Maintaining order in one’s life is a constant struggle. Even if the first ball you’re trying to catch isn’t there yet, the following one is coming right at you! Rather than relying on a hunch that you’ll somehow manage to catch all of life’s responsibilities, follow a framework to keep everything in order.
Principles of Life
It’s easy to become bogged down in the minutiae of following the rules: do this, don’t do that. While it may seem counterintuitive, following a set of rules can be liberating. When we have a preset set of actions we intend to take, we avoid the misery and analytical paralysis that come with making a choice. Even yet, we include “Experiment” in our framework to allow for some uncertainty so that you don’t feel like life is spinning out of control at all times
If you follow some simple guidelines and stick to them, you’ll find that your days and weeks will become more peaceful and organized.
Take Responsibility for Your Own Behavior
It can be tough to take responsibility for our actions, and it is not in our nature to put ourselves out there when we make a mistake or do something dumb to show off our egos or make ourselves vulnerable. However, one of the most effective methods to make big leaps ahead in our lives is to seek out correction when we make mistakes deliberately.
As a result, we’ve distorted the feedback loop that helps us make better decisions in the future. Nothing will ever change if we don’t realize that we are the common denominator in all of our problems.
Achieve a habitual way of doing things
Our activities are guided by unconscious routines and habits we’ve developed throughout our lives. The question is whether these behaviors are deliberate or merely the result of inertia.
To achieve long-term success and happiness, we must cultivate positive habits. Because of bad habits, time, health, happiness, and money are all stolen from us. Review your daily routines and determine which behaviors are serving you and which ones need to go in order to achieve your goals.
Persistence is more important than perfection.
Self-sabotage might be a result of having an “all-or-nothing” mentality. It’s easy to give up when we don’t achieve our lofty goals. Compounding work and gradual progress allow us to see the bigger picture, which in turn allows us to achieve more in life.
Starting with a set of achievable goals is the first step. The shame and disappointment we feel when we fall short of our goals are exacerbated when our intentions are unrealistic. Incorporate regularity into your life and learn to accept imperfection as a part of the process. Achieving a reasonable goal while putting in consistent work frees up more time for the other things we want to achieve in life.
Organize ahead of time
There are many twists on the road of life, and it can go a long way if some forethought is involved. Get organized and plan out your days and weeks ahead of time.
Here are a few pointers on how to organize your time:
- Make time for the little things
- Plan your week for an hour each week (e.g., Friday afternoon, Monday morning)
- Overestimate the time it will take you to complete a given task.
Maintain work and professional life balance
Balancing our lives is often sacrificed in our efforts to do everything. This method may be effective in the short term, but in the long run, it has negative consequences, including increased stress levels, fatigue, and lethargic behavior. Prioritize long-term sustainability over immediate gain by maintaining equilibrium and caring for oneself.
There are a few pointers to follow:
- Refrain from putting too much pressure on yourself or devoting too much time to your job
- To improve your mood, prioritize physical activity.
- Take up a mindfulness activity like meditation or writing in a gratitude notebook.
- Invest some time with your loved ones
Intentionally letting certain balls drop can help balance life’s obligations. Get used to saying “no” to make time for the things that are most important to you.
Prioritization is a powerful technique for getting your life in order. Prioritizing what’s most important is achievable, but doing it all is a near-impossible task. To focus on the most important things, you can decline chances that do not correspond with your long-term objectives.
Automate or outsource your work.
Your habits aid your decision-making. Repetitive jobs can be automated with the help of technology. Automate your life so you can spend less time and energy on the things you don’t want to do. Consider the possibility of outsourcing some of your work to someone else.
Track your Progress
Keeping track of your progress is critical, regardless of how big or modest your goals are. Knowing what’s working and what isn’t can greatly impact your life. You can devote more time to things that will help you achieve your goals and eliminate the items that don’t work for you.
Experiment
Last but certainly not least, the Principles of life encourage you to take risks and seek new experiences. Even if you’re well planned, that doesn’t mean you can’t allow for a little bit of chaos now and then.
When things don’t go as planned, it’s normal to feel frustrated. A few have become stale. These are the perfect times to introduce new things into our lives and shake ourselves out of a rut that no longer serves us.