8 Tips to Organise Yourself At Work For Better Productivity


Do you suffer from chaos in your workplace purely from unorganisation? If so, you could be losing valuable productivity and your job performance could likely decrease. But don’t worry, this can quickly be fixed thanks to the National Association of Professional Organisers (NAPO). They have offered 8 tips to help organise yourself which only requires a little planning, commitment and consistency and in no time your office could go from stressful to serene! In the long-run this will help boost your productivity by making it easy to find files, documents, supplies, and keep up with ongoing projects and deadlines. So read on to find out the secrets!


1. Purge Your Workspace

According to NAPO, the very first step is to get rid of any unnecessary stuff taking up your valuable office space. Have a thorough look through that collection of papers and get rid of any copies - don’t forget to also clean out your desk drawers and/or filing cabinets because it’s a popular place for finding those stored papers you've had for months that aren't useful anymore, so take one last look and make a decision to throw them away leaving plenty of room for new documents and files. (Also, remember to recycle where necessary!)

After this you can easily organise what’s left making it completely clutter free with only the necessities surrounding your space.


2. Rearrange Your Office

Next on the list is to evaluate the layout of your desk after the purging of your office space. Does anything need moving around or replacing? For example, if you have to get out of your seat to throw something away or to replace documents then your floor is likely to become the new storage space, says NAPO. Doing this will only make things worse when trying to find important documents or trying to keep the office tidy, so re-arrange your area and make them easier to access.


3. Organise Your Desktop

According to NAPO you only need the essential supplies and gadgets on your desk in arms reach (such as your computer, a few pens, phone, a notepad and a stapler) Otherwise you become crowded in your own workspace and distractions are definitely likely to happen.

It has been noted that creating a paper workflow system for any incoming documents on your computer or by hand is ideal. An inbox is for items that haven't yet been reviewed, an in-process box is for items you're working on, and your filing system (or trash receptacles) will take care of items once you have finished them. Remember to always look at documents when you receive them to avoid forgetting about them and then noting down a memo is always advisable if you need to go back to it later!


4. Develop a Filing System

Creating a filing system is different for everyone, because it is always easier having one matching the way you work. So creating one that fits your preferences will make it easy to work with. There’s no right or wrong!

There are all sorts of options to use, such as filing alphabetically, by project, by client or even some other method that works for you.

NAPO suggests using the same method for electronic document filing as you do for paper. As we have already pinpointed, avoiding clutter is essential so make sure you regularly purge both electronic and hard copy documents. This will also be a great tool in helping your colleagues finding files and documents in your absence.


5. Time Management

Managing your time is always essential in making sure you complete your daily tasks.
Whether you're still using a notebook and pen, PC software or an app on your smartphone, keeping a running to-do list next to you can make sure that you're on schedule and that you won’t miss important deadlines or appointments. NAPO suggests that you need to allocate a longer amount of time when focusing on the more important projects just in case you encounter any interruptions.

It is suggested that breaking up your projects into smaller steps can help you get through them more smoothly making those larger assignments shorter. An advisable tool to use would definitely be a calendar to assist your to-do list because you will get reminders of where you should be, helping you control your daily work.


6. Communicate on a Schedule

One of the worst things to happen when you’re at work is to forget to return calls, email someone or even complete an important task. So, what’s the solution? NAPO suggests scheduling time on your to-do list every day to deal with these tasks for greater efficiency. It is said that you should give yourself at least 15 minutes of your time every morning and afternoon to keep updated and to avoid forgetting!

Remember to always write an agenda for each phone call so you don't forget important points, and, if you have to leave a message, outline exactly the response you need so others can get you exactly what you need to complete your task.


7. Organise Digitally

Being electronically organised is just as important as being physically organised, says NAPO.
For each client and project you should create a different folder (and even a sub-folder) so when new emails arrive you can easily transfer the files to their right location. That way, when you need to revisit them you know exactly where they are!

If you have a backlog of emails in your inbox, it is ideal to create folders for each year, and drag all emails from each year to their respective folder. Going forward, don't allow things to stay in your Inbox unless they require action. Either delete it, forward it or file it. An email inbox should only house emails that require action. It's not a storage unit.

As we discussed in tip number 4, your physical filing system is important! Saying this, your digital filing system is just as important, therefore both systems should be a mirror of each other so confusion is avoided when trying to find specific documents.

Finally, minimise distractions. Turn off all email notifications: the sound, envelope icon in the notification area, the mouse cursor change, and especially the 'New Email' Desktop Alert that fades in and out. Since you've set up specific times to check and respond to email, you won't need them. You won't believe how much time you'll save!


8. Ritualise Your Work Day

Organisation isn't a one-and-done proposition; you must keep up with the influx of documents, files, projects and communications. When you're done working for the day, devote about 15 minutes to update your to-do list, file completed projects and replace in-progress items in their proper place. That makes for a clean, fresh, organised start when you arrive at work the next morning.



I hope these tips help you become more organised, because they definitely helped me! I'd love to know what you think. Did they help you or have you even got any other tips to suggest? Comment on the post and let me know your opinions. 

 Remember to keep yourself updated on Advantia's blog for the latest news and trends!


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