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0:52 Organization 1:39 (1) Don't Rely too much on their brain to store information 3:02 (2) Label All Things (that need labeling) 4:12 (3) Build a Mindfulness Loop 6:24 (4) Have a backup (2 is 1, 1 is none) 7:25 (5) Organizing by Experience, not by dogma 8:14 (6) Respect the phrase "mise en place" 9:15 (7) Be deliberate about the things you own

My parents are the definition of unorganized. I have been trying to organize myself and the home for a while now and I can’t tell you how incredibly frustrating it is to fight against 4 people.

"Put that thing back where it came from or so help me!" - Mike Waszowski

When I was growing up, my father had the reputation of being the most productive employee they had. No one could figure it out. He was constantly stopping..shooting the breeze. Never seemed to have anywhere in particular to go. Extremely easy going. He told me when I got older that he would get up around 5 am..three hours before he needed to leave the house. Got himself a cup of coffee..and in the early hours, mentally review his day. What needed doing. What tools he would need..how long tasks might take. Then..when he got to work..would pack his van with the day's tools and supplies, IN THE ORDER HE WOULD NEED THEM, then put them in job pails in the order they would be needed per task in his van. Then..when he got to the job site..which, because of his approach, was always later than anyone else..he would work through the pails, getting his tasks done in a fraction of the time the others took because he wasn't spending timevrunning back and forth to his van, or runs to the shop to pick up missing materials. He would finish hours before everybody else with way more done,, leaving him plenty of time to do what he loved best--shooting the breeze. Probably because of my father, efficiency and effectiveness are my first loves. People don't know how powerful those two little things are. My dad used to tell me exactly the same thing. There are two ways to do things: the right way and again. He NEVER said..my way. It was--the right way..or again. Something else he would tell me: practice the habit of touching things once. Much like putting things back exactly as you found them..folliw through so you don't have to come back to it. For instance..don't leave your keys on the counter with the mail. Put the keys in their place..mail still in hand..throw out the junk mail..sort the rest and put with the others..open and ready to go. Finish everything to its best possible end without moving on. It sounds time consuming and subtractive but it saves HUGE amounts of time. And..btw..my favorite movie is Life With Father. It's an older movie about the man whose considered the father of organizational skills..and so cute!

I feel like you’re literally talking about my life. I’ve discussed all of these habits with my husband. Most people think I’m “too organized,” but honestly, being organized gives you the freedom to maximize your life and do spontaneous activities without hindering your goals or success. It’s the best of both worlds!

"Two is one, one is none" Girls usually learn this one when we start having to carry tampons in all our bags just in case...

I don't want depression to be an excuse anymore. i'm going to force myself to practice this asap

I have ADHD. What this means for me in terms of organization is this: I know that I am not going to remember. Whatever it is, I cannot count on myself to remember it, no matter how important it is. Timers and notes and lists are requisite, not optional. I don't have time NOT to take a couple seconds and set the timer or write a list etc. This is a boundary I have to defend when people want me to do things fast, nownownow! I have to do it this way. Full stop. What you say about labeling is spot-on. Absolutely. When we broke down flat-pack furniture to move it, I dropped the screws, as they came off, into a plastic freezer bag, which I had labeled as "Drafting table hardware." I also wrote on it which screwdriver/Allen wrench puts it together. If it has a special tool, well, that drops into the bag too. And this tapes with shipping tape to the underside of the desk/ around a strut, and then the whole pile of pieces get wrapped with pallet wrap to make a coherent package, which then got labeled as to what it was and what room it was going to in the move. This took a little longer. It was worth the time spent. Chaos around me means chaos in the brain.

Your father's a wise man. I know it wasn't the topic today, but the first rule/saying was great, it's not wrong, it just needs doing again!

I totally agree with your point which many people don’t see : “The more things you that you own, the more energy and time you have to spend maintaining and storing and keeping them organized.”

