Your Result
Boost your energy by creating systems that improve daily life
To be happier, consider a habit that will boost your energy by creating organizational systems that improve daily life.
Why this aim is likely to make you happier
A messy desk or crowded closet might not feel like a big problem in the scheme of things, but that extra stress can weigh us down over time. When everything in your home or workspace has an assigned place, you’ll save time looking for important items, experience less decision fatigue throughout the day, and feel less distracted by clutter.
You can also use the Strategies of Convenience and Inconvenience to support your other aims. You can organize your tools and spaces so that it’s easier to go right and harder to go wrong.
Aims you might consider
Set a rule of one-in, one-out—for clothes, books, mugs, whatever you tend to accumulate
Practice the one-minute rule: if something takes less than a minute to put away or throw away, do it immediately
Always put your keys and wallet away in the same place
Sleep in your workout clothes
Store things at the store—avoid buying a gift without a recipient in mind, or something that “may come in handy,” or huge stores of ordinary items
Know Yourself Better
Self-knowledge is an essential aspect of happiness, because we can create a happy life only on the foundation of our own nature, our own values, and our own interests.
As you consider ways to boost your energy by creating systems that improve daily life, ask yourself:
- Are you an abundance lover or a simplicity lover? Do you love collections, a variety of options, and full shelves, or minimalism, fewer options, and clear shelves?
- Are you an under-buyer or an over-buyer? Do you tend to have the problem of running out of something when you need it, or having too many things you don’t need?
A few notes of caution…
- Focus on your actions. While it can be useful to invest in organizational tools that solve specific problems, they only help if you use them. You might buy a mail organizer to keep in your entryway, but focus on the action: Sort the mail as soon as it comes in the door.
- Don’t fight your inclinations. If you’re constantly battling a pile of worn-but-not-dirty laundry, dedicate a separate basket to it rather than trying to figure out what to do with it.