50 Ways to Get Your Life in Order

This is an article by guest writer Mark Foo, author of The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People.  It appeared on LiteMind.

There's nothing wrong with a little bit of chaos in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, "Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don't avoid
them. Keep in mind the following 50 tips and you'll be able to
streamline your life and get back on track in the New Year.

1. Recycle old papers that are filling drawers in your house.
   If you're anything like me, you have drawers overflowing with old
   receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself. Get rid of all of
   this. Invest in a paper shredder to reduce clutter and maintain
   privacy.


2. Mentally prepare yourself for change by visualizing your ideal self.
   Who do you admire the most? How do you envision yourself in the future?
   Who do you want to be? Visualize yourself to be that person.


3. Realize that unexpected events can be a good thing. As the Dalai Lama once said, "Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."


4. Ask people you admire how they got where they are today.
   I've always admired my grandfather. Learning more about how he started
   up his business, dealt with difficulty throughout his life, and
   maintained grace throughout it all has helped me in my personal
   endeavors.


5. Cut back on alcohol, cigarettes and other vices.
   These can be crutches that cloud judgment. The money saved by not
   purchasing or cutting back on this type of material can then be put
   into something rewarding such as a vacation.


6. Remove elements of negativity from your life, be they people or a job you don't want to do.
   If you have friends who are bringing you down, there's no need to keep
   hanging out with them out of obligation. Cut your ties and cut your
   losses.


7. Start each day with a clear to-do list along with your cup of morning coffee. Knowing what you need to do in the day ahead helps keep you on track.


8. Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. Not only receipts, as mentioned above, but any old junk that should be donated to charity or sold in a garage sale.


9. Institute a clear filing system for your personal records.
   Investing in a simple filing cabinet and folders with labels is
   something you don't need a personal secretary for and makes your life
   much easier when you are looking for a specific item.


10. Do your grocery shopping for the week on the day it's most convenient. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money.


11. Take a career test that will help you identify your strengths.
    If you are unhappy with your career but don't even know where to begin
    in the process of moving on, this can be a good way to identify
    strengths and new possibilities.


12. Meet with a professional counselor if there are issues you need to discuss.
    Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional
    baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with
    professional assistance.


13. Go through cabinets and throw out expired medications or food items. The last time I did this, I found everything from 3-year-old curry powder to 5-year-old aspirin. Throw them out.


14. Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels.


15. Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders.


16. Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking. My girlfriend loves yoga, and I am a soccer enthusiast. As long as it's active, it counts.


17. Set appointments you've been putting off. It's
    easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but
    preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels.


18. Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles,
    Sudoku, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good
    way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve
    overall mental capabilities.


19. Publish your own book. This is easier than ever
    before with Internet publishing. You can get your ideas out there and
    start making money from them. I've published my own eBook, The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People, check it out.


20. Make a reading list and join a book club. Most
    people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan
    you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only
    serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own
    reading list.


21. Spend time with yourself each day. Susan Taylor states that "spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order."


22. Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress
    can have an overarching effect on our overall productivity levels. When
    stressed, I personally forget to breathe at times. Take the time to
    take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain.


23. Speak and act with honesty. Are you able to stand
    by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own
    words and learn to articulate your thoughts in an open, honest way.
    This helps eliminate mistakes down the road.


24. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.
    Usually, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they
    aren't repeated too many times, and are looked at as a learning
    experience, they can in fact be a good thing in the long run.


25. Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together.


26. Take up a new language or hobby.


27. Read inspirational biographies. For new ideas, find out how others got their lives in order.


28. Talk to a stranger. Unplanned conversations can be surprisingly inspiring.


29. Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away.
    Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the
    Internet and Skype at your disposal, even an online chat can help you
    reconnect.


30. Change your toothbrush. It can be a hotbed of bacteria.


31. Take more naps. Sleep is often sadly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and keep reaction times sharp.


32. Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up.


33. Organize your photo collection. Get both digital
    files and physical printouts in albums. If you're anything like my
    family, your photographs could be sadly sitting tucked away in
    shoeboxes in the closet, taking up space.


34. Take an interest in art in your community. Visiting galleries can help introduce you to the artists in your community and help stimulate thinking.


35. Join a hobbyist club. My friend decided to learn
    more about building model airplanes and was so deeply into it that he
    recently obtained his commercial pilot's license. You never know where
    a simple hobby can lead you in life.


36. Keep a calendar with commitments. Having a visual reminder in front of you can be extremely helpful. We are all different types of learners.


37. Don't put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved.


38. Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy.
    If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can be
    beneficial to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes
    you happy. Work toward achieving this as much as possible.


39. Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to
    help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk in
    the woods or climbing a mountain, at any level of difficulty, gives a
    sense of pride and accomplishment.


40. Attend lectures. These could be science lectures
    or other types, but it's helpful to keep up-to-date on what's going on
    in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in
    all aspects of your daily life.


41. Take the time to stretch muscles. Get a massage to improve muscle tone and circulation, then use this new energy and apply it to your work routine.


42. Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of
    your most entertaining friends for a good laugh, or simply sit back
    with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has
    been shown to expand your life span.


43. Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a
    child, I remember that we had "free time" scheduled into our school
    activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or
    simply staring into space if that's what we felt like doing. What a
    novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease.


44. Schedule a much-needed vacation.


45. Learn new tips for entertaining. You don't have to
    be Martha Stewart to throw a great dinner party, and learning how to be
    a host or hostess with minimal effort can give a big boost to your
    confidence levels.


46. Throw out old clothing that doesn't fit. Too many
    of us are squeezing into outdated clothes that are doing us no favors.
    Look and feel your best with clothes that are tailored to fit.


47. Live in the present, not the past. The past is
    over. Move on and enjoy every moment as it occurs. Take stock of what
    needs to be accomplished and move forward with this information.


48. Learn from past mistakes and move forward with your life. Get your life in order by looking forward, not back.


49. Get your car checked up. You go to the doctor to
    have your body checked up. Don't wait until it is too late to perform
    maintenance on your car. I once got stuck on a road trip to Ipoh (Malaysia) as a result of this oversight, and it wasn't pleasant.


50. Budget for possible home repairs. Set aside some money in the proverbial cookie jar to keep home maintenance within the realm of possibility in this coming year.

Do you have a tip to help us get our lives in order? Please share in the comment section below!