Therapist: you have anxiety Me: No, I'm mindful of my dependencies

When I pack, I write out my list by pretending I'm taking a shower. Starting from hair to toes are my bathroom products (clothing, nail clippers, polish, soap, all that good stuff) and then I pretend I'm going to my class. I pretend I'm having a bad today in class so I would not miss anything. For example: whoops cant find a certain color pen or made a mistake and need white out or i need food around a certain time. Always bring snacks, a water bottle, and a change purse. Mhm prepared

My mom says something Similar to your dad, that her mom told her and now I tell my son “lazy people work double”

"TWO IS ONE AND ONE IS NONE", simple as it may seem, has changed my life in an incredible way. I just couldn´t be more grateful about that advice

As a naturally organized person, I organize my kitchen by frequency of use. It looks a bit odd to most people, but I organized it for ME, not for them.

My dad used to make me and brother write a weekly schedule from what time we would take a bath in the morning to how much will we will use the internet and television time. I thought it was torture but now that im older I NEED A SCHEDULE. love you dad

I had a professor who said: we have no time for doing the things in the right way, but we always have time to do them again?

Thank you Tom! I've actually been reading your blog since I was a freshman in college, which was almost 6 years ago now. I'm an iOS developer now and I still use your videos and advice every day to stay organized and motivated. Cheers to the New Year! Thanks for this video. Turns out I do about half of these just from following your advice from previous vids. :)

Plan in buffer zones in your schedule for unexpected events and delays. In my experience, people who are always late for everything and get incredibly stressed about every little hick up are those with the unreasonable expectation that everything will go ideally and the world will bow to their plans. Organized people factor in randomness and others with competing agendas.

Wow! You have described the way my mind works! I have never been able to put into words the constant “checks and balances” my mind does in the background. “Mindfulness Loop” is exactly it! I love to be organized and feel like I will drop the ball on something if I’m not! Thank you for making this video. Now I know nothing is wrong with me and I’m not crazy! 😆

Wow! I Do all 7 of these things. I might have gone a bit too far to organize my home like an inventory warehouse with quantities, maintenance schedules, grouped items, priority scores, and much more. These skills are really good for organizing a person's of family's budget, income, expenses, and transactions.

Totally awesome video! 👏 I grew up in chaos and became organized as a way to keep my sanity. I do all 7 and people think I'm nuts, but I save lots of time and have greater productivity. Thanks for confirming I'm not alone!☺️

I really liked how you started with a solid "why" when entering into the "Brilliant" ad portion. It really increased the perceived value and I don't see that in youtube sponsor messages. Nice job

You are the only organizer who talks of people, animals, plants that rely on us for their well being!!! So VERY important!!!!👏🏻

im a minimalist there is nothing to organize

You've really helped me change my life and turn into a really mature and organized teenager. Loveyou man!

You have no idea how how helpful this is! My brain is so disorganized! Its tends to be a big issue with adhd so it takes someone such as YOURSELF!! To help us conceptualize n learn how to start being organized. Thanks 🌱 this will def help out my gardening

In all the years when I was thrown into the deep end, each time in a new job, in a different sector and in a different position, I had to learn new things quickly. Only because I always wanted to structure new knowledge, I was able to absorb it more quickly. So far, I've stuck to the idea that I have to organise everything, think about dependencies and present them visually. It helps a lot! Thank you for your content 😊

Great tips. After years of trying to make myself use a store-bought planner or apps, bullet journaling has been the best way for me to stay organized.

Love it. You have been given huge gift by your parents time and education. Applause for them. And thanks to you, I have two new things to improve.

this is so useful! I've been doing all of these things without realizing it already but I would like to point out #4, having backups is often times not feasible if you're on a budget... I suggest planning ahead, for example, meal planning each week and sticking to it to make sure you buy exactly enough!

That awkward moment when you realize that you actually do all 7 things but you always felt self-conscious about it because people think you waste your time.

