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Ways to make your life more organised and efficient
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It’s once again time to put some New Year’s resolutions in motion. One of the best ones to implement is to make your life more organised and efficient.
Improving your organisational skills offers quite a few benefits. First, you’ll be able to be more efficient no matter what you do. It’s far easier to practise efficiency when you’re not burdened by chaos.
Secondly, you’ll be able to lower your stress level. According to the American Institute of Stress, more than half of all the people in our country deal with daily stress. You’ll gain health advantages if you can wean yourself off the stress machine by being better organised.
When you’re organised, you leave room to deal with life’s most unexpected surprises. Anything can happen, from a sudden job offer to a change in your private life. The more energy you’ve devoted toward making your life more organised upfront, the more energy you’ll free up for later.
Only you know what needs to be organised in your world. However, any of the following suggestions should help you achieve your organisation-related resolutions.
Declutter once a month
Clutter is more than just an eyesore or nuisance. All that stuff can be harmful to your mental well-being, too. Clutter has been linked to everything from the development of anxiety to the loss of focus.
The problem with clutter is that it can get out of hand quickly. The only way to end it for good is to go on regular decluttering campaigns. Once a month, mark off at least a day to focus on picking up clutter. If something doesn’t have a home, find one. If you can’t find a place, consider getting rid of the item by selling it, donating it, or throwing it away. By structuring your decluttering efforts, you’ll avoid the clutter getting too massive again.
Lean into Subscription services
We’re living in a subscription service era. Globally, more than three-quarters of people rely on subscription services. Why shouldn’t they? The right subscription can ship anything to your door at the cadence you prefer. That means fewer trips to stores and no more running out of the stuff you need.
Now, you can have anything sent to you regularly. With the availability of many subscription services, you can always have just what you need when you need it. Don’t assume you can’t get subscriptions for a particular product. However, you might be surprised by all the subscriptions waiting for you to discover them.
Schedule all your personal appointments
Many of us spend our lives overcrowding our business calendars. The problem is that a business calendar can bleed into the personal realm pretty fast. Suddenly, you realise that you’re trying to fit gym visits and dental appointments around work. That’s a backward approach and can cut into your work-life balance.
Solving this issue is best handled as a two-step process. First, consolidate all your calendars into one calendar that can be your source of truth. Then, take time to block off all your personal time. Don’t limit yourself to just outside meetings, either. Instead, set aside time for all critical moments, such as family walks or soccer pick-up trips.
You’re actually retraining your brain to weigh your personal commitments as important. Too often, those of us who are high achievers end up making too many time-related sacrifices for our occupations. Prioritising time for you allows you to enjoy your off-hours without guilt.
Delegate
Delegation is a wonderful tool to get your life more organised. Remember: When you’re trying to do everything, you’re bound to stretch yourself way too thin. And that tends to be when mistakes happen. By giving some of your duties to others, you set the stage to be able to do your best more often.
Be sure to delegate at home and not just on the job, though. Many people forget that delegating to a partner or child can be just as advantageous as delegating to a colleague. So, for example, if your spouse has time to do something and you don’t, delegation makes sense.
At first, you might find it a little challenging to delegate. But, in time, you’ll begin to get more accustomed to the feeling of passing off some of your to-dos.
Set up a household budget
Want to be more organised with your finances, so you know where money is going? Make this year the one when you finally set up a household budget. Of course, you don’t need any fancy software, either. But a spreadsheet listing your monthly income and expenses is a fantastic beginning.
Once you have your spreadsheet in hand, you can begin to drill down and get your life more organised with your money. You might notice, for instance, that you’re living paycheck to paycheck. In that case, you could consider spending less in some of your “expense” categories.
Nothing feels worse than realising your spending is out of control. Organising your finances is a surefire path to money management success.
Automate routine bills
Speaking of money, have you ever missed paying a bill? It’s an awful, sinking feeling. It can also have serious ramifications on your credit score if you’re constantly delinquent. Paying bills on time, every time, is essential for your financial health.
As long as you’re on top of your budget and make sure you have enough money in your accounts, try automating your bills. Many utility providers and other suppliers allow you to give them the ability to pull money monthly. You’ll get an email or text notification receipt but won’t have to take any extra steps.
In addition to making sure you don’t get any “past due” notices, you’ll lower your stress level. Knowing that you have covered your bills removes any concerns that you will wreck your credit.
Say “no” more often
Funny enough, most people don’t say “no” as much as they say “yes.” Yet refusing to add more to your plate can be a good thing. On the other hand, when you constantly take on more responsibilities, you can wind up in burnout territory.
You can plan on feeling a little awkward at saying “no” if it’s not your go-to response. The awkwardness could be even more pronounced if you’re declining more work from your boss. However, as long as you’re upfront about your capacity and not defiant, you can make “no” work in your favour.
Remind yourself that telling others your bandwidth is okay. Most people will understand, including your employer. However, by embracing “no,” you’ll bypass the feeling of sinking underwater or getting lost in impossible-to-meet deadlines.
This year, give yourself the gift of organisation. Then, you’ll have more room for enjoyable experiences and perhaps become an efficient role model for those around you.
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
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