The Value of a Master Plan and Organization

We humans have a number of limitations. Physically, we are limited by how fast we can go, how much we can do, and so on. Mentally, we are limited by how much we can remember and how well we can concentrate. Both of these types of limitations come into play in a person’s every day life. Your average nine to five worker may run into his physical limitations when getting ready for work. He may go more slowly than he had hoped. Mentally, he may find that he becomes too distracted by the matters at hand to get any of his tasks at work done efficiently.

Thankfully, there are ways to work around these limitations: just make a to do list. A daily to-do list can help you keep ahead of both your mental and physical limitations. By laying out what you have to get done each day, you prevent yourself from forgetting them later, and help keep yourself concentrated on the task at hand, as you can just go down the list item by item without having to keep your mind on what else you have to do. When you make a to do list, it helps you plan out the best way to accomplish your tasks, meaning you will not run into as many issues with lack of time.

Making the list itself should be simple. A dry-erase board is the perfect tool for holding your daily list, but more complex systems, such as PDAs, can be used if you so desire. If your list is not portable, you should keep one in your home and one in your office. The list should be made as early in the day as possible, while the tasks that you have to do are fresh in your mind, but can be added to throughout the day as necessary. Remember, though, when you make a to do list, it is only a guide to help you stay on track. Try to be at least somewhat flexible and adapt to any changes that might need to be made.

Another key to handling your limitations is organization. This could not possibly be any simpler: know where to put your things. As the old saying goes, a place for everything and everything in its place. Once you have specific places for everything, the process of organization becomes a breeze. All you have to do is take everything to its appropriate place, and you are done.

There are a number of things you can use to assist you in organizing your things. Plastic bins of all shapes and sizes are readily available at department stores, and even many smaller stores. These are often the most convenient way to store and organize things, as they can be labeled and stacked, making your items easy to find as well as taking up as little space as possible. Along these lines, there are also a number of different kinds of ‘space organizers’ available, which are generally something to the order of plastic chest of drawers. These methods are effective, and inexpensive.

Be sure to make the best use possible of the space available to you. Stackable containers, as mentioned, work well. Similarly, using wall-mounted shelving units can greatly increase the amount of space you can use for organizing your things. Also, do not be afraid to separate things you do not use and either put them into storage or just get rid of them. In many cases, a cluttered area can be made much more manageable simply by taking away the extra, unneeded items. Once you have an area organized, take care not to let it fall back into disorganization. A few minutes of tidying regularly can keep you from having to repeat all your work.

So overcome your limitations by simply having a plan and staying organized. It's as easy as that!