Get the Most Out of Your Day – Let’s Get Organised

By Zoë Sparks
SHINE Business Women & Spectacular Events Pty Ltd

Without a doubt, the more organised and prepared we can be to start our day, the more productive, at ease and relaxed we will be. This in turn generates a positive, happy and healthy frame of mind, resulting in less stress and more performance, without feeling frazzled.

This all sounds great, but how can we get off to a good start to make all of this happen? Here are my five tips to help you get organised and start the day right.

• Write a ‘To-Do List’ with your three most important tasks to complete at the top of the page, either before you leave work or the night before when you are preparing for the next day (more on that later!). This allows you to think ahead as to what’s important and ensures you take it off your mind and onto a ‘To-Do List’ ready for the morning, clearing the way for a good night’s sleep.

• Have a morning routine. I’m a firm believer that a relaxed, calm start to the day will set you up for a terrific day. When you wake up in the morning, you have a choice to make – will it be a good day or a bad day? What you decide at that point is almost certain to be the outcome, so pick wisely. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready for the day. Allow time to stretch, exercise or perhaps meditate or write in a Gratitude Journal. Enjoy a nourishing breakfast, sitting down to eat properly and leave enough time to get dressed and get organised. Start your day right and as you mean to go on, it sets the tone for a great day.

• Keep your desk or workspace free of clutter. Again, you are aiming to create a stress-free and calm area to work, taking away pressure and giving you a welcoming space to commence your work day. Keep things neat and tidy, so you can easily find and access what you need and file things away that you don’t need; an uncluttered workspace will always allow you to perform at your best. At the end of the day, clear away items you’ve finished with, take away the dirty coffee cups and empty the bin. Keep your workspace clean, tidy and fresh as a de-cluttered area allows space for new opportunities to flow into.

• Keep a diary or schedule. Know what meetings you have in place, appointments to keep and where you need to be so that you can be on time and ready to go. If you need time to prepare reports, work on strategy and/or plans, or if you need personal time out schedule it into your diary as it will make it easier for you to stick to a plan and GET THINGS DONE!

• Prepare what you can the night before. Lay-out clothes and iron anything that needs to be ironed the night before so you know what you’re going to wear which will save on precious time. Who’s got time to worry about their outfit every day? Prepare lunches (if required) and pull together or get ready your files or items that you might need, so that everything is organised and prepared, ready to pick up as you head out the door.

So there you have five tips to get your day off to a fantastic start, and set the tone for a successful and productive day. Preparation and keeping calm are major keys to success and well worth the time and effort.

Zoë Sparks
SHINE Business Women & Spectacular Events Pty Ltd

Zoë Sparks has owned her award-winning travel, conference and event management company – Spectacular Events Pty Ltd – for the past twenty years. Her new division – SHINE Business Women – was launched in early 2018 and is already making a huge impact in the area of professional and personal development.

Recognised twice as a QLD Telstra ‘Business Woman of the Year’ finalist and also a winner of Sunshine Coast Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, Zoë has a proven track record for success and achievement. Zoë’s experience in small business is not only as a business owner but also as a franchisee, Board and committee member (companies and not-for-profit organisations) and volunteer.

Zoë is passionate about ‘women in business’ and reward and recognition which has led to her authoring three small business books sharing the tips and tricks she has learnt over the years. She also relishes her role as a mother to two teenage sons.