GO Month Day 6: How to Stay Motivated

*This post was updated November 3, 2015.

It’s only day six of Get Organized Month and life is still happening. Though your children may be back at school, you’re also back at work with all – or more – of your usual responsibilities. When life goes back to normal after the holidays, it’s easy to slip into “I’ll do it later” mode.  And, you might find it more difficult to stay motivated.
Whether your goals are to eat healthier, manage your time better, or have a less cluttered home/office/car, staying motivated can be a challenge. A certain pro organizer can relate as her home office is typically on her “to do” list … but more on that later.
Here are a few things you can do to keep the momentum going:

Jump to Conclusions

First, think about what end result you want to achieve. What will success look like when it happens? Will your desk be clear at the end of each day? Will you fit into your high school cheerleading uniform? Will you get your car in the garage? Burn your “success picture” in your mind and hang on to it. Put it on your bathroom mirror or fridge door, anywhere you’ll see it regularly.

Be Stingy

While you might have many goals on your list, it’s impossible to achieve them all at once. So, be frugal with the number tasks that you’re going to focus on – and with the amount of time each one deserves. Pick one (or two) things you want to work on each day and be realistic with how long it will take to tackle them.

Become a Poet

Keep a rhyme or jingle in your head, a tune that makes you happy and keeps you going. Though you may also need a swig of coffee or an energy drink, a little jingle before you start working on your goals – and during – will likely put you in the right frame of mind to keep up with your task.

Get “Appy”

Your app might be a spiral bound notebook or a digital notebook like Evernote. It really doesn’t matter, though, what you use, as long a you use it. Apps will help you keep track of your successes and alert you to small changes you may need to make. If you have a smartphone, take advantage of the myriad of productivity apps out there.
Ok, now G.O.