How to stay organized at work
As an employee, have you ever found yourself in the middle of a project and suddenly you feel at a loss and not sure what the next step is?
Executives and managers, have you ever been on your way to a meeting and can't find that important file that you had laying on your desk with all of your other papers?
Maybe you have been working on an important task only to find yourself working on a completely different task. Or worse yet, you somehow find yourself on scrolling through Facebook!
These are all common situations in the workplace and can all easily be addressed by increasing organization. Being an organized individual is crucial to increase productivity and efficiency. Below are some ideas of where to begin organizing:
Organize yourself
As mentioned above, it is easy to lose focus at times and find yourself spending time on other tasks that are less significant or other 'time-wasting' activities. Start off with creating daily to-do lists that are ranked in order of importance. This will help to create an outline of your day to easily stay on track. Also, organize the resources that you use on a daily basis such as your email and other systems that you may use. There are many email programs and tools to help organize incoming information and reduce clutter that will help to effectively keep yourself organized and maximize productivity.
Organize your work space
An organized work space and desk area is crucial to increased time management and efficiency. An old quote explains that a "cluttered desk is a cluttered mind." It is important to create designated areas for different files and supplies. Frequently used items should be in a location nearby and easily accessible. Less frequently used items should be stored or filed. A key factor in organizing your work space is to label everything and effectively to easily access them in a quickly manner. Just like with email, remove all clutter and paper or supplies that you no longer need. Toss it, recycle it and remove it from your area. Lastly, keep a notebook or a planner nearby to be able to store thoughts and tasks quickly and easily accessible that keeps them organized.
Organize your projects/tasks/duties
Prior to starting any new task or project, it is important to develop a game plan and to organize each aspect of the task/project. If working with other individuals on the particular job, split up the tasks accordingly. Create to do lists so those individuals and yourself are able to stay on the task at hand. Also, creating checklists for repetitive tasks will help reduce mistakes and allow for quicker completion. When working on larger projects, chop up big tasks into smaller tasks. This will help to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed or overloaded with work and will reduce stress which typically leads to procrastination.
The start to an increase in productivity and efficiency can easily be attributed to a better job of organization. These skills will lead to an individual and atmosphere that reduces stress and maximizes time management. Start with these simple tips and see the results of a more positive atmosphere in the work place.