Summer can be one of the busiest times of the year for many people. With the end of school, graduations, summer camps, vacations, marriages, remodeling, home sales, relocations, etc. these types of events happen much more frequently during the summer than the rest of the year. Most of these occasions are considered happy and joyful milestones in our lives, but what we tend not to talk about openly is the stress factor involved in these life changes. One thing that may help is to bring back a sense of order in our lives with some time management tips and organizing hints.

With major changes in our lives, we have a disruption in our routines, our schedules, our emotions, and even our physical locations (such as during a move). Even though it may have been our choice and desire to make these changes, it ends up being a hectic, stressful, out-of-control time period.

I’m going through this myself with the transition of my kids being out of school and having to set up a new summer schedule and routine for all of us. I find some things are easy and fun to plan out such as planning for vacations and day trips, while it’s a struggle to try to keep up with my regular workload for business, now that we’re in the “summer fun” mode.

In fact, many of you who are going through your own changes right now, probably aren’t reading this posting because you’re so busy! If you are taking a moment to read, thank you for taking a break and spending a few minutes with us here!

If you’re not going through a summer transition yourself but maybe you know of someone who is, try to be understanding if that person is not his or her usual self, or more stressed out than usual. In fact, if you can, offer to give some extra help or moral support or a shoulder to lean on.

Here are some organizing tips to help ease the stress during this time of change:

1. Create a plan and write it down.
Get a separate notebook or folder to help you plan, keep papers together, and stay on top of the details for your event. I like using a 3-ring binder system, which I talk about in more detail in my presentations on “De-cluttering and Organizing: Piles of Papers”. Spend 5 minutes a day to write down and update your to-do list. Take a few minutes to sort, file and purge your paperwork, so it doesn’t becoming overwhelming. Dedicate time each day to finish the tasks on your list, such as making calls, shopping for items, going to appointments, etc. Delegate tasks whenever you can. Start as early as possible with the planning process so that it doesn’t becoming a last minute struggle to complete.

2. Ask for assistance.
If you’re not good at planning, or feel too overwhelmed with the idea of managing your event, ask a friend or family member for help, or contact an event planner, virtual assistant, or professional organizer who can give you further guidance or directly assist. It’s ok to ask for help; give yourself permission to do so. Most people are more than happy to lend a hand and if they themselves are not available or can’t do it, they’ll let you know. I’m always endorsing to find an organizing buddy, so this is an extension of that idea.

3. Try to establish a sense of routine as soon as you can.
Even if it’s for a short period of time each day, try to stick to a similar time schedule or maintain a daily habit for yourself in your new situation. This will help you to gain more of a sense of control over you time, which is a key factor to staying organized. For example, I found myself feeling like I was going around in circles and not getting anything accomplished during the day because my kids were home with me for the summer now. But, we’ve started to go back to a morning routine similar to the schedule we had for when classes are in session. The kids seem to like the sense of order and to know what is expected of them. For me, I gain a sense of control back especially in the morning, which sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, and take it easy as you go through your changes! Carve out some time for yourself and start to develop a new routine again, as quickly as possible, to help you to get back on track with time management and staying organized. Feel free to contact me if I can be helpful in any way. I look forward to helping you to Sort Things Out, one step at a time!

Copyright © 2007 by Eva Abreu. All rights reserved.