38 Systems I Use to Streamline My Life
By: Haley Johnson
Tags: Productivity, Work, Organization

I believe that productivity happens through intention. And there’s nothing I love more than easy, repeatable systems that make my life easier and clear up more space for the things I’m passionate about. Here are the systems currently in place in my life to keep things organized and streamlined.

(And I’d love to hear about yours! Comment with your favorites).

1. I keep track of my long-term goals and short-term check-ins with Google Slides.

I created a Google Slides presentation that essentially acts as an ever-shifting workbook, always available to reference and modify. I included my mission statement, long-term goals, weekly check-ins, a section for what I’m trying to learn for the month, and monthly takeaways — all to inform my strategy for the following month. This keeps me oriented towards my goals and constantly in a learning mindset.

2. I manage appointments, important events, recurring events, and recurring tasks with Google Calendar.

I use Google Calendar to manage all events in my personal life. I keep track of birthdays and recurring events by setting up a repeating events. I keep track of gift ideas within the description of the birthday events. I use the reminders feature to set up recurring reminders to move my car for street sweeping and give my dog his medication every month. And I set reminders for the future every time I go to the dentist, renew my car registration, or get my oil changed.

3. I use the checklist feature on the side of my Google Calendar to keep track of running to-do lists.

I like this feature because my to-do lists are right next to my calendar, so I can see them within the context of my weekly or monthly schedule. I have lists like my moving checklist, savings goals, and my mini bucket list of things I want to try.

4. I created a somewhat coordinated file structure for my personal computer documents, Google Drive folders, email folders, and bookmarks bar.

That way, files, emails, and bookmarks all fall within the same categories. I’ll routinely update these folders, too.

5. I create filters for my email to keep my inbox organized.

I use several Gmail accounts (one personal, one work, and one for spam/extra storage). I set up several kinds of filters. Promo emails go directly to trash. I filter my newsletters into several different folders (business, personal).

6. I keep a list of people to check in with regularly.

Lists keep me organized, and that includes with people. I keep a list of people in my life to check with regularly. The list changes — I’ll add new people that I’m interested in developing relationships with, and I’ll remove people. I include family, people in my professional networks, certain acquaintances, and old friends. It can be surprising how much time can pass between checking in with the people that matter.

7. I schedule cards every month with Postable.

Because I track all important dates in my Google Calendar, at the beginning of the month I’ll sit down and schedule out birthday, graduation, or thank you cards to anyone popping up that month. With Postable, you can simply send your personalized link to anyone in your life and they can add their information via a quick form. You can also set up recurring cards (though I don’t do this because then they’re all the same).

8. I have a gift box that I stock regularly.

I keep gifts that I could give to almost anyone that I find in local stores, as well as supplies like candles, wrapping paper, ribbon, and cards. If I ever need a last-minute gift or a little something extra, I can always go to the box without having to run last-minute errands.

9. I have a handful of gifts from companies I like to support that I give to everyone.

I have a list of companies I like to support — usually small, local, and mission-driven companies (like Vega Coffee, Thistle Farms, and Unite to Light). I’ll give these gifts at some point to everyone on my list, which makes gift-giving a little more systemized, supports the companies I believe in, and increases awareness for the issues these companies support.

10. I organize my closet by color.

I find that it’s easiest to get dressed when I’m reaching for a specific color. I wear a lot of neutrals in order to match clothes easily, so my closet is basically organized by white, gray, tan, black, and a small section of color.

11. I set aside a seasonal budget for planned capsule wardrobe updates.

This system is new, so we’ll see if I keep it around. But right now, I’m setting aside a budget for routine wardrobe overhauls each season — two major overhauls before summer and winter, and two smaller overhauls before spring and fall. Each refresh includes a purge of old items (that are worn out, or that I never wear), and the addition of a few seasonal pieces (like coats, or swimwear).

12. I shop at consignment and thrift stores, with the exception of hard-to-find pieces.

Thrifting keeps my wardrobe sustainable and affordable. The only things I choose to buy new are hard-to-find staple pieces — a nice heeled boot or everyday jeans. With those staple pieces, I’ll try to find a quality brand and buy on repeat.

13. I workout at a gym, with classes and people I know.

This is a more recent choice, as gyms can get pricey. But after the pandemic, I learned just how unrealistic it is for me to work out at home. I’m terrible at it, especially while working from home. Showing up at a gym keeps me motivated and accountable in a way that’s important for me. Health is an investment, and one of the most important ones you can make.

14. I track my health with Daylio.

If I’m ever trying to uncover patterns or track symptoms in order to provide a detailed report for my doctor (or myself), I’ll use Daylio. Daylio is both simple and customizable, and allows you to track whatever it is you need to easily. You can also export your data to a .csv to bring to your doctor. I don’t think this is specifically what Daylio is designed for, but it works perfectly.

15. I use Pocketguard for budgeting and overall financial tracking.

What I like about Pocketguard is that it’s fairly customizable, but also simple. It combines all my various accounts (high-yield saving, Roth IRA, 401k, investment accounts, credit card, cash, and checking) in one place, so I can easily track my spending, saving, and net worth. I use the app to set my budget, set savings goals, and ensure I’m on track.

16. I pay my credit card and update my budget weekly.

I’m sure this won’t always been my system, but right now, I pay my credit card and review Pocketguard to get my head around my money goals and budget for each week. If anything is out of line, this gives me the opportunity to self-correct.

17. I automate transfers into savings, investment, and retirement accounts.

I set up automatic transfers that align with my financial goals, so a certain amount is set aside each month without me having to lift a finger.

18. I keep items for references in a “Reference” folder in iPhone Notes.

Things like frequent flyer numbers, my license plate number, etc.

