Life can be chaotic and overwhelming. We all need to take time to stop, calm down and take a deep breath. Everything can feel as though it is rushing past us, and we can often feel like we don’t have any control.

Before you know it, the weekend has arrived, and the entire week has been a surreal, stressful blur. You can, however, take control and organize your week so it is more relaxed.

Look at these simple tips to start managing your own time effectively and getting some normality back into your schedule.

How to organize a busy week:

Buy a journal. This may seem like an obvious step, but as busy people, we are always taking mental notes and storing them in the back of our minds, promising ourselves that we will tackle them at some point. Why not get them out of your head by physically writing them down in a journal?

• Buy a journal that suits you. There are tons of custom designs online, or you could be extra creative and decorate one that speaks to your personality. You’ll be more likely to use a diary properly if you feel connected to it and you want to pick it up.
• Use a physical journal to write down notes and schedule appointments. The physical act of writing an appointment down will likely make you remember your appointments more and may help to reduce stress.

Use a whiteboard. Get a whiteboard for your kitchen, or for an area where you spend a lot of time, and write down different tasks that you need to complete.

• Use different colors for different tasks. You will find yourself remembering what you need to do every time you glance at the whiteboard. It might also be less overwhelming as the thoughts won’t constantly be racing around in your mind.

Make a list and prioritize your tasks. If you have multiple jobs or a busy social calendar, it may be hard to keep track of everything at once. While a diary and a whiteboard will help, strategizing and putting your ideas down in order or priority can create a tidier mind.

• Consider what needs to be done first and what you can put off for a while. Organize your tasks in order of absolute priority and consider financial benefits, personal gain, and which tasks are stressing you out the most.
• Remember, getting the stressful tasks out of the way first frees up time for more enjoyable ones.

Factor in some downtime. Even if your week is packed to the brim full of activities and time, factor in some time to do something you enjoy. Schedule it in to make sure you get time to yourself.

• Whether you enjoy a relaxing bath or indulge in your favorite television show, having some time to yourself breaks up your stressful week and gives you time to reset and look forward to something you want to do.

Create a tick list! This is quite a simple tip, but one that many people find effective. Simply writing down everything you need to do and then ticking off the different jobs as you progress through them will make you feel more in control.

• The physical act of removing a job from your list will give you satisfaction and control as you see the job list slowly decreasing. You’ll feel more in control and gain a real sense of achievement.

Life doesn’t have to be overwhelming. While it’s true that sometimes, we can’t eliminate busy periods from our lives, we can do our best to manage them and take back control.