a new year resolution: mastering organisation (and keeping those plates spinning!).

Talking about strengths is never comfortable – especially for us Brits. Even contemplating writing this post makes me feel like I’m inviting some cosmic karma. But hey, it’s a new year, and if there’s ever a time to embrace a fresh perspective and share a strength that might help someone else, it’s now.

One of my strengths that often gets acknowledged by others is my organisation and my ability to get stuff done. In the spirit of new beginnings, I thought I’d share a few simple principles I live by – and perhaps they can inspire your own productivity resolutions for the year ahead.

1. don’t do things just to avoid forgetting.

We’ve all said it: “I’ll just do it now before I forget.” Once or twice, no big deal. But if this becomes a habit, you’ll end up reacting instead of prioritising. Enter: The Eisenhower Matrix (urgent-important / urgent-not-important / not urgent-important / not urgent-not-important). Doing something just because you fear forgetting it often means you’re not asking whether it’s valuable or urgent compared to your other work.

New Year Resolution Tip: Write it down. If you want to remember something, put it on a to-do list you can access at all times. Later, when you’re in prioritisation mode, you can decide if it’s truly worth doing. If it isn’t? Delete or delegate.

Adding something to your to-do list isn’t a commitment – it’s just taking it off your brain’s bandwidth. You’ll be surprised how freeing this is.

2. avoid the trap of context switching.

Jumping from task to task the moment they pop into your mind is a productivity killer. Studies show it takes an average of 9.5 minutes to get back into a good workflow after a context switch. That’s a lot of lost time and mental energy.

When tasks feel overwhelming, remember: Don’t sacrifice focus for the sake of feeling on top of things.

Resolution for 2024: Minimise context switching by sticking to your list and planning when you’ll tackle each task. Your future self will thank you.

3. have a single source of truth.

If you’re juggling tasks between your inbox, calendar, and random sticky notes, you’re setting yourself up for chaos. Splitting tasks across multiple platforms makes it easy to lose track of priorities.

My rule of thumb:

• To-Do List: Tasks live here (I use Asana).
• Inbox/Slack: For communication.
• Calendar: For availability and commitments.

Having one organised, digital to-do list means you always know what’s on your plate. Plus, tools like Asana make delegating easy – which is gold when your day suddenly changes or you’re unavailable.

Resolution: Commit to one system and stick to it. No more scattered lists!

4. plan, plan, plan.

When tasks are flying at you, it’s tempting to just start working. But trust me – the busier you are, the more you need to plan. nbsp; Every Monday, spend 10-20 minutes mapping out your week.

Ask yourself:

• What’s my goal for the week?
• Do my tasks align with that goal?
• Does my schedule of meetings allow enough time to complete it?

Prioritise using the Eisenhower Matrix and schedule tasks based on your energy and availability. Each day, work through your list, adjust as needed, and tidy up before you finish. That way, you can hit the ground running the next morning.

Where you need to, reschedule meetings or tasks to create sufficient concentration time to get them done.

Resolution Idea: Make weekly planning a ritual. It might just be the key to staying ahead this year.

5. self-discipline is key.

We all have tasks we love and tasks we dread. It’s easy to gravitate towards quick wins, but real progress comes from tackling what needs to be done first.

My approach:

• Do today’s tasks before diving into “fun” ones.
• Ask yourself: If I keep putting this off, does it really need doing? If not, delete or delegate.
• Set WIP limits – cap how many tasks you’re handling at once to avoid overwhelm.
• Stop starting and start finishing!

6. keep others in the loop.

Tasks evolve and priorities shift – that’s life. But part of being organised is ensuring others know where things stand. When you move a deadline or change priorities, let the people affected know. Tools like Asana make this transparent, but a quick comment never hurts.

Resolution: Prioritise communication. No more bottlenecks or surprise chases!

takeaway for 2024.

This might sound like admin-hell, but once you’re set up, it’s liberating. I spend very little time wondering what to do next because everything is laid out. My priorities are clear, my cognitive load is low, and I know exactly which plates are spinning – and which ones might wobble.

So, if you’re looking for a New Year resolution that’ll give you peace of mind and productivity, consider this one: Get organised, stay organised, and free up your brain to do its best work.

?Here’s to a productive, stress-free 2024! ??

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