19. I delete photos on planes.

My photos tend to pile up, until I have thousands of photos I never touch. I usually use long car rides or plane trips to delete duplicate photos, screenshots, and photos I don’t want anymore to free up storage and declutter. I usually search my photos by month to deal with more manageable chunks.

20. I use folders in my iPhone Contacts app to group family, work, and healthcare contacts.

This is especially useful when I’m trying to find my doctor’s phone number, especially doctors from the past when I’m trying to retrieve medical records. I simply go to my “Healthcare” folder in my contacts and find who I’m looking for.

21. I use Amazon Subscribe and Save for repeat purchases.

To reduce errands and ensure I don’t run out of anything important, I use Amazon Subscribe and Save for many repeat purchases — like toothpaste, trash bags, and laundry detergent. To make sure I don’t get anything I don’t need, I have a Google Calendar reminder set to remind me to review my order each month.

22. I have a morning routine — though I’m working on it.

Having a morning routine, of course, ensures that certain important things happen each morning. I’ve shifted through many different morning routines, depending on what’s going on in my life. Currently, my morning routine consists of feeding my dog, making coffee, taking my supplements, drinking lemon water, and making a to-do list.

23. I sync up fun events with my partner using Raft.

I like Raft because it’s simple. I add trips I’m taking with my partner, and Raft will remind both of us when it’s coming up. There’s a picture, a countdown, and a place in the app to make notes about the event. That’s about it, and that’s all I want. This way, my partner and I have something to look forward to together, and our calendars are synced up.

24. I organic my iPhone home screen with widgets and folders.

I like to keep my home screen simple and super functional. I have three square widgets — Google Calendar, Maps, and an affirmation widget. I have six folders — Food+Health, Entertainment, Photo+Video, Travel, Work, and Money. I keep Gmail, Google Calendar, Safari, Raft, Pocketguard, and Microsoft Teams out of folders and easily accessible. And I keep my Phone, Spotify, Notes, and Messages on my bottom bar.

25. I keep my plants alive with Planta.

Planta helps me keep track of when to water, mist, clean, fertilize, and repot my plants, based on my zip code and where each plant is in my house — without me really having to do anything. I just get a notification from Planta, and my plants don’t die.

26. I save podcasts on Spotify.

What I don’t like about Apple Podcasts is that there’s really no good way to organize your podcasts. Luckily, Spotify has fixed this, so I organize my podcasts into folders — podcasts I want to listen to, and reference podcasts that I want to listen to again.

27. I keep cleaning simple with castile soap, white vinegar, baking powder, essential oils, and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

With these ingredients, you can make everything from toilet bowl cleaner to hand soap to window spray. I label spray bottles and squeeze bottles with each recipe, and it keeps my cleaning supplies really easy, simple, and cheap. The Magic Erasers are in there because they just work really well for to quickly clean anything.

28. I restock all grocery essentials at the beginning of the month.

To limit my grocery runs, I’ll restock all shelf-stable or freeze-able grocery items at the beginning of the month — chicken, rice, lentils, chickpeas, kombucha, nut butters, etc. That way, my additional grocery runs for the rest of the month mostly consist of produce.

29. I meal prep at the beginning of the week.

I find meal prepping drastically streamlines my life, saving me time and money. I’m lucky in that I have no problem eating the same few meals on repeat for months straight before I shake things up, so my meal prepping is fairly simple.

30. I use Yummly to maximize the ingredients I have.

Yummly lets you add ingredients from saved recipe to your grocery list, so you don’t have to cross-reference recipes in the grocery store. You can also search by ingredients and dietary preferences, so it’s just a really easy place to find new recipes.

31. I muted almost everyone on social media.

A long time ago, I manually unfollowed everyone I’m friends with on Facebook. That way, Facebook acts a bit more like an address book and a tool for work, without the clutter. And recently, I manually muted most people I follow on Instagram (as well as unfollowing hundreds more), for much of the same reason. When I open my account, there’s a certain way I want to feel — inspired, educated, interested. I muted most people to allow for the posts and stories that do show up to do just that — inspire me. Truly, I feel different, and I would recommend it.

32. I buy the same personal products on repeat.

For products that I use often but am also particular about, like skincare or makeup, I try to find products I really like and stick with them. Even if they cost a little more, I don’t end up with wasted products sitting around on my shelves that I don’t want to throw away but that I also never use. I save money on the experimentation, and my personal care routine is super streamlined and easy.

33. I talk through my week with my partner.

I work 9–5, and my partner is a night shift nurse, so naturally our schedules are as different as they can be. Each week, we talk through our schedules together in order to set expectations, know when we’re spending time together, and to feel prepared for the week ahead.

34. I write a to-do list at the end of my work day.

Before I clock out, I make sure to write a to-do list of the most important tasks for the next day while my mind is still fresh. This saves a ton of time the next morning, and helps me focus quickly.

35. I update my professional portfolio as I go.

When I complete big projects, I’ll update my professional portfolio — that way there’s no backlog to catch up on later.

36. I save my work documents as I go.

In a similar vein, I routinely upload (non-confidential) work documents to my personal Google Drive. That way, whenever it comes time to move on from the role, my projects and achievements are already organized and ready to go.

37. I schedule Instagram posts and stories with Later.

Instagram, in particular, can be fairly time-consuming, and requires a lot of phone screen-time. I use Later to schedule posts and stories to reduce distraction and excess screen time, and to avoid having to think about what to post on Instagram on a daily basis.

38. I routinely upload files to my Google Drive.

I clear out my downloads, desktop, and phone and upload old files to corresponding folders in my Google Drive (records, old work files, etc.).