Does your life feel like it’s all over the place? Nothing is organised, you have no idea of what your goals are and whether or not you’ll be able to achieve them. Your life lately probably has you feeling like you were hit by a bus maybe. I know, because I have been there. And we all get there from time to time.
And that’s because we’re human and things don’t always go according to our plans. And that’s just life. Sometimes everything goes on smoothly and some days have you feeling like a train wreck. And whether you’re obsessive about being in control or not, I like to believe that everyone likes to have some kind of order in their lives. Even people who are pros at going with the flow. That makes sense only when the “flow” is in the right direction.
The feeling of not being in control of where your life is headed can be quite scary and overwhelming to be honest. It was one of the main reasons I had anxiety a few years back. I am usually a very organised person and not having things in order makes me anxious.
But now I know what I need to do in order to feel like I have it all under control. And if you’ve been wanting to take back the control of your life, then in this post, I am sharing 19 productive things to do to get your life in order.
I originally came up with this post as things to do at the end of the year to get your life in order, But I realise that it doesn’t necessarily have to be an end of the year thing. You can do a little LIFE RESET whenever things get too un-organised and overwhelming.
Here are 19 Productive things to do when you are feeling demotivated. These things will help you get your sh*t together and start again on a fresh positive note.
19 Productive things to do to get your SH*T together:
#1: Deep clean:
Having a clean house sets the perfect mood for being productive. And even if you don’t “like” cleaning, you will still be glad you got it done. So give the house a good deep clean that it so desperately needs. I have a whole routine for cleaning the house and usually do a deep clean once a month. But this is also great whenever you feel like your house is in shambles.
Make sure to play your favourite tunes and have a little dance party while you are at it. Great tunes definitely help the process go by faster.
#2: Set goals:
Setting goals is the first step to having an organised life. When you set goals, you allow yourself to decide where you want your life to go. Goal setting is probably one of the most powerful tools when it comes to changing your life.
Setting goals allows you to plan your days better and helps you achieve your goals as well. You can set goals for various areas of your life like:
- Financial Goals
- Health and fitness Goals
- Career Goals
- Education Goals
- Personal Goals
and so on.. But setting goals is not enough. You won’t actually be able to achieve those goals if you’re not SMART about setting them and working towards them on the daily.
Here is how to set SMART Goals for the new year.
#3: Get organised:
There is no better feeling than having your life organised. It makes you feel like you have things under control(even though you sometimes don’t). Getting organised has a lot to do with how you write your goals, your to-do lists etc. But it has also a lot to do with decluttering and having a clean home.
One of my fav ways to get organised is meal prepping. Seems like such a small thing, but it makes so much of a difference. Getting organised can also help you be more productive throughout your day and it will help you get back on track if you steer from it.
Here are 45 small ways to help you be more organised.
#4: Make a recipe book of healthy meal Ideas:
Go on Pinterest, look for healthy meal ideas that aren’t too complex or time consuming to make. Make sure you print out the recipes that you like and keep them in a binder. Seems like such an easy thing to do, but it will save you so much time and energy later on, when you are looking for meal ideas.
I mean, we’ve all been in situations where we go on Pinterest to look for a recipe and then spend hours and hours looking through recipes. I find it much easier to do so once every few months, instead of every other day. And I try out the recipes and keep the ones that we like.
#5: Set up your Bullet journal:
Setting my bullet journal always motivates me and helps me be more organised. It is such a simple and therapeutic thing to do as well. I take one evening for myself, with a cup of hot chocolate (or wine) and set up my Bujo. Even though people make yearly, monthly and weekly spreads, you can do it any time of the year, to get your life in order.
And for those of you who think bullet journalling takes a lot fo times, it doesn’t have to be. Try these super simple and minimal BuJo layouts.
Related: A guide to bullet journalling for beginners
Also check out, How I use my BUJO as a productivity tool.
#6: Create Routines:
Having a solid morning and night routine is something that helps me be more productive and stay sane at the same time. I absolutely swear by my morning and night routines. I wake up at 5 AM everyday fro my morning routine and it has literally changed my life.
You don’t need to wake up at 5 AM or follow my exact same routine, but the idea is to have a routine (that works for you) in place. Routines allow you to build habits easily and be more consistent too. So if you don’t have a routine already, it is the perfect time to create a routine. Here are some healthy habits that you can include in your morning routine.
If you’re not a morning person but want to start waking up early, then I highly recommend you read this post on how to become a morning person.
#7: Plan out content for a few months:
Thinking of new content ideas is something that takes a lot of time and planning as well. You have to be thinking about valentine’s content in January at least. I take out some time in December to plan at least 3 months of blog content. This is something that I started doing last year, but it has been such a life changer.
You can do the same for Instagram and youtube as well.
So if you feel like you’re lagging behind on your blog or other content creation platforms and you want to be more consistent with it, you need to try out a content planning calendar that will help you be more organised.
Related: How to find Blog ideas
#8: Create a Budget:
The most important step for you to achieve your financial goals and to take control of your financial situation, is to create a Budget. Having a budget in place will help you be more in control of your financials and help you save more.
If you struggle with budget categories and have no idea how to budget, here are 6 super simple categories you need for a budget.
#9: Make a vision Board:
Again one of my favourite things to do, to get my life in order. Make a vision board for what you want your life to look like. It is something that is super fun to make and if you are really intentional about what you put on there, it is a great tool as well.
A lot of people make vision boards at the start of the year. it is a great tool for manifesting the kind of life and year you want. But honestly, you could make a vision board at any time of the year and whenever you feel like your life needs redirection and a big change.
