The 2007 holiday season is winding down and another year is coming to a close. How was the past year for you? Are you happy with what you accomplished? Do you still have some changes you would like to make? If so, why not take advantage of the last few days of this year to start getting your life in order for 2008. Begin with the following areas.
Start your 2008 calendar:
• Choose one that suits your needs. Most people can use a Month-at-a-Glance with room to write appointments. Using your 2007 calendar, take an hour to fill in on-going dates, i.e. birthdays, anniversaries, family and business appointments, etc. Use a highlighter to color code similar events by category so they will be easy to identify. For instance, all business appointments can be green, birthdays yellow, etc.
Stop “Buying” and start “Simplifying” your life:
• Use up the food in your pantry, wear the clothes in your closet and make do with what you already have for the next few weeks. By keeping things simple, you will avoid gathering clutter in all areas of your life.
• Clutter has a way of weighing you down physically, mentally and emotionally. Clear your clutter and you will clear your world for what is really important.
Tackle your filing cabinet/paper storage:
• Weed out papers that are out-dated or no longer useful from each file folder. Take 20 minutes per day for the rest of the year and create some extra space and don’t forget to shred.
Clean out your email inbox:
• If you have emails dating from early or prior to 2007, take a serious look at them and delete or archive all those you don’t immediately need. For those active files that remain, either take immediate action or place them in file folders by category.
Identify your 2008 goals:
• List your top 10 goals in priority order, top to bottom. Write down a start date and estimated completion date for your top three goals. Carefully plan out the steps needed to accomplish each goal. Don’t start on any other goals until the top three are achieved, then move to the next set. This will help you focus on the most important things in your life.
With the New Year approaching this is a good time to stop and assess your life and to think about your personal mission statement. There is no time like the present to begin living the life you really want.
Questions for “The Mess Doctor” or if you need professional assistance to get organized contact Barbara Ricketts at MessDoctor@Mac.com or call 661-263-0124.