BIÂN Co-Founder and Chief Wellness Officer shares 3 principles to aid in organization, productivity, and happiness.

‍

When it comes to simplifying elements of your life, I believe there are 3 universal principles that can contribute to organization, productivity and happiness:

Release your grip: We often white knuckle through things in our lives meaning that we hold on tightly to beliefs, expectations, and desires. Often to find more organization, productivity, and happiness, one can simply release the hold that is had over a given situation and remember the purpose of it.

For example, if you are tired and not feeling your most "productive" self, you embrace it rather than resist it. Acknowledge the feeling and focus on the task/need at hand by finding the "MIT" - Most Important Thing -to tackle (maybe macro or micro). When you are holding too tightly, it is more difficult to see clearly. Another example is to release expectation on others, and trade it for appreciation. If there is one thing that we cannot control it is anyone else and their thoughts, beliefs and actions. Focus on what does work and use your own agency to create the outcome you desire. That is releasing the grip and making space for a life you desire.

Procrastination Sprints: There are many things that can make us feel more "organized, productive, and happy": and sometimes, those tasks are the things we put off or procrastinate on. Make the things you put off the most, a game. Making something a sprint can draw up the element of play into an area that ultimately is anything but.

For example, if you are moving and need to begin packing, rather than waiting until you absolutely need to start, schedule in "packing sprints." Short spurts of time (a sprint), that ignites momentum towards completion of a given task. The feeling of motivation, momentum, and progress is powerful. You can apply this to writing, or deadlines as well. Dose in short sprints, and observe your experience transform into a more enjoyable one.

Don't Delay: Delaying adds to anxiety which counteracts organization, productivity and happiness. "Putting this here just for now" vs putting it away in its proper place, then results in clutter. "Eating this even though I know it doesn't leave me feeling well" vs focusing on how you want to feel in the future and choosing that, results in not meting your health goals. "I will write back later" vs focusing on the completion of the task and closing of the loop, results in many unopened re and needed responses which then compiles. Do the things that are needed of you, right in the moment they are presented. In some cases, set the time in the day to complete things that may require a little more attention but in general, don't delay, just act!

These principles can be applied to most things! In addition, some of my favorite tips are:

• Pick up the phone to simplify and expedite (less text, less email, less noise).
• Schedule shorter (but more focused) meets. Time is valuable and also minimal these days in a busy world. Focus on impactful, shorter meetings or gatherings, so you don't put it off and maybe can fit multiple into an hour! (20 MIN/30 MIN/40 MIN N radically focused meetings or meetups).
• When you find a gift that works universally, buy it for many! (I bought probably 12 people the same cutting board for the Holidays because it was the "happy cutting board!" and who doesn't like that?)