Mise en place! That’s me😅 saves me a lot of time & money. Recently I’m working on being a minimalist & being more self disciplined when buying things & food. Im also working on being more organized when it comes to electronic files, emails & picture documents. I love organization! I’m glad there’s ppl like me out there😋

I am so glad this showed up in my feed! I have a feeling I will be referring to it again and again.

This is an old video I've seen a while ago, but it reminded me how many changes happened to my personality and mindset, and I'm kinda an organized person now! Yet still working on it. Anyways I have to thank you cause your videos were a big part of those changes. A really big part. Thank you so much and hopefully I'll always get to enjoy and learn from your videos and tips. Thank you again, Thomas.

These are all so true. My favorite tip is drawing a dependency map. This would definitely improve my ability to think ahead. Thanks for putting out this video.

This channel is top notch for anybody who is into productivity. Keep up the fantastic work Thomas.

Want two more tips? Check out this video's companion article: collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-be-organized/

I started a new role in my organization last year and I have started implementing these tactics (i.e. labeling and writing down all the things, have a back up) and it has made life so much easier.

I find your videos more useful when I have a relaxed mind than when I'm stressed or depressed. I always over insult myself when things don't go as planned, so videos like this are more salt on the wound when something gets out of hand. But with a fresher mind, I absorb this info more easily, and I have a better chance of following advice. Thank you very much for these videos.

I used to be a complete mess, hiding behind excuses like "oh I am an organic thinker" until I realized that things were spinning out of control. Ever since I have been on a constant learning curve to become more organized. Thank you. This speaks to my soul.

I'm a retired elementary school librarian. I'm organized to a tee! I can't work if my life wasn't organized. One of my best tips in the kitchen: Put all your recipe ingredients on the left of your bowl/pan, add ingredients as they are called for on the recipe, put used ingredients on the right of the bowl/pan. When finished adding, put everything away before mixing. I also keep a "running" grocery list. That way, I don't run out of anything. Lynne

Thanks for sharing you fathers advice 1. Two ways to do things: right or again 2.Always put things back where you found them

You have been such a pillar in my life! Thank you as always for your great content!

Watching these types of videos makes me want to start all over again. Throw away everything I own and have a fresh new start but I know that’s not how it works. 2019 will be the year of self improvement and creating good habits and good lifestyle.

You say you are not a minimalist, but I would say you are! The keys to minimalism are keeping things that are useful, bring joy, and help you live in the present instead of the past. If a poster of Megaman gives you joy, keep it! The number or things don't matter, its the mental freedom, utility, and long lasting happiness they bring to your life :).

Love, love these tips! Keeping a few in my back pocket if I should ever find a move down the road. Cheers!

It looks like I’m an organized person disguised as a messy one. I do all but the last one. It’s hard to combat an unorganized upbringing, but slowly I’ve been transforming my life. This is so encouraging!

God, modern life is so complicated.

Over the last 5 years or more, I build up to all of the things on this list. I thought I was obsessive, because no other person I know does things that way. But as it turns out now, I am just organized.

I consider myself an organized person, but I notice that a lot of the tools I use are repetitive, example multiple emails and task tools, so I am now organizing and getting rid of organization tools. This video was helpful in reminding me why I organize diligently. Our digital space is just as important as our physical environment . 🌱 😊 Take it one step at a time.

Start a list and definitely write things down..Keep a calendar and don't rely on your memory, especially for essential tasks. Thanks for this

I could have written this. I have been practicing organizing for about 30 years and constantly adding to my skills. It took years of training and discipline. I found that the whole key is to invest a little time in the beginning in order to save much more time in the future. Lots of friends want to be able to do what I do but they all openly admit that they don’t want to invest the initial time to get their organized life off and running. This is like saying I want to be able to play the piano but I don’t want to practice to become competent! It takes work but it is well worth the time invested for the time it saves...and did I mention efficiency? I can eat a complete healthy breakfast and prepare to go out in the morning in less than 15 minutes now because I have everything set up in an organized system...unfortunately I am retired now and it doesn’t matter as much now as it did when I had a career...oh well.

