Do you feel anxious? If so, I can totally relate to those feelings. I’ve had anxiety for as long as I can remember but I am certain my anxiety would be much worse if I wasn’t organized or if my environment was cluttered.
If you suffer from anxiety here are 5 ways to reduce it through organization.
1. Anxiety producing: Late fees or the anticipation of late fees.
Solution: Set up a bill paying system and a designated spot for your bill paperwork. I pay our bills on the first of every month and most of our reoccurring bills are set up to be automatically paid — for example our utilities. Our bills have a home in a desk top file system. The file folder is labeled “to pay.”
Desk top file box with hanging files.
2. Anxiety producing: Lost items. Wasting time looking for items. Spending money to replace items.
Solution: Every item should have a designated home. If you don’t know where to put something ask yourself “where would I use it, or where would I look for it?” Use labels on shelves, boxes and containers to help you find things.
3. Anxiety producing: You receive a call from a friend who wants to stop over in 30 minutes. Yikes, did your heart skip a beat!
Solution: Keep your home clutter free by putting things back when you are done with them. Spend time at the end of everyday picking up your home (dirty clothing, dishes, newspapers, mail). I know it’s the last thing you want to do but it pays off, big time.
4. Anxiety producing: Tax time has arrived and you can’t find your tax documents. Good grief, that’s stressful!
Solution: Label a hanging file folder “taxes” and put it in a desk top file box. When you receive a tax document or receipt for the current tax year, file it in the folder. Other options are a labeled envelope or pocket folder.
5. Anxiety producing: Regularly arriving late for appointments or work. Forgetting appointments.
Solution: Prepare the night before by selecting your clothing and putting items that need to go to work next to the door. In addition, pack your lunch. Set a timer to go off to remind you to leave for an appointment. Stop what you are doing instead of trying to do one more thing. (guilty!) Use one calendar (electronic or paper) and make it a habit to enter appointments as soon as you make them.
