look forward. For me it's things like a home-made facial, an evening of pottery and learning a dance from a music video. A long list of things to look forward to.
All the gear.
You don't need to kit yourself out with a shiny new notepad, desk planner or diary but boy can it do a world of good. A bit like how buying comfortable, nice new trainers or workout clothes can motivate you to go on a run or do some yoga, the same goes for getting organised. When you get to open a shiny new notebook, it can set you up to
Focus on mini tasks.
From cleaning out your wardrobe, planning out a financial budget or filing all the paperwork you've been collecting for months, focusing on tasks which you are super satisfying to complete are a great way to feel more in control and organised. By putting smaller areas of your life in order, it can help make everything else feel a lot better too.
Bite the year off in smaller chunks.
Last year proved to us all that there's no way of knowing what's coming (something I hate to admit), I'm sure this time last year nobody thought we'd all be where we are now. Looking forward feels like an impossibility, how on earth can we plan in advance?! Instead of looking at the year as a whole, possible holidays, weddings or celebrations, bite the year off in manageable chunks. Look ahead to March and see what you can achieve or plan for then.
So there we have it, a handful of things you can do over the coming weeks, and beyond, to feel more organised (& in my case, calm). Above all, be kind to yourself, ease that pressure off and manage things in bitesize chunks. You've got this.