{"id":31708,"date":"2014-09-13T09:15:06","date_gmt":"2014-09-13T13:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=31708"},"modified":"2021-05-05T08:38:03","modified_gmt":"2021-05-05T12:38:03","slug":"organization-tips-reduce-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/organization-tips-reduce-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Easy Tricks to Get Organized and Reduce Stress"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Home
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Worn out, burned out, and drowning in to-dos? It seems that most of us are, with one in five Americans reporting being extremely stressed (an “8,” “9” or “10” on a 10-point scale), according to the American Psychological Association.<\/a> And while solutions like deep breathing and meditation<\/a> can work wonders, there\u2019s another way to find relief that doesn\u2019t<\/i> involve sitting still with your own thoughts (though we do recommend it<\/a>!). Those who are stressed to the max may find that de-cluttering and getting organized can lead to a more Zen-like existence. Besides improving work performance<\/a>, eliminating messes may leave you feeling less frustrated, more relaxed and help you get in touch with your creative side<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, if organizational tactics become too rigid or overly ambitious, they can leave us feeling even more stressed and overwhelmed, continuing the vicious cycle. So how can we achieve that just-right amount of daily organization to stay calm, cool and collected? Read on for tips on how to de-clutter your physical (and mental!) space, and increase efficiency \u2014 without going overboard.<\/p>\n

The Organization-Stress Connection<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cBeing organized helps with a sense of control…We all need some control in our lives in order to stay motivated.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThe brain is constantly scanning the environment,\u201d says Heidi Hanna, PhD and CEO of Synergy<\/a> and author of\u00a0Stressaholic\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0The SHARP Solution. \u201c<\/i>It\u2019s looking for cues that signal a need for an energy investment, such as taking care of work or home obligations. When we have chaotic surroundings or a fragmented mindset, the brain can perceive this as a sign that there is more demand for energy than our current capacity, which triggers the stress response,\u201d she says.\u00a0Of course, we shouldn\u2019t always perceive stress as a bad thing; it\u2019s simply a stimulus for change. But when we don\u2019t have the energy we need to deal with the change, that\u2019s when the chronic stress response is initiated, says Hanna. It \u201cprepares us for an energy deficit, resulting in harmful imbalances and inflammation that damage both the brain and the body,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Enter organizational tactics, from de-cluttering our desks to sorting through our e-mail inboxes. \u201cBeing organized helps with a sense of control,\u201d says Ari Meisel, entrepreneur, organization guru and founder of Get Leverage<\/em><\/a>, who focuses on optimizing, automating, and outsourcing daily tasks to reduce stress. \u201cWe all need some control in our lives in order to stay motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Organization on Overdrive<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cFilling a schedule is not the same as managing a schedule.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You have nine lists going at any one time, and you\u2019re unable to live without constant access to your smartphone calendar. Sound familiar? It may work for some, but if you notice that these attempts to manage your busy life are making you anxious or panicked, take a step back<\/a>. \u201cThe whole point of this kind of stuff is to allow you to have more<\/i> freedom, not less,\u201d says Meisel. \u201cFilling a schedule is not the same as managing a schedule,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

“If we become too rigorous with our list making or scheduling, we can become rigid in our thought processes, which can provide a different type of potential threat,\u201d says Hanna.\u00a0We enter perfectionist mode \u2014 constantly waiting for the ideal situation or moment to move into action \u2014 and as our to-do list piles up, it creates more pressure. \u201cAs deadlines creep up on us, our body will release stress hormones in a last ditch effort to get things done,\u201d she says. While this can be the kick in the butt we need every once in a while, relying on this as a regular energy rush is unhealthy. Hanna compares it to borrowing money; the use of stress hormones can build up an energy debt in our system, causing long-term damage such as anxiety<\/a>, depression and fatigue.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> 8 Signs You\u2019re Way Too Stressed (And How to Deal)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Work
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do It Now: What to Tackle First<\/b><\/h3>\n

Since organizational techniques can help or hurt stress levels, it\u2019s important to find your personal sweet spot. \u201cStrategic organization is helpful when we are able to prioritize in a thoughtful way, assuming it leads us to action,\u201d says Hanna. Strategic<\/i> being the key word here, since chronic organization can provide a false sense of progress–and a seemingly worthy distraction–that ultimately keeps us stuck, or even falling behind, notes Hanna. (Hanna, admittedly, is a fellow chronic organizer as well.) Follow these strategies to simplify your life \u201cto-do\u201d list.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

1. Set healthy limits.<\/b><\/h3>\n

First things first, Hanna suggests dedicating time each morning to organize, plan and prioritize yourself. But be sure to limit how much effort you put into getting your life in order.\u00a0\u201cSet a timer to cue when organizing time end and action time begins,\u201d she says. \u201cAllow yourself smaller sprints of time to organize throughout the day, such as 10 to 25 minutes for every two hours of productive time. Figure out what timing works best for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

2. Find worthy (organizational) causes.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u201cI suggest people look at areas of clutter in their lives \u2014 their inbox, their junk drawer, their filing cabinets, their garages \u2014 and set artificially restrictive limits,\u201d says Meisel. \u201cThen, work backwards to figure out solutions to achieve them.\u201d For example, Meisel only has three programs on his computer: Google Chrome, Dropbox and Skype. By making these his only programs, his computer runs fast and smooth, and he can seamlessly sign on to any other computer and access all of his information.<\/p>\n

3. Go paperless.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Stacks of unwanted mail, bills and receipts can contribute to quite a bit of clutter for most of us. That\u2019s why one of Meisel\u2019s top tips to reduce stress is saying buh-bye to paper<\/a>. By using apps like Genius Scan<\/a>, you can capture and scan receipts, whiteboards, documents, and even photos, by tapping a button on your phone. This app automatically corrects perspective and enhances image quality, and then allows you to share all of your paperwork to the cloud. The fewer stacks of stuff <\/i>to contend with, the more space you\u2019ll have for the things that matter most to you.<\/p>\n

What are your best tips for getting \u2014 and staying \u2014 organized? Share them in the comments below.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Getting organized can increase productivity, clear your head, and reduce stress. Take your organization skills to the next level with these three simple tips. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":31732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,12,15],"tags":[282,341,360],"class_list":["post-31708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-mental-health","category-stress","tag-stress","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2stress-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}