Take 15 Minutes and Start Getting Organized at Work By Connie J. Schlosberg
Many of us are not born organizers, but with a little persistence, we can easily join them. You can be organized. It’s as simple as taking 15 minutes in the beginning of your day and another at the end of it.
Is there really a best way to get organized? Professional organizers agree that there is no one solution for everybody. There are many different types of people with their own work styles and influences, so each person must develop a system that works best for him or her. Sometimes this will involve time through trial and error. There are many planning products designed to assist you in your quest for organization. First, determine the areas in which you want to improve. These could be files, time management, and project management.
You may ask why do we need to get organized? Organized people are known to save time, make more money, and have lower stress. We are a society on information overload, which is demanding more of our time. When you set your guidelines on what to keep, what to throw, and what to take action on, you will gain a professional appearance, be more proficient in your job, and hopefully, feel less anxious.
The question is where to get started. Start your day with a morning routine that includes:
* First, keep idle conversation to a minimum until you finish your routine.
* Then, prepare a list of what you need to accomplish for the day. Make a point of completing the difficult tasks first. Your endurance is greatest in the morning so you will be able to tackle the hard ones with ease. Put projects in order of priority. Break large projects into smaller, more manageable steps. Schedule your steps and establish a deadline.
* Next, check your email and voice mail. Make a habit of checking your email and voice mail on the hour throughout the day. This way you will have a handle on your mail and any important items, which may arise.
* Check your schedule for any appointments and meetings for the day. Gather items you will need for these appointments/meetings and put them in a visible area. This way you will be prepared and not forget anything you might need to make the meeting successful.
Some other helpful hints are:
* Keep only supplies you need on a daily basis on top of your desk. Your desk will have less clutter and you will have more room for your top projects. Place any other supplies in your file drawers and cabinets.
* Perform one task at a time. This will help prevent you from getting sidetracked. Too many open projects are what usually contribute to a messy desk and distract you from completing a task with your full concentration.
* At the end of the day, take 15 minutes to clean up your work area. Each day pick a section of your workstation and get rid of all the clutter that has accumulated there. Soon enough, you will see your progress of being organized.
Once your habits are set, you should not have a disorganized work area anymore. If you keep your area clean and put together, it will present a professional image to your supervisors, coworkers, and employees. Try to remember that doing a little bit of something is better than doing nothing at all. Are you ready to get organized?
About the Author: Connie Schlosberg is the owner of Integrity Creative Business Solutions (http://www.IntegrityCreativeBusiness.com). She is currently working on her bachelor’s degree in journalism. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and five-year-old daughter.
