If organising your office seems an overwhelming task and you walk in look around, sigh as you put your cuppa on your desk, saying I will get round to this one day (and never do!)… then this post is perfect for you!
If you’re like most people, you need a clear, organised space to optimise your productivity. You need to be able to see what needs to be done and to give a project update without shuffling through piles of papers. To do this, you need to organise your space as efficiently as possible.
Time for an office makeover!
Here are six steps to re-organising your office to put you back in control.
1. Purge, purge, purge
Take a good hard look at your desk, filing cabinets, and drawers. Chances are you will find duplicate and out-of-date documents. You need to get rid of all the unnecessary stuff taking up your working space. If you haven’t looked at it or used it in the last six months, get rid of it. Or if you or your organisation might need it again later, archive it.
2. Re-arrange your furniture
Have a look at your current office layout and see if it’s working for you. Is it set up so you can easily deal with:
- Incoming files and papers
- Working documents and files
- Personal stuff like a coat, bag, umbrella, etc.
- Rubbish Bin
Make sure your document trays, filing cabinets and Bin are easy and quick to access.
3. Organise your desk
Your desktop is your most important workspace. It should be kept orderly and clear of unnecessary items. Apart from your computer and phone, you might only need a notepad and pen. Items that you don’t use every day (pencils, staplers, staple remover) should go in a drawer.
4. Get into the filing habit
Your organisation shouldn’t stop with paper copies. Get into the habit of saving every digital file into the appropriate folder, not on your desktop. Make a decision immediately. Does this need to be saved? If so, where should the file logically live? Regularly review and archive files that are no longer current.
5. Time management
Find the right time management system that works for you, whether it’s a notebook or a smartphone app. Keep a daily, weekly and monthly to-do list and schedule tasks on your calendar. Make sure your smartphone app syncs with your computer calendar. Don’t forget to organise your day, so you allocate time to deal with emails and phone calls. I use Evernote to organise my day which syncs with my calendar and using the Evernote mobile app ensures I stay on track wherever I am!
6. Use technology to stay organised
Technology gives you a huge advantage in keeping it together and focused. Use email folders, filters, alerts and reminders to keep communications under control and your inbox empty. You can use cloud-based storage for completed projects and files. And don’t forget that you can turn off the email and message notifications to minimise distractions when you need to focus. I use Onedrive synced across all my devices and ideal for travel to access all my files.
Want more tips for organising your office?
Why not come along to my next 5-day free productivity challenge and Make It Happen
