One of the best ways to reduce stress is to get organized. Getting organized can reduce your stress levels because it can end the last-minute scrambling in various situations. Getting organized can also feel empowering and exciting, rather than taxing, making it more likely that you will stick to it in the long run.

In practice, getting organized can seem more difficult than it initially sounds. For someone already overwhelmed, they may wonder how organized they need to be, how to know if they’re organized enough, or what are the most important areas to organize.

It’s important to strike a balancing act when it comes to getting organized, so here are some of our favorite tips on the process.

1. Set a limit. It’s easy to get stuck in an organization loop, so it’s important to set a limit to how long you spend organizing and planning. Setting a limit will allow you to know exactly when the organization time ends and the action time begins. However, don’t hesitate to slip in smaller blocks of time throughout the day to update your plan.

2. Prioritize your space. Next, decide which areas are the most worthy of your organizational time. For some people, it may be their computers, while others may be far more stressed out by the stack of mail sitting on the kitchen table. Whatever space causes you the most stress should be the space you tackle first, and setting artificially restrictive limits can help with this. For example, setting a limit of only ten unopened letters that one time will require you to address everything else before starting your day.

3. Get rid of excess paper. For many people, stacks of mail, bills, and receipts can create clutter and raise anxiety levels. One of the best ways to reduce stress is to cut down on the amount of excess paper. Using an app like Sortifyd can help you do that. Sortifyd allows you to save and organize important documents, receipts, photos, coupons, and even membership cards inside the app, so everything is easy to find. Not only is Sortifyd a secure app, but it also allows you to quickly organize and share photos and information with your whole family.

4. Be proactive. Lastly, a huge component of avoiding stress is being proactive. Believe it or not, you can get organized with the way you approach your stressors. For a lot of people, this can feel quite empowering. Whether this means planning your to-do list the night before or setting reminders for your family, taking early action can prevent you from getting stressed out later.