The Benefits of Being Organized

Getting Started

The Bible has plenty to say about the importance of being organized and managing our lives. For example:

• “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people” (1 Corinthians 14:33). This verse explains that God is a god of peace and not disorder, and that being organized will bring calmness and peace into our lives.
• “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’” (Luke 14:28–30). This verse discusses the process for taking on a project, showing that we must first know what we have and what we need to complete a project – this sounds like organization!
• “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds” (Proverbs 27:23). This verse challenges us to “know the state of our flocks, and attend to our herds.” This translates in today’s world into knowing the state of our finances and attending to our school work. In the time this was written, flocks and herds were the financial livelihood for a family.
• “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40). This is the best verse in support of organization, because it tells us directly that all things must be done decently and in order.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate character, scholarship, and leadership in becoming a world changer through application of course content to personal life and professional social work practice.

Resources

• Bible

Background Information

Along with the spiritual benefits of being organized, research shows that organized people enjoy many other personal benefits. For instance, organized people tend to have reduced levels of stress, reduced levels of depression and anxiety, better physical health, healthier overall quality of relationships, higher rates of productivity, better relaxation, and better sleep, and, oh yeah…organized students tend to be more successful in college! Plenty of research is available to help college students become more organized.

Below are some tips for becoming more organized:

• Don’t Rush: Wake up early enough for school to arrive there well ahead of time.
• Avoid Clutter: At the beginning of the school year, you have no clutter. Be careful not to build clutter as the year progresses.
• Make To-Do Lists: Always spend a minimum of 15 minutes per day preparing your “to-do list” for tomorrow. In doing so, you will know exactly what tasks you have to accomplish the next day.
• Have an Effective Study Area: Designate a quiet, well-lit area for studying. Don’t study in front of the television or in an area of your home where you are bound to be distracted…and yes, NO CELL PHONE or FACEBOOK.
• Get Your Beauty Sleep: Get a good night’s rest. This will ensure you are alert and ready to learn the following day.
• Eat Healthy: Eat three healthy meals each day, along with fruit for snacks. Do not overload on sweets, which cause many people to feel tired. Yes, that’s right – no Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds.
• Avoid Overload: While you may sign up for extra school activities, such as basketball or cheerleading, do not take on too much.
• Use a Planner: Use a good student planner or organizer.
• Use One Calendar: Use one calendar to plan all of your school and personal activities, rather than two or more. When you use more than one, you run the risk of scheduling conflicts and missed appointments.
• Write It Down: When you learn of an upcoming test, event, or anything you must prepare for or attend, immediately jot it in your planner. Do not wait for later, or you may forget about it.
• Schedule Consistent Study Times: Set aside time every day for study, and make it consistent.
• Break It Up: Break up big tasks into smaller, bite-sized jobs. For instance, if you have to study three chapters in your research textbook, study one chapter at a time each day.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following discussion prompts:
   1. Do you pray to God and ask Him to give you the wisdom to be more organized?
   2. Do you find you are more focused and productive when organized?
   3. Do you find you are better at managing your time more effectively with some things than with others?
   4. How do you feel in the situations of your life that are more organized?
   5. Do you think you are better at achieving your goals when organized?