What’s up friends, this is Damian Jay. This is The Morning Drive.

Today I want to talk about organization. I preach it a lot at work and I live it at home, even for my bourbon channel. It is worth explaining why organization is so important, but to tell that story, I have to tell another one.

Back when my wife and I first met, I was a CrossFit coach. My mornings started at 4:30 so I could teach the 5 a.m., 6 a.m., and 7 a.m. classes. I might take a break, go to my own class or work on my degree, then head back to teach more sessions in the evening. After the last class, my wife and I would work out for three more hours before grabbing a bite and heading to bed. That was our routine at the very start of our relationship. I was in great shape, grinding on my degree, and keeping a full schedule.

Even after I got my first “real” job, I kept coaching CrossFit because I loved it. I used to laugh at people who said they didn’t have time for the gym. Then we moved to Colorado. I got my first strict Monday-through-Friday, 40-hour job. We could not spend hours at the gym anymore. Then the pandemic hit. Gyms closed, fast food could show up at your door, and working from home made it easy to get lazy. Life had to be rebalanced.

That is how it works. You are constantly rebalancing life around the things that matter. Back in my bro gym days, people would tell me they “didn’t have time” because they came home and sat down to unwind. If you know that is your tendency, you have to work around it. Figure out if it is better to go to the gym before or after work. Set yourself up for success by knowing who you are, when you work best, and sticking to habits. That is the hardest part, but it is the key.

Like this morning. It’s Monday (Thursday when you read this). I hit snooze a couple of times but eventually told myself, “This is the latest you can get up and still go.” So I got up, went, and decided to use my 20-minute drive to record this episode. It is all time management.

With my ADHD, I need to keep moving. I take short breaks during the day to do something active, like using my walking pad. At first, I used it every day for three months, then stopped, then had to force myself back on it. That is normal. You will get behind sometimes. The point is you are never completely drowning in “time debt.” You just need to reorganize and refocus.

When I help people with organization, I first figure out what their current system looks like. Everyone works differently. My own approach is partly shaped by ADHD and partly by Six Sigma principles. I keep the things I use most often close by, the sometimes items in a second tier, and the rarely used items tucked away.

My browser bookmarks are set up this way. The top bar has five things I click into daily. Next, I have a “Clients” folder with subfolders for each client, and inside each are all the needed links. Far left, I keep the “junk drawer” folder with the random stuff I may not need for months.

The same logic applies to my day. I put my phone in another room when I need to focus. If I get bored with a task, I switch to something else productive, like doing the dishes while listening to a podcast. Every day has a set rhythm. Tuesdays and Fridays are CrossFit. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are Olympic lifting. Certain days are for compost, dog medicine, trash night, or making sure the coffee is ready for the morning.

This level of organization makes my day streamlined and time efficient. Wasting time actually feels worse now. I am not perfect. Since getting back from Kentucky, I have not made as much show content. But I have systems that let me get back into it quickly.

It comes down to knowing who you are, what you are capable of, and how to schedule your time. Working from home has made this easier. My company has a two-hour response window, which gives me room to break up my day. I can handle calls, then take out the trash, wash dishes, or make breakfast for my wife before getting back to work. The trick is to keep the momentum going.

Things in motion tend to stay in motion. When you feel yourself slowing down, you have to add fuel. Many people default to picking up their phone. That is why I keep mine in another room when I need to focus. There are even apps like Dumb Phone that can block access to certain apps during set times.

Figure out your personal recipe for success. Keep yourself in motion, keep your tools and resources organized, and replace wasted time with productive time. If you did a true audit of your day, you would probably find enough time for the gym, a personal project, or time with family.

Yes, there will always be excuses. The baby kept you up. Work was stressful. Something came up. But if you start using your free time better, you will see there is room for everything. I will be putting this to the test myself next February when our baby arrives. I will have to reorganize again, prepare, and adapt.

Life is constant change. The more organized you are, the easier it is to keep moving, adjust when needed, and still make time for what matters.