--- description: Your attention is limited and valuable. You need less information. You need good filters. title: 6 Things the Most Organized People Do Every Day image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta8c4aacf483da292/6986a280169ab0ddba27b117/88998765.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [motto](/tag/motto/) ## motto Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 6 Things the Most Organized People Do Every Day (26 Feb 2016) by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 26, 2016 5:36 PM CUT  Gregor Schuster by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 26, 2016 5:36 PM CUT Your life is busy. [Work/life balance](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined") is a challenge. You feel like you’re spreading yourself so thin that you’re starting to disappear. Most of us feel that way. But not all of us. **The most organized people don’t.** **As NYT bestselling author and neuroscientist** [**Daniel J. Levitin**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined") **explains, the VIP’s he’s met don’t seem scattered and frantic.** They’re calm, [cool](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/how-to-be-cool/ "undefined") and “in the moment”, not juggling nine things and worried about being done by 7PM. It’s not hard to figure out why: they have help — aides and assistants to take care of these things so the VIP can be “in the moment.” Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- Must be nice since you and I have to multitask and cut things short to try and get everything done, stressing the whole time. But here’s the thing: **You can be like that too. And it doesn’t require a staff of 10.** **So who is your assistant? You are. Then who’s the VIP? You are.** (Yes, I am actively encouraging you to develop a split personality.) **With enough planning ahead of time, you can make sure you’re as calm and organized as the President of the United States.** (For more on what the most productive people do, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined").) We just need to get a few systems in place ahead of time. What’s the first step? **_Related posts:_** [_6 Things The Most Productive People Do Every Day_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined") **1) The VIP’s Brain Is Empty. And That’s A Good Thing.** **The President of the United States is not desperately trying to remember his to-do list.** He has outsourced to his staff all the things that come next so he can focus 100% on what’s in front of him. No, you don’t have a group of aides but there’s still a key principle you can use: **Get it out of your head.** Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- **Everything you’re worried about, every to-do, every concern gets written down in one place.** One. Not scattered across a notepad at home, your iPad in the office, your email inbox, sticky notes on your monitor, and your unreliable memory. That scattering makes you wonder if you’ve forgotten something — and research shows it [produces anxiety](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/01/how-can-you-stop-worrying-about-that-stuff-yo/ "undefined"). So get it out of your head and on one list. Afterwards, [Getting Things Done](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WH7PKY/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000WH7PKY&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=JVHN7VIM6442W2WN "undefined") author David Allen says **break it up into 4 categories:** 1. **Do it** 2. **Delegate it** 3. **Defer it** 4. **Drop it** Once you have those 4 lists you know what you actually need to do and it’s all in one place. Just having that list is a big step toward VIP cool. Why does this work? There’s some neuroscience behind it. Writing things down deactivates “rehearsal loops.” Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- Research shows that when you leave things unfinished and worry, it actually [makes you stupid](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/07/does-leaving-things-unfinished-make-you-stupi/ "undefined"). Solution? [Write it all down](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/10/how-can-you-stop-worrying-about-projects-at-w/ "undefined"). (For more on how the great geniuses of history leverage notebooks, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/strokes-of-genius/ "undefined").) So you got all the to-do’s out of your brain and onto a list. You know what can be delegated, deferred and dropped — and what you actually need to do. Now how do you get through the day like a calm VIP? **2) “Mr. President, Your Next Meeting Is About To Begin”** The President of the United States doesn’t check his watch. He’s scheduled down to the minute and aides tell him when it’s time to go. **You may not have assistants but any smartphone has alarms and reminders.** Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- Ironically, your phone probably interrupts you with unimportant texts, emails, and status updates — but not about the key priorities for your day. Few of us have our calendar so organized ahead of time that we can let it dictate all our actions moment to moment. What’s the key? **Alarms don’t work with to-do lists.** **As** [**Cal Newport**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/ "undefined") **recommends, assign every to-do a block of time on your calendar.** Then you can gauge how much you can actually get done: --- > “” --- You’re less likely to [procrastinate](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/chronic-procrastination/ "undefined") when an activity has an assigned block of time, because the decision was already made. And once it has a time block, you can be the VIP. **Alarms allow your mind to be calm knowing you’ll be reminded about the next thing.