Getting organized comes as second nature to some of us, while others may choose to procrastinate on any “spring cleaning” or organizational tasks. For those people, just the mere thought of cleaning up and getting organized can be daunting.
Whether or not keeping organized is one of your strengths, it’s a habit everyone should get into. If you’ve ever kept your boss waiting because you couldn’t locate an important document, or if you’re guilty of arriving late to meetings frequently or missing an important deadline, getting organized should be at the top of your to-do list.
If you’re looking for some guidance, below you can find some benefits of keeping organized, as well as tips on how and what to organize to get the most out of your day–to-day work.
Benefits of keeping organized:
You can increase your productivity. By keeping organized, you will save time looking for things and will have more time to work on important tasks. As organization can improve the flow of communication between you and your team, you can also make your team more productive. After all, better communication leads to better results.
You can reduce your stress level. Is your manager asking you to locate a document from five years ago? If things are organized and labelled neatly, tracking this down should be a piece of cake, rather than a source of stress!
You can be on time – consistently. Organization and punctuality go hand-in-hand. Consider setting calendar alerts, for example, to ensure you do not get too caught up in a task and lose track of time. Impress your manager – be prompt and show up on time.
You can ensure you meet deadlines. When task after task begins to pile up, it isn’t too hard to forget one small, yet important task. Don’t miss an important deadline on a project because you got sidetracked with another urgent item. Set calendar alerts so you will never miss a deadline again – or better yet, surprise your manager and complete your task ahead of schedule.
Organizational Habits
Good organizational skills begin with some basic organizational habits. For instance, get into the routine of writing things down. If you take notes on scraps of paper, be sure to transfer the information into an organized planner, or a place where the note will not be lost or accidentally thrown away.
Also, learn how to structure your day in a way that promotes a balance of meetings and desk work. Don’t be afraid to seek help from a daily planner or a computerized organizer. These tools are available to assist people with managing their time and abetting good organizational habits.
Design Work space
Designate spots in your work area for pens, paper and your computer so that your desk doesn’t get cluttered. Not only can it be distracting to work in a cluttered environment, it can also hinder your productivity. According to an article in “Marie Claire”, a messy work space may cause you to spend more time trying to situate yourself, which can restrict your ability to be efficient.
Prioritization
A big part of organizational skills has to do with how well you are able to prioritize the various aspects of your work life. Prioritizing means determining the order for which to complete each of your tasks, and, in the end, can make you more successful at maintaining order in your job. According to the University of Missouri Extension, prioritization is related to good time management, which is an aspect of organizational skills. This can be achieved by keeping “to do” lists to help you juggle your workload. Also, practice writing things down in your calendar so that you can allocate time in your schedule to work on high-priority projects.