Beck Wadworth knows a thing or two about organisation. Launching her now cult label An Organised Life in 2013, the New Zealand native creates sleek and minimalistic stationery that seeks to bring structure and planning into busy, modern lives. Crafting her niche in the years since, Wadworth’s offerings have extended beyond just her staple products, and has since become a destination to discover how to get exactly what the brand preaches—a more organised life. From goal setting tips to taking a peek inside the workspaces of some of the world’s most influential women, including Lara Worthington, Anine Bing and Karen Walker, An Organised Life is centred on bringing function and style, all with the tools and content to do so.

Here, Wadworth shares some of the tried-and-true strategies she’s learnt over the years, including how to best prioritise your workload, ensure you put value on your time, and make the most out of your week—even if it is defined by lockdown.

One of the most effective ways to organise your life is with a to-do list, using either your AOL diary, a notebook or notepad. Jot down every single thing you need to do then prioritise your workload, this immediately reduces stress and gives you a structured way to work through your day. I find identifying my 3 MITs (Most Important Tasks) really effective and also breaking down my to-do list with what I want to achieve in the morning and in the afternoon really helps to schedule my day.

Set a defined day each week to plan out your meals and write your shopping list or if you’re time poor then place your online grocery order or go with a  meal kit service. The day you do your weekly shop is usually a great day to meal prep too, while you’re still in that headspace.  Another option is to allocate 2 days of the week to prep & plan if one day is too overwhelming. For example on Sunday plan and prep for Monday-Wednesday and then Wednesday prep again for Thursday-Saturday. I love keeping Sunday as a day for eating out or ordering in!

It may sound silly but planning your outfit the night before (or even a full week on a Sunday) will save you a lot of stress & time! I check the weather for the following day (or week ahead) and plan out looks around the temperature; this is especially helpful if I have meetings, appointments, events or just a social catch-up. Every evening during the week get your outfit out, make sure it's ironed and ready to go at the front of your wardrobe. It will make your morning routine a lot faster!

Setting weekly or daily alarms can be hugely beneficial not only just for work but for life tasks too. I check my diary every night and set alarms that act as reminders for the next day. E.g An alarm to wake up, an alarm 30 minutes before a meeting to prep, an alarm when I need to leave for an event or photoshoot, an alarm for 30 minutes before the end of my work day to tie up any loose ends, do a final check of emails and write my to-do list for the next day.

Creating a Sunday routine gets your mind into the right headspace to tackle the week ahead. It could be as simple as setting aside 10 minutes to look at your diary and schedule for the week ahead for both work & personal time. Things like…

  • What nights will you not be home for dinner?
  • What days do you need to pack your gym gear?
  • Do you have any pre-work coffee catch-ups & need to set an earlier alarm on that day?
  • Are there any important meetings booked that you need to plan an outfit for?

Once you're feeling confident with your schedule for the week - take the time to write a big to-do list for your Monday and set any alarms or reminders you need to on your phone.  Sunday's are also a good time to plan your meals, your workout schedule,  your outfits and set your alarms!

“And finally, it’s important to be respectful and realistic of not only your time but others as well. Overestimate, rather than underestimate with your time, and be strict on yourself. This is where setting alarms becomes helpful and also delegating! When done correctly, delegating can make a world of difference to a workplace or a household running smoothly.  Remember to also schedule in time for yourself, we can’t be the best version of ourselves when running on empty."

Image Credits: An Organised Life