getting organised

How being organised can reduce stress

Being organised can reduce stress, so it’s definitely a quality worth cultivating if you find yourself frequently feeling overwhelmed. Getting organised gives us a sense of satisfaction that perhaps we can, after all, manage all the plates we’re juggling. Feeling more empowered and in control through developing better organisational skills can allow us to relax, be more productive, experience a greater sense of wellbeing and even sleep better.

The pros and cons of having a ‘to do’ list

So how do we become more organised? Well, lists are a very good place to start. Possibly, you may need several – one for chores and things that need to be done around the house if you’re part of a family; one for meal planning; one for work and one just for you and your wellbeing. That sounds like a lot but they really can help prevent the feeling that things are piling up. Everything will seem more manageable once it’s broken down. Seeing a clear outline of your completed and uncompleted tasks will ensure you stay mentally focused and help develop better time management too.

You’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo and her method of decluttering and organising. She’s inspired many people to get rid of what they don’t need and evaluate each item they own by asking: ‘does it spark joy?’ If it does, then it needs a place, and if it has a place then it’s easy to find, therefore avoiding potential stress. Creating an organised home can help promote a little of the peace and harmony that so many of us crave.

Being organised by using lists can bring a structure to the day that can be positive for our mental health by reducing anxiety – because writing a list means there’s less to hold in our head. And when we begin to tick things off our list then this can bring a pleasing sense of accomplishment.  

However, the negative side of using lists for organisation is if we become obsessed with ticking off what’s on there! It’s therefore important to let go of wanting to clear everything off your list – because even if you do, there’s every chance there will very soon be something new to add. So, it’s best to view lists as a useful tool in helping you improve the quality of your daily life, rather than some sort of competition where you fail if you’re not able to mark everything as completed.

organised

The benefits of organisation for nutritional therapy clients

When someone comes to me for nutritional therapy, I always suggest meal planning for the week ahead and then making a shopping list with all the ingredients you need. Once this becomes second nature, it really makes life so much easier and means you don’t have to resort to a take-away because there’s nothing in the fridge. You eat better and healthier as a result of being organised with meal planning, enhancing commitment. The clients who get organised in this way achieve the best results in making positive changes to their health and wellbeing.

Organisation in coaching

I find it so important to encourage organisation in my wellbeing coaching clients. Coaching is usually about achieving a goal of some sort, whether it’s to do with a career change, improving self-esteem or anything else. For any goal you need to have a plan of action and invariably this involves a list, breaking down the main goal into smaller goals in order to help you get to where you want to be. I also invariably suggest some kind of weekly timetable, incorporating time for self-care, reading, reflection, doing an enjoyable activity etc. With the pace of modern life, sometimes this literally has to be timetabled in or we don’t do it. Very often women put themselves last and so I always encourage them to bring their own wellbeing to the fore.

In conclusion, a little effort can go a long way. Spending just a few minutes each day getting organised will help to make your life so much easier, leading to measurably reduced stress levels. Cultivating your organisation skills can lead to you feeling more motivated, energised and more productive in every area of your life.

If you would like to find out more about how being organised can reduce some of the stress in your life, please contact me: vanessa@wellbeingandnutrition.co.uk

Or see here for further details on nutritional therapy and wellbeing coaching: Services