Organization at the Workplace Tips and Tricks
Margaret Williams, ACC, MS
Leadership Coach & Student of Systemic Team Coaching | Empowering Women in Government to Lead with Confidence and Navigate Future Challenges | Preparing Resilient, Impact-Driven Leaders
Dealing with work alone is already stressful because some don’t have enough time to organize our files, religiously mark appointments on the calendar, or respond to all emails before the day ends. Worrying about having to organize our workplace is another thing.
But here’s what you need to know: success results from long-term planning and consistent action. Being organized helps you control your time to plan and complete the necessary tasks to achieve your goals.
That is why when you are swamped with so many things, and you fail to keep your work organized, you feel utterly lost even during a supposedly busy day.
But if you work in an organized manner, you make sure that your area is tidy and properly filed. You will know where to find things when the need arises.
You’re also able to get things done even ahead of time.
Why is the organization in the workplace important?
? Allows you to perform at peak performance
An organized workplace enables you to find your stuff when you need them; hence, you can work at your full capacity without wasting any time.
? Productive
When things are in order, you can solely focus on your tasks, and there won’t be any disturbances that could hamper your productivity and work efficiency.
? Efficiency and Time
The time you will supposedly spend rummaging through hundreds or thousands of files is best spent learning something new or finishing a project.
? Always prepared
Having an organized workplace shows that you have an organized mind. This means that no matter how urgent a project needs to be done, you are prepared to finish it quickly.
? Reduced stress level
Clutter not only impedes your ability to work productively; it also increases your stress levels. When you’re able to keep your workspace clean and organized, you prevent yourself from being stressed.
? To gain energy and calm from your space
An organized space keeps you stress-free. You handle the day with calmness. You’re more relaxed and composed, with more than enough energy to tick your to-do list.
Tips and Tricks on organization at the workplace
1. Practice the Inbox Zero method
When you open your computer, you usually dread the number of new emails you received while you’re away.
A Radicati report estimated an average of 126 emails is being received by an average worker every day, and it’s probably too much for anyone to handle.
I believe that taking control of the emails you receive daily is the best thing you can do for your productivity.
This is why you need to learn the Inbox Zero method.
The Inbox Zero approach by Merlin Mann helps you manage your emails better by targeting to lessen the emails in your inbox.
You can do five actions for every email you received: delete, delegate, respond, defer, and do.
Here are tips to effectively do it:
- Delete those you don’t need
- Forward emails to colleagues that can best provide the reply or course of action
- Immediately respond to those that won’t take longer than two minutes to reply
- Move the emails that need further attention to a separate folder and name it “Requires Response.”
- Dedicate a specific time to respond to all emails in the Requires Response folder
2. Set daily goals
To avoid getting lost and forgetting what you need to do for the day, make sure to set small goals daily.
Now, this boils down to creating a to-do list.
There’s no specific method that works for everybody. Jot down what you need to accomplish for that day and write how you will do them.
Use calendars and planners to help you mark important dates, say, client meetings or corporate events, so you can easily block those days off.
Moreover, keeping a to-do list helps you identify which tasks can be assigned to someone more adept at the job.
Setting daily goals will help you become more mindful of your deadlines and ongoing projects. Plus, it gives you a feeling of satisfaction to mark all your to-do’s off at the end of the day.
3. Keep Your Desk Clear
It is incredibly distracting to work when your desk is full of clutter. It is also not ideal. It would give other people a bad impression when they see that you are a messy person.
A cluttered work environment impedes your productivity and increases your levels of stress.
While having an organized desk or work area creates a sense of professionalism, demonstrating that you are detail-oriented, sharp, and efficient.
When you keep your desk clear and free from any clutter, you create an impression that you are composed, and you follow a structure–not only professionally but also personally.
An empty desk also helps free your mind from any distractions that may come with non-work-related stuff.
To do this, you can start decluttering things that don’t add value to your job and don’t boost your productivity.
Also, you should store food items correctly in your office pantry.
File confidential documents inside a locked drawer and store office supplies that you always use within your reach.
4. Prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix
When people are trying to get your attention, you inevitably add more things to do to the list you created in the morning.
Everything suddenly becomes urgent, even when you can still categorize them according to priority.
With the help of an Eisenhower Matrix, you can decide which task needs to be prioritized first and which ones can be accomplished later.
You can also see which tasks you don’t need to sweat on.
Here’s how it works:
URGENT – IMPORTANT
These are the tasks that need your immediate attention.
NOT URGENT – IMPORTANT
These are tasks that are important but can be scheduled for later.
NOT IMPORTANT – URGENT
These are tasks that can be best taken care of by someone else immediately.
NOT IMPORTANT – NOT URGENT
These tasks need no attention at all and can be dubbed as a waste of time.
When you break down your tasks for the day using the Eisenhower Matrix, you can become more productive and efficient in doing your tasks based on their importance.
5. Take a break
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