"Thank You", thank you VERY much 😀 Your presentation was REALLY good, and I will follow through 😎🤔😎

Lov your videos Thomas ! Thx for the link above! I finished University 3 decades ago, but I still have a thirst for knowledge and active learning ...so I just signed up for an annual subscription to Brillant and I am loving it!

I enjoyed all parts of this video. Not only will I use this and watch again over with a pen and notebook but I will have my 8 yr old daughter watch. Love it! I would like to hear more about your parents input in your life as a child. I’m having difficulty with my kids being mindful and skillful. Thank you!

1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, check... 1 can use some work and I have to start work on 2, but for the rest i'm set. I'm really organised ^^

You changed my life! ❤️

You have no idea how much I love your channel!keep going bro.good luck💪🏻❤

Your videos always teach something valuable ; something worth-keeping and practically useful.. Keep up the good job. Thanks a lot.

I'm a chef and this made me realise how disorganized I really am. I would describe myself as organized but for some reason I haven't translated Mise en place to life outside work.

I feel like this is the first UKposts video I’ve watched in a long time that I actually got helpful content out of. Thanks 🙏

This is a brilliant video, I especially like the links to systems thinking and organization which you discuss in this video. I believe I have been doing all of these behaviours throughout my adult life (although I think I have a little bit of excess computer component parts which should be tidied up). The way I organized CDs while I was younger was "Alpha by band, then release date", it made adding new CDs really easy. I've translated this system to MP3 organization a while ago, so now it looks like this BandName\[19XX] - Title of Album\01 - TrackName.mp3 . This way it's always easy for me to find the latest releases (usually most bands I listen to release things once per year). I had a quick through the companion article and really think it is great as well. Thank you again for this, I appreciate how you summed up this information.

Hey Thomas! I just wanted to thank you a lot for all of your videos. Before I found out about your videos I was procrastinating and not making my HS homework. But when I found out about them at the beginning of 2018 you motivated me to actually go work. Now looking back on this year I can't thank you enough. I finally feel like I have the time to do all my homework, I don't really play games anymore, I meditate 10 minutes a day and read 5 productivity books that you recommended. Now I've got better grades, feel happier at school and can still persue all my hobbies. Now the fact is that no one is perfect and I'm still learning and I am still procrasinating and still have bad days. But everyone has this, even the best productivity experts. Still can't thank you enough Nola :-) tl;dr love you thomas

I use Bullet journaling to keep track of what I have to do, or did. I like it because you can adjust it to what works best with you. I'm using a different notebook to make collections.. lists. Things to do but that I don't think I'd do for a while, etc. The always having 2 things. I do try to have some reserves but it depends on what. Also clearly this rule and the minimalist thinking don't match. I don't think you need to have just an x amount of things to be a minimalist and that you need to get rid of stuff that you use only 1 or 2x a year. Not that I see myself as a minimalist but every now and then I try to declutter. It's been a while though and my spare rooms feel like storage rooms right now.

"Prokaryotic" - nice. Thanks for the new word! And thanks for the excellent advice. I don't do any of these things (or at least not fully and consciously), and am very, very ready to move to calm from chaos. Nice work

Hello Mr. Thomas Frank. I never watch any of your videos 'til today. Thank You for sharing with all of us. Your information in this video was very clear-&-helpfull.

All this stuff in the face of ADHD and depression, while absolutely on-point, is _incredibly_ hard work - like wading uphill through treacle. 🥺

wow, i guess i'm really an organized person. i've been doing all of those things for a long time now.

Please make another video about your folder setup, the way you organize it, etc. in detail. Really appreciate it, man! Happy New Year 2019 • I'm striving to be an organized individual. Thanks for the insight!

