(Written
by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
WHY NOT START
THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT? – LET'S GET ORGANIZED!
If
you start this new year off by being better organized, you will be amazed at
the health benefits that might begin to fall into place.
Sometimes life is like this gigantic picture puzzle. Until you group all the pieces into little piles and begin to put the pieces in the proper order you cannot get the full effect of what it means to be you! Let's get the pieces of the puzzle of life arranged and organized into a picture that you can work with and be happy about! It all begins with some simple little organizational tasks that anyone can do.
Being disorganized affects more than just your
immediate living environment – it also has a strong relationship with your
level of health and well-being. Clutter and chaos can make us feel overwhelmed
and out of control, contributing to increased levels of stress in our bodies,
lives, and relationships.
This happens to all of us from time to time; especially after
the holidays just before the year changes.
Our schedules have been skewed. Some of us have overworked instead of resting
during the holidays. Our houses are a
wreck from putting up and taking down holiday decorations. Our bodies are complaining because we have
eaten lots of the wrong foods, and we often go back to the normal work schedule
feeling like we need another holiday to get over the holiday!
While we are so busy tending to important celebrations
and valuable relationships; we can let our lives get pretty unorganized. One morning we wake up and say “Why am I in
such a bad mood this week?” More than
likely; it is because of the effects of living in the chaos created from the
little holiday break from your normal tasks that help to keep you organized on
a daily basis.
No need to panic; just regroup!
There are many ways to accomplish this! We can easily get re-organized. One place to start is to buy and
use a good organizer that contains a daily calendar and a notebook. There is an art to how to use this tool! We will discuss this art of calendar keeping
and appointment making in another article soon. Keep reading these Friday posts for new information! However; using a good calendar is just one of
the many little things we can utilize in order to have a more organized life in
the fresh new year that we have been given.
In an effort to improve health and eliminate unnecessary stress;
I hope to break down some steps for all of us for staying organized and
thus eliminating stress and worry as we journey through 2017. AN
APPLE A DAY may become full of future tips on how to make this process easier, more comfortable and even a fun transition into a less stressful and more successful
new year. For right now though; let’s just tackle the whole overall subject of organization and get a good clear picture of where we need to be headed in order to get our
heads above water in this fast-paced shuffle of today’s busy world. Let’s cover
the act of getting organized in general.
We truly do solve so many of our health problems when we finally
decide to get ourselves in gear and really get organized:
GETTING ORGANIZED REDUCES STRESS:
Stress is widely known as one of the major contributors to
chronic disease. The subtle and not-so-subtle ripple effects of stress affect
your physical health, relationships, and ability to be productive in the
workplace. When you eliminate oppressive clutter, you feel more in control and
better able to handle the challenges that life lobs your way. You are able to
act more proactively rather than reactively so that you can work more
productively and make the most of the time that you are given, thus you
experience lower levels of stress.
BEING ORGANIZED BOOSTS ENERGY:
Oppressive and disorganized surroundings that are in constant
disarray can make one feel sluggish and unmotivated. You may feel confused,
scattered, and unable to prioritize your activities if you are trying to live
and work in disorganization. This constant state of psychological disorder is
exhausting. When your environment is organized and free from clutter, you feel
lighter, not so anxious and moody, and more able to focus on the things that
really matter the most. You gain hope
for attaining other goals after you meet your first goal for organization in
your day.
JUST BEING ORGANIZED CAN ACT AS A
POSITIVE HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS:
Statistics show that people consume 50% more calories, fat and
sodium when they eat out than when they cook at home. When you have a clean
pantry, an organized kitchen, and free time in your schedule, you are better
able to budget time to find healthy recipes, to do the correct grocery shopping
that allows for health. This also gives more room in your finances. When you prepare a meal plan for the week you
are relieved from compulsive eating and last minute trips to the store where
you will overbuy out of emotional distress instead of good logic. This can have
a direct impact on your waistline as well as your bottom line – it’s typically
more affordable to dine at home on wholesome foods if you just take the time
for proper planning and organization.
BEING ORGANIZED CAN IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS:
Aside from the strain that one partner’s physical
clutter can put on a romantic relationship, the lack of time management and
inability to schedule necessary routine chores effectively can negatively
impact relationships with friends, family, and co-workers too. Chronic lateness
and missed appointments fosters frustration and resentment. By being organized,
you can be on time for all of your promises and commitments to others. You will make other people feel cared-for and
loved instead of neglected, and this will come back to reward you with the same
considerate attention in all of your relationships. The old proverb holds true here: If you want something yourself; give it away –
that is a good rule for creating better relationships, but it also applies in
the areas of time-management and schedule-keeping.
BEING ORGANIZED CAN HELP YOU TO GET MORE AND BETTER
QUALITY SLEEP:
If you are disorganized, you may feel that the best
way to get more out of your day is to cut back on sleep. Bad idea! The number
one thing you can do to improve your health is to make sure that you get 7.5-9
hours of sleep per night. The quality and quantity of your sleep directly
affects your emotional balance, productivity, and physical vitality. Being
organized can help you squeeze more out of your 24 hour day while giving you
peace of mind so that you can sleep longer and deeper at night.
So go ahead; take a deep breath and begin to inventory
the areas of your life that need to be more organized. Keep reading AN APPLE A
DAY in the coming months. I promise to
have some future articles that cover easy ways to overcome and move smoothly
through life as you tackle any of the above obstacles that stand in the way of
your success to a better and healthier lifestyle in the coming year.
Today I will give you the first secret. The
first tip in getting organized is to remember to take baby steps until you
develop full blown habits.
Just look
at one thing at a time and concentrate on that thing until you have mastered it; then take the next step. Before you know
it you have walked a long way toward having a healthier and happier year.
For now, just take the knowledge you already know
about getting organized and put it into effect.
I promise you will be glad you did. You will begin to see immediate
results, and we will build on those good results in the days to come.
Here’s wishing each of you a happier, healthier, more
organized lifestyle for 2017!