Staying focused, having a clear goal and sticking with your action plan are some of the principles of efficiency. These are also some of the well known results of being organized. If productivity was a house then being organized would be the foundation which supports it. To achieve what we set our mind on and to meet our deadlines with victory, we need to stay organized in our physical and mental space. Here are few tips you can apply to your next project to make sure it’s a masterpiece.
Functional work space:
Make sure you designate an area away from distractions for your office. Keep this space as de-cluttered and as peaceful as you can. Pay attention to how you place furniture and where you store your office supplies. Something as simple as keeping your paper next to your copy machine can save you time and therefore result in more productive day. Watch our videos on How 2 Create an Office in Your Home, How 2 Organize Your Office Space and How 2 Organize Office Supplies for all you need to know to create a streamlined and effective office space. Sometimes all it takes is change of perspective. Maybe a standing desk is what you are looking for. Check out this awesome review and pick the best fit for your office.
Tame the paperwork monster:
We all clearly remember how frustrated we were last time that we had to spend hours looking for a piece of paper, a phone number or a necessary file. Wasting valuable time on stuff that won’t yield results is the total opposite of being productive. Start a habit of filing your papers and going through your mail regularly. You can also cut your paper trail by signing up for paperless billing and unsubscribing from magazine subscriptions. Taking notes and creating lists online is another way to cut down on loose post it notes and scrap papers. Watch this video to learn How 2 Organize Your Files.
Don’t forget to organize your online world:
Just because online clutter is not as visible and doesn’t take up physical space like material clutter, it should not be forgotten. Keeping your online data such as pictures and files organized can save you so much time leaving more time to be productive. Trust us, looking for information on your computer can be just as frustrating as searching for that scribble that you need but can’t find on your messy desk. Here is a video about How 2 Organize Printed Pictures & Digital Photos. You can apply this same method to all of your online files.
Know what you are going to achieve and be realistic:
There is no doubt that time management and productivity go hand in hand. Spend time understanding and being honest about the goals of any project. Think about the actions you need to take in order to meet your deadline and produce the best results. Be realistic about the time that each task will take to complete. Prioritize your tasks. Start each day with the most difficult tasks which will give you the confidence to finish the rest of your tasks. Stay focused and work smart not hard. 10 best online apps & software for time management. and 10 easy organizing tips to save you time are 2 blog posts that can help you plan your days better.
Know what is important and when it is time to move on:
To organizers, perfection is like air but we have learned that sometimes perfectionism is what stops us from being productive or accomplishing tasks. Always do your best but also check yourself every now and then. Be honest. Is your being a perfectionist on the smallest tasks crippling you from finishing the big picture? Are you so overwhelmed by being perfect that you cannot even start the task? We see this a lot in our clients. The idea of being perfectly organized stops them from getting organized at all. Retrain your brain to think like an organizer and face all your organizing challenges with grace.
Evaluate & maintain your system:
Every once in a while evaluate the system you have in place. You might need to make some changes based on where you are today. This way you can fine tune your system to work in the best possible way for you. Do your best to maintain your system. The two seconds it took you to put the stapler back where it belongs just saved you the time it would have taken to look for it plus the time it would have taken you to reorganize your desk.
And here is the most important tip of all for being productive. Stop procrastinating and just DO it!