** (For more on the schedule successful people follow every day, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/schedule/ "undefined").) I know what some of you are thinking: _But I get interrupted. I get distracted._ But there’s a way to deal with interruptions — even if you don’t have a Secret Service detail to keep people out of your office. **3) Set Up Filters** Every morning the President gets a top secret document with everything he needs to know from the agencies beneath him. What’s key isn’t what the document contains, it’s what it doesn’t contain: 50 status updates, 100 tweets, 10 cat pictures and 1000 unimportant emails. **He can focus on what matters because he isn’t distracted by what doesn’t.** Meanwhile, you probably feel overwhelmed by information. Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- “I have information overload!”, you scream. But as technology visionary [Clay Shirky](http://www.amazon.com/Clay-Shirky/e/B001JPCHYC/?%5Fencoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=ur2&qid=1408887968&sr=1-2-ent&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=LN7MI3DXHGL5U75Y "undefined") says, **“It’s not information overload; it’s filter failure.”** Your attention is limited and valuable. You need less information. You need good filters. Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- **A good low-tech solution is to** [**hide for part of the day**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/schedule/ "undefined")**.** I’m as serious as a heart attack. Go where people cannot reach you and get solid work done. That’s not an option for everyone. I get it. No problem. But people who feel technology has left them overloaded with information are using it wrong. **Use technology like a DVR to time-shift your communications.** People should reach you when you want them to, not when they want to. **Handle all communications in specified “**[**batches**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined")**“: a set time when you check email, voicemail, etc.** Some people say, “I can’t do that.” But you probably can do it more than you think, especially early and late in the day. Maybe your boss wants you ridiculously responsive. Fine. **Set up an email filter so only the boss’s emails get through immediately.** Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- (For more on how to achieve work/life balance, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined").) So you’ve got reminders and filters and you’re not running around worried anymore. But when you sit down to work you realize there is still just too much to do. How can you keep calm when there are so many decisions to make? ### 5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now  Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item. Chris Pecoraro—Getty Images  Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'” Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage  Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help. Jetta Productions—Getty Images  Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit. by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF  Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally. Reza Estakhrian—Getty Images **_Related posts:_** [_8 Things The World’s Most Successful People All Have In Common_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/12/successful-people/ "undefined") **4) The Incredible Power of “Good Enough”** The President doesn’t make little decisions. The thousands of people working under him handle those so only the big stuff bubbles up to his agenda. But given you don’t have thousands of people working under you (or maybe _any_ for that matter) you handle every decision, business and personal. As I’ve said before, “[You can do anything once you stop trying to do everything.](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined")” Be a perfectionist about it all and you’ll have a nervous breakdown. **Save your** [**limited decision-making power**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/07/willpower/ "undefined") **for the things that matter. Everything else should be “satisficed.”** What is satisficing? It’s the art of quickly picking the option that is “good enough.” And research shows it’s the path to productivity — and [happiness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/ "undefined"). Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- **Will this decision result in you losing your job? No? Then opt for the “good enough” solution and focus on what matters most.** (For more on what the most successful people all have in common, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/12/successful-people/ "undefined").) Your boss’s priorities change midday. More stuff keeps getting added to your list. How can this not throw a monkeywrench into your well-laid plan? **5) “Mr. President, There’s Been A Change…”** When changes come up for the Commander-in-Chief he shifts seamlessly because his aides have already revised the day’s plans. So he stays calm. You can stay cool too, but it requires a little bit more effort. New things will come in, priorities will change and you need to process and adapt. **Always have your notebook ready to capture new ideas and to-do’s.** **And throughout the day you need moments of triage and “active sorting” where you restructure the list from your big brain dump.** Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- Once you update your list, apply the [Eisenhower Matrix](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined"). **When you know which category everything fits into, you can attack the list in a prioritized way.