How I am staying organized

I am not afraid to tell people that I am a planner. I have daily, weekly, and monthly to-do lists; I invest in pretty planners but also scribble notes on napkins; and I have a calendar on my phone that has about every hour filled with something.

For me, staying organized is a huge part of being well. I can tell when I might be becoming depressed because I will start to feel frazzled, and not sure of what I need to get done and when. Household chores will start to pile up, my meals will become less healthy because I didn't plan well, and it gets to a point where I can't even think about what needs to happen next. From there, I find myself just scrambling to get anything done, and feeling like I can't do anything right. That then makes the depression worse.

So how do I keep it from getting that bad?

• Setting aside a "check-in" time

On Friday nights, I spend an hour before bed checking in with myself. This includes looking at what I did this week, what went well, what wasn't successful, and what I need to plan for in the upcoming week. I find that doing this on Fridays - as opposed to Sundays- makes it feel like I'm ending the "work week", and can have fun on the weekends. When I've tried to do it on Sundays, it just stressed me out before the start of the new week.

During these check-ins, I will write in my planner all the meetings and appointments I have scheduled for the next week. I'll also set goals for the week, including what I need to work on for any big projects (like moving to Amsterdam!). I make sure to block off time for fun and self-care, like when I'm spending time with friends or when I'm going to work out.

• Meal planning

I am the worst when it comes to making healthy decisions when I'm stressed, and it really shows in my food choices. When I feel overwhelmed, the last thing I want to do is spend time cooking and doing the dishes. This means I'm more likely to order takeout or grab something unhealthy to eat instead. Too much of that, and my body isn't getting the nutrients it needs to work efficiently.

I don't believe you have to give up enjoying food to make good food choices. I try to plan two-three meals per week that I'll cook, and then freeze/store the leftovers. By separating the leftovers out into individual containers, I have easy to grab meals for lunches or dinners when things get busy. Plus, my cooking skills have really improved over the last few years of doing this!

• Not overloading myself

I am someone who likes to stay busy, and it shows! I work full time, I am in a full-time Ph.D. program, and I have three loving cats to spoil.

But even I need to acknowledge when things are too much, and I need some downtime. Trying to "push through the stress" is never successful, and leads to burnout. Burnout is a condition where stress has taken over your life, and it saps the enjoyment out of everything. You can avoid burnout by making sure you're taking time to relax, rest, and do the things that bring you joy.

It can be tough to stay organized and on top of things, especially in an age of "go go go!" culture. Depression and anxiety, as well as burnout, lead to chronic disorganization, which can then make those conditions worse. Talk about a vicious cycle! If it feels like you don't know where to get started to get organized, consider booking an individual organization consultation with me, where we'll work on a custom organization plan to fit your life and goals.

-Aiden