Stop the clutter and increase productivity on the job
Staying organized at work can seem hard at times; one day you work hard to get everything straightened up, and the next your desk is back to being a mess. The trick is to constantly strive to keep your work-life organized and plan your day to prioritize tasks. Follow these tips to maintain an organized workplace:
- Office Purge
Start by throwing away or shredding anything that you do not need to have at your desk. According to an article on Forbes, a report by OfficeMax found that office clutter undermines productivity and motivation.
- Put A Label On It
Choose a labeling and color system for your office. Use this to make your workplace more aesthetically pleasing, yet organized by labeling shelves, draws, bins, folders, and storage containers.
- You’ve Got Mail
Emails pile up quickly and having to read several all at once can be overwhelming. Try reading your emails periodically throughout the day to avoid building up and archiving or deleting as many messages as possible. Respond immediately to what can be answered in less than 2 minutes and set aside emails in a folder that requires more response time.
- Do One Thing At A Time
This might sound counterproductive, but it’s actually the correct way to work. If you are solely only focusing on one task at hand, you will actually complete it much faster than working on multiple projects.
- Write It Down
Whether it’s an online calendar, a planner, or a to-do list, use one of these tools to help you plan out your days and manage your time. Having a place where all your tasks, meetings, and appointments are listed will help keep you organized.
- Reminders
Even if we write things down, we tend to forget things from time to time. Set reminders either on your phone or computer to notify you of important things. Another tool is having post-it notes near you as a constant reminder.
- Divide And Conquer
Delegating tasks to other people allows you to stay focused and it gets work done faster. It’s also important to remember that it is okay to say “no”, to jobs being offered to you. Having too many tasks to complete can become overwhelming and end up being less efficient if you have a full plate of things to do.
Staying organized might take some time to get started, but once you are in the routine it is easy to maintain. Keeping yourself and your environment organized in the workplace will lead to a more productive day and less stressful day.
