When I tell people I’m a professional organizer, they often say, “Oh I know what I have to do. I just don’t have the time to do it!” I say, “All we have is time. We have the choice as to how to spend it. Let’s start with making the time to organize, so you can do the things you really love to do!” Remember just one word: DEAR.

 

Delegate

This is a difficult skill. We like things done our way, on our schedules. We think it will take longer to show someone how to do something than it would to do it ourselves. Maybe. If we teach someone how to do something, then trust that it will be done, even if not done our way, then we free ourselves up to do what only we can do. The person we’ve delegated to now has a new skill that s/he can use going forward, has ownership of the task, and can add his/her own talents to make the result even better. Ask yourself:

• What do I have to do myself?
• What can someone else do for me?
• Who can I call on?
• What is my budget (time, energy, money) – i.e. what is the cost to me if I do it myself vs. someone else doing it?

 

Eliminate

We have high expectations for ourselves. We want to do everything and do it right. We want to live up to others’ expectations of us, or what we perceive those expectations to be – think the “perfect” Thanksgiving. What makes it perfect? Taking a long, hard look at what we do and why we do it can reveal some hidden assumptions we didn’t even know we had. Ask yourself:

• What can be done less well?
• What does not have to be done at all?

 

Automate

“Necessity is the mother of invention…and laziness is the father.” We are blessed to live in a society in which so much is done for us, we can “fix it and forget it,” to allow us more free time to do the things we love. Think about all of the conveniences we take for granted: washing machines, dishwashers, slow-cookers, online banking. There are tons of apps that are designed to help us use our time more effectively. Try them. Some things that can be automated, both low and high tech:

• Grocery and household product delivery

• Direct deposit and bill paying
• Dry cleaning and laundry pickup and delivery
• Data backup
• Filtering emails
• Social media posts
• Sending greeting cards
• Menu-planning

 

Re-evaluate

“The only constant is change.” Nothing ever stays static. People grow. Our lifestyles and needs change over time. Routines and systems have to change and grow as well.  A periodic look at what we’re doing and how we’re doing it is sometimes needed to make sure we’re using our time and resources in the wisest way possible. Ask yourself:

• Have my needs, interests, and skills changed?
• Has my energy level or mobility changed?
• Has my support system changed?

 

Taking the time to think about how we spend our time can yield even more time to do the things that feed our souls.