If you look around, you can see that change is coming…the days are shorter, the weather is crisper, and the leaves will soon start to change. All the signs that Summer is on its way out and Fall is quickly approaching.
This change of weather can also bring about a significant change in life activities… school starts again, work projects often ramp up, and the chaos of the holidays are just around the corner. Fall calendars are often packed full of plans and the hustle and bustle of a full life is in overdrive, which can also mean stress and anxiety levels spring into overdrive, too!
You may feel like life is getting away from you in the Fall, so we wanted to share some simple tips and tricks you can use to help keep yourself organized and your stress levels manageable this time of year!
Simple Tips to Keep Your Life Organized
Use a Calendar
It seems obvious, but our first tip is to track all of your commitments in a calendar. Whether it’s a digital calendar you can access from anywhere or an old-school paper calendar (that you keep with you so you can still access it from anywhere), writing down your plans will help you keep tabs on what you have to do
Calendars are great to use for plans, but they can also be used for so much more! You can use your calendar to plan out the errands you need to get done or add a calendar appointment to remind you to pay your credit card bill. You can even use it to record information like when you got your oil changed or tires rotated on your car.
When you learn how to maximize your calendar usage, you train yourself to look in one place for all of this important information and can stop worrying about forgetting the important details.
Plan Ahead
Building on the idea of maximizing the use of your calendar, planning ahead is also a great way to minimize stress and organize your day when you have a lot going on. When you plan ahead, you can optimize how you use time and avoid the anxiety that comes when you do things at the last minute.
Now, here’s a tip for you… even if you’re a habitual procrastinator, you can still plan ahead. Meaning, you can schedule your procrastination into your routine! If you know that you’re going to wait until the last minute to finish that work project or clean the house for your dinner party, that’s okay – just make sure you plan for that! Block the time in your calendar to get it done, even if it’s right before it’s due!
Here’s another tip for you… however long you expect a project or task to take, add extra time to it. One of the reasons a full schedule causes so much stress is because we tend to underestimate how much time a task will take to complete. Whether it’s driving across the city to make an appointment or packing the family’s lunches for the next day, give yourself more time than you think you need to get it done.
Don’t Overschedule
It’s tempting to jam pack your days full of plans or errands, especially when the holidays are here. But by doing that, you run the risk of creating more stress than enjoyment for yourself. When you’re constantly on the go, trying to get to the next commitment or take care of the next thing on your to-do list, your cortisol levels tend to increase. Cortisol is the body’s stress hormone. When your cortisol levels get too high, it can feel impossible to stay on top of all your commitments and keep yourself and your schedule organized. Leaving some unscheduled downtime in your day allows you the space to breathe and just be, which will help decrease cortisol levels (unscheduled downtime can also create some available time when those activities you planned take longer than you expected).
If you usually find yourself overwhelmed in the Fall, it’s the perfect time to start trying new tactics to get (and keep!) yourself organized. Our therapists at Lincoln Park Therapy Group can help you with this, too! If you need some extra help finding some tools to help you stay organized, reach out and schedule a time to meet with one of our therapists. We’re here for you and we’d love to help.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels.
Nicolle Osequeda, LMFT, is the founder of Lincoln Park Therapy Group, specializing in anxiety, depression, and relationship counseling in Chicago. As a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, she incorporates Dr. Brené Brown’s research into her therapy. Nicolle holds a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco and is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Illinois and California. She is a Clinical Fellow of AAMFT, a member of IAMFT, and the Financial Therapy Association. Nicolle has Gottman Method training and has taught at DePaul University, dedicated to helping individuals and couples achieve meaningful change. 
