It’s that time of year where we all think about getting organized and planning ahead. We reflect on how we did this year and hope that we can do even better next year. We set goals and make big plans for our future but the one thing we all have to do before those things can come to pass, is get organized. There are people who are always organized in everything they do and if that’s you, you may not need this blog. If that isn’t you however, and you need a little inspiration on how to get organized this year, we have just a few tips on how to make it happen.

Think Ahead

This is where we start. As much as you possibly can, think ahead to the big moments in your life and business. What are your summer’s usually like? Is Spring usually the busiest time of the year for you? What goals are you trying to accomplish and how can you create steps to get there? How long will those steps take? These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself when you start to get organized. If you’re trying to organize your processes, files, or other aspects of your life – this step still applies. Think about what files or aspects need to be organized first or the most and start there. If you know you have trips planned or busy periods of your life, think about what you can do now in order to make those moments easier for you.

Plan Time To Plan

I know. This sounds crazy but it’s also something we don’t often think about when it comes to planning. Planning takes time but we often neglect to set aside the time to plan. What you’re planning will determine how much time you need in order to plan it. If you’re able, calculate how much time you may need to get organized and set time on a calendar to do so. If you’re planning your entire year’s sale calendar, you may need as much as a weekend away. If you’re only planning first quarter goals, you may only need a few hours. Either way, set aside some time to plan so that you don’t feel overwhelmed trying to squeeze it into your normal routine.

Take Your Time

Organization can be a huge task depending on what you’re working with. You may not be able to get it all done in a short amount of time as I mentioned earlier, and you may have to to break it apart and take your time on it. Setting goals ahead of time can help you ease through an organization session but you may literally have to tackle just one thing at a time. Focus on the most dire task first and don’t rush yourself through. It could take anywhere from hours to months to truly get yourself organized but the important thing is that it gets done!