How To Organize Chaos
No-one Is Exempt.
Ohhh Hellllllooooo (Mrs. Doubtfire voice) 🌞
Before we get into this week’s subject matter of Organizing Chaos, first, let’s take a moment to appreciate life for what it is, your existence, and all that you are.
Just take a deep breath, fill your belly with gratitude…exhale…ok, let’s get to it.
For many individuals, myself included, life can only be summarized by one word: chaos.
The term described by Merriam Webster as: "complete confusion and disorder".
I’m going to list out three steps I’ve used and am using now to organize the chaos in my life with the hopes that you are able to do the same.
The Chaos Of Life
You’re overwhelmed with the amount of information and tasks in your life.
You feel like you have no control over your schedule, and that it is always changing.
Imagine having a system to organize all of your tasks and information so that they are easily accessible when you need them.
This will allow you to focus on what matters most at any given time, instead of getting distracted by everything else going on around you.
From managing and juggling your home, work, relationships, finances, health, errands, and everything in between, life can certainly be described as chaos.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
While it may seem like there's no escape from the whirlwind of activity that characterizes modern life, there are things you can do to bring a sense of order to the chaos.
One way to do this is to think of your life as “Organized Chaos”.
Rather than trying to control every aspect of your life, focus on creating systems and structures that will help you manage the day-to-day mayhem.
Doing so will not only make your life more manageable, but it will also help you find moments of calmness in the midst of the chaos. Allowing you to become the eye of the storm, unscathed by all that’s whirling around you.
Pattern Recognition
Life is a series of routines that are based upon habits.
These habitual sets of behaviors are aggregated together to form our typical day.
A habit is defined as “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”
Can you think of any regular tendencies that are specifically hard to give up?
Maybe checking every notification on WhatsApp, Gmail, or IG?
Mindless scrolling for a desperate squirt of that sweet sweet dopamine 🧠💦
Yea…you know what I’m talking about, don’t for one moment pretend like you don’t!
I know I’m not alone in this vicious cycle of distractions.
All of us have routines and habits that we follow on a daily basis. Many of these routines are so ingrained in our lives that we don’t even think about them.
For example, brushing our teeth in the morning is a routine that most of us follow without even thinking about it.
Or driving home, you already know where I’m going with this!
You get into your car and then, boom, you’re home. You went on straight auto-pilot.
We have simply developed the habit of doing it every day.
Routines and habits can be helpful in many ways. They can help us to be more efficient with our time and can help us to stay organized.
However, they can also be restrictive if we allow them to become too much of a part of our lives.
It is important to recognize when a routine or habit is no longer serving us and to be willing to change it.
Life is always changing, and our routines and habits should adapt along with it.
So the question is…what’s the pattern? How do we recognize it?
And most importantly how do we break the pattern?
Three Steps In Organizing Chaos
1.) Trim The Fat
In order to get more organized, you have to trim the fat.
That means getting rid of anything that's taking up space without serving a purpose.
It might be tough to let go of things you're attached to, but trust me, it'll be worth it in the end.
You'll feel lighter and freer, and your environment will be more serene.
And let me tell you what a blessing throwing away useless stuff has been for me as I prepare for this big move to Texas!
Make a Yes, Maybe, and No pile.
Go through your belongings, one by one, and ask yourself whether or not each item brings you joy.
If it doesn't, get rid of it. It's as simple as that.
I mean, don’t get me wrong it has been SO difficult. Some things sat in the “maybe” pile for way too long. HAHA. And when I finally let go of it, wow, did I feel better!
Philo Tip #1* giving away vs throwing away makes you feel, selfishly, so good! And the receiving end feels EVEN better! That’s what we call a two-fur! lol
Philo Tip #2* make some extra bucks by taking pictures and putting it all on Offer Up or FB Marketplace.
Have children? Then include them in the process and delegate the task to them! It could be fun and can teach them a little bit of hustle.
2.) Decluttering Your Space
Same same but subtly different than trimming the fat.
Trimming the fat is literally throwing things OUT, giving them AWAY, or SELLING them online.
It's no secret that decluttering your space can have a positive impact on your mental health.
