The following is a guest post about how to stay motivated to organize in the summer from regular contributor, Kristin at The Gold Project.
If someone asked me to describe summer, I would say it is a time of fun, relaxation, and enjoying the sun. That is all true, but I also have to remind myself that it is also a time to stay motivated and a time to get small projects done around the house. I am a teacher and I am on break during the summer, so that means I have extra time to get those project started and finished.
How I Stay Motivated to Organize in the Summer
During the school year, it gets hard because our schedule is so hectic with cheerleading and football. So, anything that requires detailed planning and work usually gets done during the summer months.
So, how do I stay motivated when all I want to do is lounge around?
Daily To Do List
I live by a to do list. I carry a planner with me everyday, no matter where I am going. For each day, I have a list of 5 things that I need to accomplish. These tasks can be as simple as, “pick up medicine,” or can be as detailed as, “film and edit a video.”
I call my planner my brain on paper because it that is exactly what it is. The older I get, the harder it is to remember everything in a given day. So, I have sticky notes and reminders throughout my planner.
It definitely keeps me focused during the summer on what needs to be accomplished and when. And, I am one of those people that gets excited about checking things off a to do list, even in the summer.
Keep It Manageable
Let’s be honest. Having a daily to do list is great, but it is only great if the items on it are manageable. If I place five things to accomplish that are way too complicated and that can’t be completed in a day, then I have failed before I even started my list.
So, it is important to keep the tasks simple. If I have a big project, like organizing my pantry, I try breaking that major project up into smaller projects. For example, on Day 1, I could pull everything out of the pantry and clean. Then, Day 2, I could categorize my items. This helps keep me focused and motivated to get the project done.
Still Schedule Time to Relax
It is summer, so I still need to remember to have some fun. I will actually write things like, “read,” on my daily to do list. It reminds me that I still need to think about myself and relax everyday.
Overall, I try to get as many small projects accomplished as possible during the summer, but I also remember that it is my time to rest, relax, and enjoy some family time.
My name is Kristin and I am a middle school career education teacher by day and a mommy/wife/blogger by night. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two loving children. We recently made a life-changing move to Arkansas, so our new house is always under construction. I get excitement out of finding new creative, functional, and cute ways to organize things! I also enjoy writing and documenting life as it happens. So, I put these loves together and created The Gold Project. With the help of my husband, I am attempting to turn our house into a home. So, check out this special place of mine and take this journey with me!
Lina says
Hi Kristin, I’m Lina and I’ m Greek! I live in Virginia with my husband and my daughter ! I also love to make list for almost everything! However, sometimes it stress me out when I don’t keep the schedule.Anyway you are doing great job !! Thank you!!!
Kristin @ The Gold Project says
Thank you so much. And, I am the exact same way. If I want to guarantee I will do something, I write it down on a to do list. 😉