As many of us find ourselves creating workspaces within our own homes, staying organised has never been more important.
We had a chat to the organisation queen herself, founder of An Organised Life, Beck Wadworth.
"Offering a point of difference by creating premium stationery that stands the test of time with both style and function in mind. An Organised Life's goal is to organise, inspire, motive & educate." Says Beck Wadworth, the woman behind cult following stationary brand An Organised Life. This has never been more important than now where staying connected and on top of simple daily tasks that instil a sense of purpose and achievement.
How did you start your career?
I always relied on a diary year after year to write down my important dates, lists & goals. When I moved to Sydney to work in the fashion industry (after I finished studying Graphic Design in Auckland for 4 years) I wanted a diary - however I couldn’t find one that was functional yet had an element of style to compliment my monochrome & minimalistic aesthetic. I realised there was a gap in the market and this was when An Organised Life was born.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I always get my best ideas at the strangest of times. I could be triggered by a one off comment someone makes, a quote, an artist or a problem a friend has. I’ve learnt over the years to go with my creative waves.
Quite often I will sit on an idea for months & perfect it in my head then once I put pen to paper it comes to fruition quickly. The design process is one of my favourites & there is nothing better than opening up the box to see the final product in a hard copy version.
Describe your average work day:
Each & every day is different for me. As a small business owner I’m across a wide range of areas in the business from the Creative Direction & designing of each & every product to production & accounting.
Our Sydney HQ is where the team are based while I reside in Auckland, NZ & WFH so as you can imagine communication is key, from zoom calls to shared documents, I put a lot of time into this area.
In terms of the things that don’t change day to day, I always start my day with a coffee in bed catching up on emails before I get stuck into my to-do lists & MIT’s (Most important tasks). I love a good wind down routine, and usually this involves going for a sunset walk so that I can transition from work life into personal life before I put my favourite playlist on & cook dinner.
How do you stay organised and connected in todays world?
Organisation wise - below are my top tips:
Create & Utilise A Daily To-Do List
My top way to organise your life is to create and utilise a daily to do list. Jot down every single thing you need to do and prioritise your workload in a methodical way. This allows you to put everything into perspective, immediately reducing your stress levels and giving you a structured way to get through your workload. We love the satisfying feeling of ticking off each task throughout the day too!
On the back of this, another effective way to live an organised life is by prioritising. What needs to be done? And...what do you want to get done? – these two things are very different. My top tip is to prioritise your to-do list with a system that works for you – maybe it’s colour coding or it could be utilising symbols. Define your x 3 MIT’s (Most Important Tasks) and focus on these first, while your brain is feeling fresh.
TIP: You can use this system for your home, workspace or personal goals. Prioritising is effective for organising all facets of your life.
Prep & Plan in advance & always look ahead
Prep & planning is key when it comes to getting (& staying organised). Add some (or all) of these simple tricks below to your routine in 2021 & I promise you will feel more organised.
- Plan Your Meals In Advance
- Get Your Outfit Ready The Night Before
- Always write your to-do list for the following day the night before
- Always look ahead in order to keep on top of everything and stay organised. Look ahead at your workload, look ahead at your goals, look ahead at deadlines, look ahead at your budgets etc. Never stand still.
- Create a Sunday Routine: Get your mind in the right headspace to tackle the week ahead. Set aside 10 minutes to sit down with your diary & look over your schedule for the week on a Sunday.
- 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 coffees & need to set an earlier alarm on that day?
- Are there any important meetings or events booked that you need to plan a certain outfit for?
Be realistic with your time
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Allow Enough Time:
Make sure you are realistic with your time - this is one of the easiest ways to organise your life. Overestimate, rather than under estimate and be strict on yourself.
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Set Alarms:
Setting weekly or daily alarms can be hugely beneficial. I personally check my diary every night and set alarms that act as reminders for my working day.
E.g An alarm to wake up, an alarm 30 minutes before a meeting so I can have time 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 so I can tie up any loose ends, do a final check of emails and write my to-do list for the next day.
There are no rules - utilise the alarms to work for you in whatever way you need.
Learn to Delegate Effectively
Delegating can make a world of difference when done correctly. Master the art of delegating by doing it in an organised and effective manner. Choose the right people who have the skill set for the task you need to delegate. Brief them properly, making sure they have all the important and relevant information. Set a clear deadline and do not micro manage.
In terms of staying connected, I call or FaceTime loved ones daily. Seeing them face-to-face makes a world of difference.
Dream dinner date, who and why?
Ohhh that’s a hard one! I have so many people I would love to have a dream dinner date with but, right now, with the current lockdowns & border restrictions between countries, all I can dream about is a dinner date with my friends and family all in one place.
*Images via @anorganisedlife & Photographer @anajst