For many of us, a cluttered environment can be a source of anxiety and stress.
When our living spaces are crammed full of things, it can be difficult to relax and feel at ease.
However, by decluttering your space and organizing your bedroom, kitchen table, or office area, you can help to alleviate some of this anxiety.
In addition to reducing stress, decluttering can also help you focus on what's important in your life and boost your productivity.
You’ll have less distraction entering the room or when sitting down at your desk to focus on that 90-minute Jam Session.
Don’t know what a 90-minute Jam Session is? Catch last week’s letter on #1 Reason Why Most People Fail At Achieving Meaningful Work.
3.) Set Your Goals The Day Before
Philo-Fam, you’ve heard me talk relentlessly about setting MVPs (Most Valuable Priorities).
All you need to do is a 30-minute evening ritual prior to going to bed and to do the following.
1.) Review & Close Out The Day: 10 minutes - whip out your notebook and review what you accomplished today, what you learned, and anything worth remembering.
Review your progress toward big goals such as; did I take action on moving body today? Did I read 5-10 pages today? Did I reach out to a family member or friend and pay gratitude?
The purpose of this exercise is to keep in line, kinda like bumpers at the bowling alley.
2.) Review Tomorrow’s Calendar: (10 minutes) - This is essential for organizing the chaos of tomorrow!
Most anxiety comes from unsolved problems.
And often, we worry about imaginative problems, lol, oh the irony .
Examples of how I review my calendar:
Any important meetings or calls?
Any deadlines I’m holding myself to?
When am I working out? (schedules change guys, don’t be rigid)
3.) Reduce Decision Fatigue: (5 minutes) - We’ve allllll heard how Steve Jobs would wear or Mark Zuckerburg does wears the same outfit almost every day.
This isn’t because they lack fashion, lol, it’s because our brain is a muscle and we can only handle so many decisions in a day before we become anxious and stressed.
So then why not reduce the decision you have to make the following day by preparing what you can the night before?
Now listen, I am not saying wear the same dang outfit every day! How boring…BUT I am suggesting reducing the number of clothes you have (be trimming the fat) and preparing your outfit the night before.
It’s such a simple task that takes, truly, less than 5 minutes and is one less decision for tomorrow.
4.) Visualize The Following Day: 5 minutes - Science has shown one of the best ways to manifest your desire is to visualize it first.
The brain has a powerful built-in “filter” called the reticular activating system.
The job of this filter is to allow certain information into the brain and block out other information.
Since you’re an action taker and are going to take the first 3 steps this evening, the following day ought to be planned and you can now take 5 minutes to just lay down and visualize how it’s going to flow!
Bonus Tip Recap:
Review & Close Out The Day
Review Tomorrow’s Calendar
Reduce Decision Fatigue
Visualize The Following Day
Do this for 30 days I guarantee your life will radically change.
If it doesn’t, message me and I’ll Venmo you $25 - but you have to prove your action by jumping on a call with me and show your 30 days of reviewing and screen share your calendar!
“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ~Jim Rohn~
Make this your evening ritual, your NEW habits.
Conclusion
If you can trim the fat in your life, take 30 minutes (half a Netflix show) every evening to review your goals for the following day, and declutter your space, you'll be able to start each day organized and ready to tackle whatever comes your way. These simple tips should help get you started on the path to a more organized life. What techniques do you use to organize yourself? Would love to hear them in the comments below.
Final Thoughts
What does mental suffering look like?
Does it have a face? A shape or size?
You never know what chaos somebody is going through.
Go about this next week with grace. For yourself, and for others.
**See below Philo homework past letters, and what’s coming up**
Philo Homework Assignment
Review & Close Out The Day
Review Tomorrow’s Calendar
Reduce Decision Fatigue
Visualize The Following Day
Free Workshops
After this section check out the feedback on our recent free workshop under What You Missed - you can also catch the replay at the bottom 🤓
CONTENT BATCHING PT. 2 (LIVE) - Schedule + Distribute - August 30th, 2022
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Love this week's letter brother! Solid solid advice and all the stuff we keep doubling down on