9 Ways To Trick Yourself Into Being More Organized

Summary

In this episode of 'The Totally Chill Guide to Work and Life', Holly Trantham, the creative director at tfds, shares practical strategies for managing money and productivity without becoming overwhelmed. She discusses the ease of starting to invest with Betterment, the importance of setting reminders for tasks, applying the two-minute rule, leveraging AI for research, and pairing tasks with rewards. Holly also emphasizes the value of reworking household chores, decluttering systematically, and allowing oneself to deprioritize to maintain a balanced life.

Takeaways

• 😌 Holly Trantham, the creative director at tfds, discusses a relaxed approach to money and career decisions in 'The Totally Chill Guide to Work and Life'.
• 💰 Many people avoid making important financial decisions due to anxiety, especially without proper education or family guidance on the subject.
• 🤖 Holly recommends using automated investment platforms like Betterment to simplify the investment process and reduce the mental load.
• 📅 She suggests setting recurring calendar reminders for tasks, including annual bills and routine chores, to ensure they are not forgotten.
• ⏱ The two-minute rule is highlighted as a strategy to complete small tasks immediately, reducing the mental load and preventing procrastination.
• 🤖 AI platforms like chat GPT can assist in breaking down larger tasks and conducting research, helping to alleviate the stress associated with certain chores or projects.
• 🍰 Pairing an annoying task with a reward, as per the Premack Principle, can motivate individuals to complete unenjoyable chores more effectively.
• 🧹 Holly advises reworking the division of household labor, possibly through chore swapping, to avoid tasks that cause significant dread.
• 🧹 Decluttering and organizing should be done on separate days to prevent the cleaning process from becoming overwhelming.
• 📦 Implementing systems for clutter, such as using bins and baskets for easy tidying, can help control mess and simplify the organization process.
• 📱 To combat distractions, especially from phones, Holly recommends physically moving the phone away to create an environment conducive to focus.
• 🚫 Lastly, Holly emphasizes the importance of giving oneself permission to deprioritize certain tasks, acknowledging that it's impossible to do everything and that life should have room for spontaneity and enjoyment.

Q & A

Who is Holly Trantham and what is her role in the video?

Holly Trantham is the creative director at tfds and the host of the second season of 'The Totally Chill Guide to Work and Life'. She has been working behind the scenes on content across YouTube and other tf's channels and has also written a book titled 'Beyond Getting By'.

What is the main theme of the second season of 'The Totally Chill Guide to Work and Life'?

The main theme of the second season is to approach money and career decisions from a relaxed perspective, aiming to help viewers live the life they want without making these decisions their sole focus.

Why does Holly suggest that people often spend more energy worrying about money decisions rather than actually making them?

Holly suggests that people often worry more about making money decisions because it can be anxiety-inducing, especially for those who have not learned about it from their education or family, and the energy spent worrying can be greater than the effort required to make the decision.

What is Betterment and how does it simplify the investment process according to Holly?

Betterment is an automated investment platform that simplifies the investment process by asking users a few simple questions about their goals, timeline, and other factors. It then uses automated tools like portfolio rebalancing and dividend reinvestment to make investing easy for the user.

What does Holly mean by 'productivity for productivity's sake' and why is she against it?

Holly refers to 'productivity for productivity's sake' as the pursuit of being productive without a clear purpose, just for the sake of being busy. She is against it because she believes productivity should be about freeing up time and energy for the parts of life that truly matter, rather than being an end in itself.

What is the 'two-minute rule' that Holly mentions and how can it help with productivity?

The 'two-minute rule' is a productivity technique that states if a task can be completed in two minutes or less, it should be done immediately. This helps reduce the mental load of constantly remembering to do small tasks and can prevent procrastination.

How does Holly suggest using AI platforms like chat GPT to break down larger tasks?

Holly suggests using AI platforms to help with tasks that are time-consuming, such as research or project planning. These tools can help reduce the time spent on these tasks, allowing individuals to focus on other aspects of their work or personal life.

What is the 'Premack Principle' and how does Holly recommend using it to tackle annoying tasks?

The 'Premack Principle' is a psychological theory that states that a more probable activity can be used as a reward for a less probable one. Holly recommends using this principle by pairing an annoying task with a reward to motivate oneself to complete the undesired task.

What is the importance of dividing household labor equitably according to Holly?

Dividing household labor equitably is important to prevent one person from bearing the mental load of household chores. Holly suggests chore swapping if there is a task that one person dreads more than another, to distribute the burden fairly.

How does Holly recommend managing clutter and maintaining an organized home?

Holly recommends having systems in place for clutter, such as using empty bins and baskets around the home to quickly tidy up items. She also suggests adopting a 'tidy as you go' mindset and decluttering and cleaning on different days to prevent the task from feeling overwhelming.

What is the key takeaway from the book '4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals' that Holly shares?

The key takeaway from '4,000 Weeks' is that it's impossible to make time for everything that feels important. The book encourages readers to accept that they will never feel completely on top of things and to prioritize what truly matters, rather than trying to do everything.