I would really like to see a more in depth breakdown of the process of building mindfulness loops. Maybe a recommended dependency list to help people building a system for themselves consider dependencies they might not have thought of but are likely to have. I'm really loving your work right now. It's just what I need.

Ah! Only now I'm realising that I'm such an organised person! All 7 tick ☑️ :) Thank you!

Your father and I would get along well! Especially the second tenant - put it back where it belongs (which is the cousin of "everything should have a specific place"). I probably get in an extra 1,000 steps / day putting things back where they belong the moment I'm finished using them - I've never regretted it.

This is the first of your videos that I’ve seen. I am impressed and have subscribed. Thank you!

This is my first time watching one of your videos. I really enjoyed this content, as it's such an innovative and thoughtful way to look at organization. Muy Bien!

Just what I needed before going into 2019 :)

Some years ago when I was more interested in organization etc I thought about planning. I read and watched a lot about this topics but I made my own systems. Everything is simple and effective for me, I use just word and excel. I've been keeping with this for 2~+ years consistently and it's been improving. I think it's releated to this 5th thing from video. Btw if someone needs motivation to be more organized I recommend watching anime baby steps. It changed my life and gave me courage to pursue my dreams.

Excellent and well done!!!, nothing is more frustrating to repeat tasks because of no structure. Structure gives impetus to future configuration and time utilization.

Thank you so much man,I really needed this advice 👍

Tracking everything is a great way to be organized

I can't believe I do all 7 of them. Seriously, my self-esteem just skyrocketed.

Thank you very much for giving this tips on how to ogranize things. It really helps me as a VA doing social media management which I can manage myself working on different clients. Great content!

Watching your videos on loop 😊 loving each of them 💜 a little bit of overwhelmed because of consuming so much

Hey Thomas Frank , love your videos man !!! Your videos Inspire me to work harder , it motivates me to unbelievable extent . My words of appreciation are not enough to contain the optimism you have created in youth and upcoming generations......Sir , Your fan from Pakistan with lots of Love Ali Saif

I love how I can always tell when you're about to talk about the sponsor purely by the change in music hahaha

love the excellent tips, and happy to be a self proclaimed OCD organized person :-) a good saying "everything in its place and a place for everything" you will never lose anything ever again

I love this video and it is very needed as we get through the rest of 2020. Thank You!

Could you do a video on your computer organization. I'm interested in those tree folders

I freaking love the “mindfulness loop” explanation versus “I nag my kids to brush their teeth.” 🤣

Hey-o! I do these! Maybe not as thoroughly and constantly as people more organized than me, though. Thanks for the confidence boost and tips to help me get even better!

You're good man. Keep up the data driven material, very helpful.

Hey, what do you think of Lawrence Peter's quote: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” ? Thanks

I think of myself as quite organised. But there is a big downfall. Whenever I have a holiday and I visit my parents, I become the most unorganized person. My sleep pattern, the food I eat, the amount of things I do, it all changes drastically. Do you have any tips/videos on how to keep organised if you're in a totally different location than usual.

Wow. Gotta listen again-and take notes. Thank you!

Thank you so much Thomas! Can’t wait to be more organized

I used to procrastinate on the important tasks of the day and do the smaller tasks first and realised that didn't have enough time to do the important stuff. For me personally, when I started using the Pareto Principle it literally changed my life. Once you realise that 20% of your actions will provide 80% of the results you start to look at things from a different perspective.

Tom doesn't call himself a minimalist, but then he says "I do take care to buy things that bring me value, that bring me joy or utility. I don't keep things around if they're not useful to me and let them clutter up my space." Isn't that the core of what minimalism is?

Brooo!! I do all 7 of these!!! I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Thank you for putting this into video form, it's very organized! 🤗

Wow what a video! N believe it or not I always had these ideas but u just organized n presented it so beautifully n to the point. Best wishes for reaching out to more n more individuals seeking to learn n grow better each day👍👍👍