I strongly believe that this is a big reason as to why people who tend to be slightly disorganized (me) have time management issues (ME). Since leaving school, I've realized how important it is to keep a routine. You'll notice this as a general theme throughout this post. Being fresh out of college in your twenties, switching around jobs and changing schedules leaves a lot of time for --errrrr, doing.... nothing. And you'll usually be more compelled to sleep, doing nothing! So to combat this, I will set an alarm every morning to make sure I don't oversleep. Cause let's face it, say you've got a few off-days during the week. Time can drag on and you'll tell yourself you deserve to rest! Then before you know it, the sun is down and you're eating Cheetos in bed. If you absolutely need to get some extra sleep, then don't exhaust yourself! Do what's right for your body! But I always try to limit my sleeping to 8-9 hours.

Okay, congratulations! You've woken up at a decent time! Now it's time to get ready. When I had a 9-5 job at an office, I found it was a lot easier to have a routine when I had to be somewhere in the morning. It motivated me to be on time! I always would set my alarm an hour early to give myself the time to be angry about waking up/time to doze off again without making myself late. I'm a night showerer because I'm not a morning person. All I have to do in the morning is get up, brush teeth, get dressed, makeup, and I'm good to go! And if you're anything like me, you take an hour picking out what to wear. My nifty solution to this was a cool little app called Cladwell! (Not an ad I swear. I wish though) But for real, this app has been a lifesaver for me! Y'know that scene in Clueless when Cher gets ready using that awesome computer that picks the outfits out for her? It's pretty much exactly like that! You can let it know your location and it will coordinate based on the weather and your clothes you've already inputted into the system! A lifesaver, especially when you're running late. It's nine bucks a month. If you can spare the money I highly recommend it! Once you do your hair, makeup, and you're all ready and squeaky clean, watch how much better you feel! Promise!

Sidenote: Even on days you're in bed a big portion of the day, don't think you shouldn't feel like there's no point in getting ready. It can help you be productive for the rest of the day!

Did you wince a little reading that? I know I would've. This sounds crazy I know. "Why would I just cut myself off from society like that," you might be asking yourself. I can tell you that this is probably one of the best things on this list you can do for yourself. We find ourselves stuck in a social media rut that it's tough to get out of. I'm guilty of checking my phone first thing in the morning. It can derail my routine by sometimes up to THREE HOURS!! I still do this a lot so it's something I need to work on. But let me tell you, the days I've experimented with this theory have easily been my most productive days.

What I recommend doing is powering off your phone and cutting off any type of internet access for at least an hour. Put some music on and text your important contacts and tell them what you're doing and tell them if they need something to call you from a landline. (Do those still exist?) Sliding your finger across the screen will be the hardest part! After that, you will realize how much more you feel like you'll be able to accomplish without getting distracted! It worked like a charm for me. I couldn't believe how much I got done and how quickly I even forgot my phone was off. Take this time to clean, study, meditate, whatever you feel like you need to do.

While your phone is off perhaps, try to tackle the mess piling up from the days you have a lot going on and can't find the time. Bring up those dishes from Taco Tuesday last week, vacuum, whatever you have to do. Your space is such an important part of how your brain operates. Don't you feel more organized after you've cleaned? Don't be afraid to decorate seasonally. There are zillions of ways to do it on a budget! Make your space one you're proud of being in! You'll be happier, plus your brain will feel more organized -- thus more productive.

In getting to know yourself, this should be an essential thing. I saw somewhere that people's highest brain power times were between 7 and 9 am. I read this and laughed. I'd like to apologize to the scientist who may have spent ten years of his life on this study, but there is no universal brain time. This is 2018. Everyone has different schedules and times of day where they're most active! My neighbor Gladys next door may be up walking her dog at 4:30am, but that doesn't mean 4:30am is the perfect time for me to take a jog. Heck, some days I'm getting home from work at 4:30 in the morning!

My point is, sit down and analyze your behavior. When do you like to lay around? When do you like to crank out the most work? For me, I usually begin to be my most productive self around 9 at night. After everyone has gone to sleep, I find it much easier to focus 100% on whatever it is I'm doing. I'm writing this at 10:30 at night! Also, identify your low power brain times! Use this to schedule social media or something like that you need to work with. It should be the low function tasks that don't require as much thought. Once you identify these essential times, it'll be easier to navigate your day!

Invest in a planner and some sticky notes. Once you do, they'll become your best friends! When your schedule begins to get busier, it gets hard to keep track of work schedules, important events and occasions, appointments and so on. When you already have a busy mind, it's really helpful to invest in a yearly planner or a calendar app (I prefer Google Calendar) for those busy times. It's like having a tiny assistant to help you map out your days better! Sticky notes are great for remembering those short-term things like calling someone or remembering to grab your charger before heading out the door! Oh, and checklists. You can never have too many checklists. You also feel awesome once you check everything off.

Last but not least...

Do I sound like a Mom yet? But no seriously, this is super helpful. There have been too many days where I went the whole day only eating a donut and a can of Coke. I should totally start a health & fitness blog, right? But just like the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Try to eat at least one serving of a fresh vegetable a day. You'll feel more active and less groggy!

And that about does it! Those are my tips. Like I mentioned, this isn't a strict list; do with it what you will! I just hope you become the best you can be. We're on this journey together!

Want to add to this list? I'm always down to chat and collaborate! Leave a comment below!

Until next time,

Onward and Upward!

Kiana