I make vision boards whenever I am feeling a little lost and not in touch with my purpose. Having a vision board in front of you is a great reminder of the things you’re working towards.
#10: Batch create content:
There are some things that I can do even when I am feeling demotivated. Things that don’t require a lot of my creative juices you know. One of them is creating pins. Because by now, I have a lot of templates I like switching between. So I batch create pins for my blogposts. And I think it is such a productive thing to do as well.
However, if you do not make a lot of pins, you can batch create some other content for social media platforms that you’re active on.
#11: Declutter Your home:
Decluttering your home is something that doesn’t require a lot of thinking and something that you can get started even if you don’t feel like it. Just start with one cabinet. That’s what I always tell my friends when they say “they don’t like decluttering”
You see, it starts with a cabinet or one drawer, but when you see how much of a difference it makes, you’ll want to keep going. Decluttering is such a simple way to practise intentional living as well. When you keep only the things that you love and when you’re mindful about what you have in your home, your home starts becoming your happy place.
And you don’t have to declutter the entire house in one go. You can do the decluttering process over a month maybe. Just take it easy and slow so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Here is how to declutter your entire house room by room( with lists)
Related: Ways to declutter your life before 2021
#12: Get your files and paper work in order:
I hate doing the paper work, BUT it is something that we all have to do. So it’s better to have it all organised and in order in case you need something, right? I like organising things in general ( expect paper work) but that organisation comes in handy for paper work too.
I keep the bills in one folder (for all the big purchases)so that I can easily find them if something is still in warranty period and I need to get free servicing done. I keep all my other bills in another folder. this typically includes all the grocery bills, fuel bills etc. (all separated by tabs).
#13: Create a Reset Routine:
Having a weekly reset routine will help you in having more productive week ahead. Make a list of everything that you think you should do every week to reset your life. It could be something like cleaning your desk, clearing your inbox etc. Whatever helps you start the next week on a high.
Related: How to do a weekly reset and my reset routine
Think of your weekly reset as you getting ready for the next week and do all the things that will make your life easier in the coming week.
#14: Write self care ideas on a budget:
Having a list of self care ideas that you can do on a budget is super helpful. Depending on what you prefer to do for self care, make a list of things. This will make it easy to refer to it when you want to indulge in some self care. I love making this list and trying something new every week.
Because self care should be a priority and it should be something you do every other day at least. And not something you do when you’re burnt out. But it doesn’t have to be expensive either.
Self care shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg and it should be something you enjoy doing without breaking the bank. Because who needs financial stress as a result of self care lol. If you have no idea where to begin, here are 53 Free or affordable Self care ideas.
#15: Deep clean all the appliances:
It’s crazy how dirty the appliances can get. Be it the fridge or the oven, they often get neglected. I make sure to deep clean them every few months. Also make sure to throw out any dressings or sauces that have expired. Take everything out and give it a nice scrub. I prefer the baking soda and lime method to keep my fridge toxins free.
And trust me, nothing gives you the feeling of having your life together like having a clean fridge stocked with fresh produce and meals prepped.
#16: Make lists:
Lists are your best friends. Repeat after me. I have lists for everything. There is grocery shopping list, fresh produce list, cleaning daily list, weekly cleaning list and so on. I am a cleanliness freak most of the time and I make sure none of the areas in the house gets neglected.
Take some time out and make these lists as they help you in saving your time, energy and money.
#17: Make freezer meals & Meal Prep:
I like having home cooked meals. But I don’t have the time to make them from scratch every single day ( As a busy work from home mom) . So I make sure i make extra whenever I am cooking and then freeze those meals to use on days when I am super rushed and don’t have “any time for anything”.
I am sure you understand. We all have those days, right? Even with my Morning and night routines, life is busy a lot of the times and especially life with kids can be so unpredictable. So I like being prepared because I don’t like getting takeouts.
Plus you won’t believe how easy it is to freeze some of the meals. Did you know you can freeze bread too? I love making sourdough and freezing a loaf to be used later on. Same goes with curries too. Some of them taste exactly the same even after the’ve been frozen for a couple of weeks.
But more than any freezer meals, I like having freshly cooked food. And I make that easy for myself by prepping the ingredients for the week on a Sunday. We usually buy fresh produce on Sunday and make sure to wash and chop everything that we can to be ready for the week ahead.
#18: Have a spa Day:
After all you need to be relaxed and feeling your best too. Make sure to book yourself a relaxing Spa day, or do it yourself at home. Put on a face mask, a hair mask, some relaxing music, light a candle and have a glass of wine. We need to make sure you’re feeling zen and good about the coming week. In order to be productive you need to be well rested too. So a spa day and a good sleep should do it.
#19: Do something that you have been putting off for a while:
Now is the perfect time to push yourself and do something that you have been putting off for a while. What better way to feel productive and motivated than with getting things done. It always puts me in a great mood when I get something done.
So, if you have something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time, get around to doing it. It is such a great way to feel motivated to get more done and to make the most of your time.
When I decided to get serious about blogging, it was towards the end of the year that I purchased my hosting plan. It was such a big step towards something that I really wanted to do. If you have been meaning to start a blog too, here is everything you need to know to START YOUR OWN BLOG.
That’s it Girl! I hope you found some of these ideas helpful and that they will motivate you to be more productive and get your life in order. Of course you don’t have to do everything that’s on the list. It’s not some kind of a challenge. But do the things that will make the most difference for you and that will help you get your life back on track.
Leave a Reply