What it means
A firm nudge to sort yourself out and start behaving properly. You say it when someone’s being chaotic, flaky, late for everything, or making the same stupid mess over and over. It can sound annoyed, parental, or half-jokey, but the point is clear: stop faffing about and pull it together.
Usage examples
"If you want that promotion, get your act together, answer your emails, and stop rolling in at ten with a coffee and excuses."
"If he wants to keep the flat he needs to get his act together and actually pay rent on time for once."
"Right, enough moping, time to get my act together, sort the CV out and start firing off applications."
"Mate, get your act together, the booking’s under your name and we’re all stood outside in the rain."
"She needs to get her act together before finals, because last-minute panic isn’t a study method."
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Where it comes from
It grew out of theatre talk, where an act was a performer's routine. If your act wasn't ready, you had to get it sorted before stepping onstage. By the early 20th century, English had stretched it beyond showbiz, so it came to mean getting your behaviour, plans, or whole life in order.
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