Impossible? NO! Learn how to get organized as a stay at home Mom

I know some days it feels like an impossible task.

Learning how to get organized and how to stay organized, in midst of dirty laundry, food spills and demanding little ones was one of the most valuable skills I learned for my business.

When I first started my internet based home business, I had no organizational system in place, I had now idea how to get organized.

I was making long lists of things that never got done. The more behind I got each day, the more my mood got worse. Soon I was feeling very overwhelmed and ready to quit.

Can you relate to my story?

I know how you feel, not knowing how to get organized, but knowing you need to other wise you will go insane is a very uncomfortable place to be in. Here is the good news: Help is on the way! On this page I provide you with all the information you need in order to learn how to get organized and how to stay organized. A few little changes and a few new habits not only can save your business but your sanity too.

You will soon be able to accomplish all the tasks that are most important to your home business success.

No more unstructured running around like a headless chicken.

No more wasting time.

I will show you a system that you can trust.

A system that is easy to learn and .....most important easy to implement.

I learned that in order for us humans to be most productive, our minds need to be relaxed. Can you relate to that?

I can here you say:" But, how can I be relaxed if I have 100 things to do,I get interrupted constantly by my kids and sleep deprivation doesn't help my memory either."

My answer is simple. You need a system!

Not just any system. You need one that works.

My system used to be the well known to-do list. As it turns out I didn't know enough about how to get organized.The to-do list just didn't work, though. Things didn't get done. The To-do list is an example of a system that doesn't jibe with being a work from home Mom. I wasn't able to let my mind relax until I found a system that convinced me that getting organized as a Mom is possible. A system that proofed to me that it was easy to implement and that I did get everything that needed to get done, done.

The first thing I did was I took inventory. This is going to be your first step too. You want to learn how to get organized? well first you have to figure out what there is to be organized. So, I locked myself away for a solid stretch of time. I listed all my loose ends, not on a list, but each of them on a separate piece of paper. From sewing on buttons, to building a dream house, to being nicer to my husband. I went through my entire house, through every room, every cupboard, every forgotten corner, and brainstormed for all the yet-to-be manifested projects in the back of my mind. I wrote down all the little things, too, that I had been putting off and needed to get done, and then I wrote down anything else at all that was on my mind that came up in the process. Next I went through the gigantic pile of paper that I had created. With each of the tasks on a separate piece of paper I could move on to the next step. How to get organized. Things I could do in under two minutes I did. Things that needed to be filed I filed. Things I didn't need anymore I threw out. For the first time in a long time I felt like I had it under control. I felt like I finally knew how to get organized. I promise you after you go through this process you will feel that way too.

No how do you GET it under control?I know I told you it is going to be easy to implement.And it will. The ground work will take a little time, go through the process I described above, do it one time, invest one afternoon and you are done for ever. From now on no more piling up.

The next step is KEEPING it under control and creating an organized living and work situation.

The first new habit you want to acquired is writing every new task on a separate piece of paper,it doesn't have to be a big one, important is that the sheets are separate and that you write things down, no more keeping it in your head, give your mind a break.

Now you need a place to put all these notes, I recommend you get and "in box" at your local office supply store.

I started writing down every new task that came my way. Whether it was a grocery shopping list, paying the bills or writing a thank you note to a customer.

In addition to my own task reminders, I put everything that I needed to read (my mail, magazines, flyers) or file (e.g., my daughter's birth certificate) simply every thing that needed to be looked at by me into my in box.

Now what do you do with all the stuff out of your head but piled up in your in box ?

You need to come up with a routine.

A long time ago, while I was still working as a preschool teacher I learned that rhythm replaces strength in other words things we do over and over become a habit. Once something is a habit it is on auto pilot and doesn't require much effort.

I learned to structure my day in chunks of time.Time management is a whole other subject that I encourage you to look at and learn about. Learning time management and learning how to get organized goes very well together.

The first thing I do in the morning is I empty my in box: file what can be filed, throw out what I don't want to keep, do the tasks that can be done in two minutes (two minutes per task), and decide the next action step for the tasks that require more time.

Rule number 1: Nothing goes back into the in box.

Where do things go then?

Like I said you either throw it out (junk mail)You file it for later reference, you do the things that can be done in two minutes everything else goes into a next action folder. The next action folder is a simple plain old folder.I write my next action steps on post-its but you can also create a list. The post-its have the advantage that you can very simply add and remove a task to and from the folder without having to rewrite the entire list all the time.

I recommend you set aside a set block of time, for focused "worktime". During "worktime", go over the next action steps.

Once you have complete an action, look to see if there is anything else connected to it that needs to be done; if so, write a note to yourself and put it into your in box.

The next day the cycle begins again. Stick to the routine and it will become your second nature in no time.

You need one last tool to have a complete organizational system. A calendar. I use a simple pocket calendar.

Rule number 2: Do not write any tasks into your calendar.

The only thing that goes into the calendar are appointments and reminders for time and date related things, like subscription renewals, dentist appointments, etc.

If you want to learn more about how to get organized, I recommend you check out David Allen's book Getting Things Done.

If you have to manage a lot of contacts and you like technology you might want to consider looking into Oprius a web-based contact management program.