Organize Your Mind First

Every day brings new hope that I will be organized enough to get everything done that I need to during that day but it seems like something always goes wrong and I end up not getting everything, or at times anything, done that I intended. It is easy to let that lack of organization in my mind continue to create stress and even depression as the list of things I am behind on continues to grow.

Getting my mind organized with realistic expectations and goals is the best way to keep that ‘overwhelmed’ feeling from taking over and keeping me from getting anything at all done, creating a vicious circle. Implementing change, repetition and using tips and tricks to organizing your mind first will help organize all aspects of your life.

The word change is easily thrown around when setting goals and trying to get thoughts and tasks organized but not easy to implement into daily life. Starting small and working up will allow any changes to become habits. Pick 30 minutes of each day to implement one change; even if it’s taking a long bubble bath at the end of a hard day. The 30 minute change could be

• Cleaning your desk at work
• Cleaning out your car
• Organizing your closet
• Working on a hobby
• Reading a book

The point is the change doesn’t have to be something negative or dreaded, something that you won’t actually do because it’s difficult or unpleasant. The point of the change is to take one of those tasks that doesn’t fit within what you have organized in your mind for the day and do it. Seeing progress on one of those tasks can make a huge difference in stress and depression levels.

Working on change is made a lot easier when it’s reinforced with repetition of each task that you are trying to organize in your mind and make a permanent part of the day. There are some key things to consider when trying using repetition to make a task something that you just do every day without having to think about it or bargain with yourself to put off for another time. Again, realistic expectations are the key to being successful.

Repetition can be successful if you choose a logical time of day for the task, choose a logical duration of time for the task and choose a realistic outcome for your efforts. At times failure can just be a result of not choosing the right time for the task and making it impossible to complete. If your organize your mind first; being successful at repeating the task day after day will be much easier and help reduce the stress and depression of failure. 

• Start with small steps. Trying to do too much will increase stress levels and feelings of being overwhelmed and sabotage what you have organized in your mind for the day.
• Don’t focus on less desirable tasks. Make sure that part of organizing your mind includes things that are fun or interesting. Everyone should have time for a hobby or game that will help relieve stress.
• Plan ahead. If you want to work on cleaning out the closet, for example; make sure to have a plan for what to do with items you no longer want or need. Piling them up somewhere else will just create another task and more stress. Have boxes, bags and an organization in mind for donating.
• Don’t bargain with yourself to put off the tasks you have organized for the day. Just do them. The 30 minute goal will go by quickly and the positive feelings from following through are worth the effort.
• Don't allow one or two setbacks to discourage you. Each day is a new opportunity to organize your mind and make the changes you are wanting.

If you can get everything organized in your mind first and allow for bumps along the way, making positive changes, lowering stress levels and easing feelings of depression will follow. The most important thing is that when you organize your mind first, you can make positive changes that will be long lasting and continue to grow.