How to Become More Organized at Work
When you can no longer convince yourself--or your co-workers--that there is a method to your unorganized madness, it may be time for change. Converting your work life from disorganization to organization is a novel idea. However, you may be so unorganized that the "organization" mission may be too overwhelming for your mind to grapple. Here are a few ways that you can break the job down into realistic steps.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Organization at Work
-
1
Provide housing for the residents of your "organized chaos." If your desk suffers from what you believe is organized chaos, but others view it as deranged clutter, you need to create a home for everything kept at your work station. When you de-clutter your workspace, you will be able to rid the space of items you no longer need and want, and you may even find some things that were missing. In addition, a clean and roomy work area can provide space for creativity (see References).
-
2
After everything has its own place, you can alleviate even more clutter by creating an "in" box and an "out" box. The in box is reserved for the work that needs your immediate attention. Your out box is reserved for completed assignments or any work that you are currently working on. At the end of the day, the out box should be forwarded to its next destination or filed, shredded, etc. The in box should only hold the work that needs your attention the following business day.
-
-
3
Create a vision for your workday. A to-do list will bridge the gap between your motivation and productivity. If you do not create a vision for your day, the day will create its own picture, which will be filled with colorful distractions. However, if you make a list to outline your workday, you will be motivated to finish everything on that list (see Resources).
-
4
While it is true that a list will help to organize your workday, it would be in your best interest to allow extinguishing time for those inevitable work "fires" that occasionally spring up out of nowhere. You do not have to allow a considerable amount of time, but just create a little room for adjustments and emergencies.
-
5
Complete your projects one at a time. This may be a lot easier to say than to execute. However, if at all possible, try and finish one project before you begin another one. The only time you should have multiple projects going at one time is if the work has a common thread. But if not, give your undivided attention to each project until it is completed.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Allow yourself enough time to complete each task. Be realistic.
Once you have create organization, do not regress back to your old ways.
