Everyone struggles with finding the best way to be productive and organized.

Personally, I have for years. Journals full of random notes, an assortment of sticky notes, and year after year of unused planners can attest to that!

But what changed for me was realizing that I wasn't working with my natural rhythms. And as soon as that clicked, I started to understand that getting organized and finding ways to be productive wasn't that hard—I was just doing the wrong thing.

Here's what I should have done instead:

Create an energy calendar

Print out a weekly calendar that has hourly blocks, and get your colored pencils ready! While this can be done electronically, I highly recommend a paper version.

Hour by hour, fill in the blocks with the color that most represents how that time of day feels to you. Don't think too hard about it; the first color that comes to mind is often the best choice.

When all the blocks are filled with color, go through each color and create a legend for yourself. For me, I found colors like blue to mean low energy or sleepy, while yellow might mean that I tend to feel bright and cheerful.

Now, take a look at the calendar and compare it to your normal weekly schedule. Where are you putting tasks that don't match up with the energy level or mood you have during that time of day?

I first discovered this idea in The Write Type by Karen Peterson, and it absolutely changed everything. The beauty of it is that your calendar will be unique to you!

By figuring out how you feel throughout the days and weeks, you can plan your tasks for the times that suit them. I can guarantee it will make you happier, more productive, and most importantly - more creative!