Have you ever been plagued with a need for optimization?  A way to make your life smoother.

When I had this feeling, I procrastinated for a while.  I knew that I wanted to be more organized.  I needed help to achieve this.  There were a number of signals that I needed to organize not just myself, but my life.  Today,  I want to focus on those signals.

The signals – well most of us don’t actually need assistance recognizing the signs.  We see them.  The little slips here and there.  We need help acknowledging the signs.  However,  there are a few signals that I would like to touch on.

Your carry all is disorganized.  By carry all,  I am talking about your purse,  bag or briefcase.  You can’t find anything in it and sometimes “lose” items that you know you have placed in there or stored away for safekeeping. The clincher, I think,  is when you begin to discover items.  You find a note from two weeks ago, a month old receipt or an important notice.  This is a big sign that you need somewhere to compile all those bits and bobs,  notes and important reminders.

Another sign you need to acknowledge is losing track of your life.  Now,  while this can be a spiraling out of control mess, that’s not where we usually refuse to take note of this sign.  Most of us tend to ignore the little things.  The occurrences that over time tend to change in significance in our memory or are thought of as a one off experience. These are typically the missed appointments,  showing up at an event at the incorrect time and disappointing friends and family.

Another trap that we as potential planners and planner addicts need to look out for is waiting for the perfect time. The perfect time is now.  It is always now.  Try the bullet journal method,  a travellers notebook or a ring bound planner of some kind.  Don’t wait for perfection to appear,  try something and then adjust from there to get your yourself and your life organized to suit your needs.

When having just a to do list is not enough.  If you’re still losing track of bits and pieces of your life, organize your months,  weeks and ultimately your days.  I recommend this trio for organizing yourself, but depending on your needs and life you may only need one of these types of planning or a combination of any two. Experiment and discover.