** (For more on how Navy SEALs, Astronauts and Samurai make good decisions, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/05/decision-making/ "undefined").) Okay, you are master of your schedule, your mind is empty and you’re ready to focus… Now what? **_Related posts:_** [_How To Achieve Work-Life Balance In 5 Steps_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/work-life-balance/ "undefined") **6) Have A “War Room”** Ever seen a picture of the President’s desk? Does it have piles of papers and 1000 random post-its? No. **Research shows a desk that looks like the aftermath of a natural disaster** [**saps your ability to concentrate**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/08/is-one-little-thing-stopping-you-from-being-m/ "undefined")**.** You don’t need to be a neat-freak but when it’s time for you to stop planning and be the VIP, **have a separate work area designed for focus.** Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- According to productivity guru [Tim Ferriss](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/ "undefined"), **focus is just the product of removing distractions.** **_Related posts:_**[_How to Have the Most Organized Year of Your Life_](http://time.com/3695418/most-organized-year/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") **So you want your VIP work area to have what the VIP needs. And nothing else.** ### You Asked: Your Top 10 Health Questions Answered  You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy? Potions that claim to clear your body of toxins might sound alluring, but do they deliver? Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Eating Dessert Really That Bad For Me? Bad news for sweet-eaters—except if you end your meals with this kind of treat. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth? Yes, teeth whitening actually works—but here's why you have to dish out major bucks to see results. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Meditation Really Worth It? From easing stress to lowering heart disease risk, focusing your mind can do some amazing things for your body. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What’s the Healthiest Sweetener? Take a taste of the unsettled science of sweeteners. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Should I Go Paleo? The pros and cons of eating like a caveman. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Cracking Your Knuckles Bad? Here's what really happens to your joints when you snap, crackle and pop. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Running on a Treadmill as Good as Running Outside? You'll fool your body into thinking it's outside with this one small treadmill tweak. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Does Laughing Have Real Health Benefits? Here's proof that everybody could use a belly laugh. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What Is My Poo Telling Me? If you listen hard enough, you'll hear all kinds of health stories from #2. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME Via [The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052595418X/ref=as%5Fli%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=052595418X&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20&linkId=6FOS5IKGFBXIKLEW "undefined"): --- > “” --- I can hear the whining already: _But I don’t have two offices! I barely have one!_ **This isn’t about real estate, it’s about mental space.** Your desk can be where you plan, but the VIP works on the couch. Or your desktop computer is for preparation, but the VIP works on your iPad (which deliberately lacks apps for Facebook, Twitter, etc.) When it’s time for VIP work you want everything you need to get the job done — and nothing else. **Your immediate environment should** [**make what you need to do easy and what you don’t need to do hard**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/04/whats-the-most-effective-way-to-change-you-be/ "undefined")**.** (For more tricks successful people use to make themselves great, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/most-organized-people/www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/most-successful-people/ "undefined").) So how do we pull all this together? **Sum Up** The steps to being as organized and calm as the Commander-in-Chief: 1. **Get your to-do’s out of your head and onto one document.** 2. **Lock in your calendar and set alarms so you don’t need to think about what’s next.** 3. **Use “batching” and filters so you only get the info you need when you need it.** 4. **Opt for “good enough” on the little decisions so you can focus on the big ones.** 5. **Regularly capture, triage and prioritize new items.** 6. **Have a “War Room” that contains what you need — and nothing else.** **Join over 100,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** You used to need a secretary vigilantly monitoring the phone all day… then came answering machines and voicemail. Technology has come a long way since then and with some planning you can use it to keep your cool and accomplish great things. It’s hard at first. And, yes, you’ll stumble. You’ll need to tweak and customize. But with time you’ll evolve a personal system that works. And you’ll learn the lesson that every VIP knows: [**The trickiest thing to learn to manage is yourself**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/insights-management-book/ "undefined")**. But once you can handle that, you can handle anything.** **_Join over 255,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email_** [**_here_**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**_._** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/ "undefined")**_._** ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4238711/6-things-organized-people-do-2/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4238711/6-things-organized-people-do-2/"},"headline":"6 Things the Most Organized People Do Every Day (26 Feb 2016)","datePublished":"2016-02-26T17:36:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:39:19.765Z","description":"Your attention is limited and valuable. You need less information. 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