Tips for Getting Organized at Work
Too many of us working folks end up with lost phone numbers, forgotten invoices or a desk so messy that you can't even see the desk's surface. Some may have forgotten the desk is actually made of wood. While organizing an office or making any sense of the mess at work may seem a daunting task, a few tips will help it become manageable.
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The Touch Rule
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A golden rule for staying organized, and up to date on all your work duties, is to do something with every piece of paper you touch. That doesn't mean simply throwing it aside, but dealing with it in some manner. Perhaps the paper can be filed, signed, read or simply dealt with by a phone call. If there is not time to properly deal with the piece of paper with a phone call or filing at that particular moment, put it in one of the several bins you are going to set up to help organize your office. The touch rule also applies to e-mails. Either respond to them immediately or file them in computer folders you set up on your e-mail system to be dealt with when you have the time.
Bins
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A number of bins will save you time and keep your office organized. Every piece of paper, scrap and sticky note can find a home, at least temporarily, in one of the bins until you move the paper into its permanent location. Organizing your papers into bins will also keep your desk free of the incontrollable pile of hodgepodge. Some helpful bins include, but are not limited to: to be filed; phone calls to make; contacts; to be reviewed/signed; urgent for today; urgent for this week; future. Be creative by picking bins that best suit your individual needs. Make sure one bin includes the garbage can for things that need no further attention.
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Maintenance
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Becoming and staying organized at work should be a daily task. Set some time aside each day to retain your organization. If you keep up with the bins, filing and other small tasks on a daily basis, none of the piles or duties will get out of control. Some like to spend the last half hour before leaving to complete the organization, ensuring the office is ready for action the next morning when they arrive. Others like to "sneak" organizational duties into dead time during the day, such as while on the phone and placed on hold, waiting for computer files to upload or download or during a lull where there is not enough time to start a major project. Ten to 30 minutes each day should do it.
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