When it comes to being organized at work, many of us believe that it should start with having a clean and well-arranged workspace. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should spend the first hour or so of your day trying to organize things around you. It will be a waste of time if you go on cleaning up your desk and organizing your files right before you start work.
Read on to learn some useful home organizing tricks that will help you spend less time de-cluttering workspace. Whether you work in an office or in a home office, these tips will be helpful:
1. Pick a desk layout that suits your natural flow.
If you are used to starting your morning writing a to-do list, make sure that you have your pen and pad paper right in front of your computer keyboard. Meanwhile, if the first thing in your routine is to check emails, keep your keyboard space clear of any clutter. This way, it will be easy for you to just slide into your computer chair in the morning before you start checking your emails. Keep in mind that just because your desk looks neat doesn’t always mean it is the perfect setup for you. What’s important is that you arrange things according to your daily routine.
2. Have a trash bin close to your desk.
You may have found yourself glancing at a piece of trash and saying to yourself that you would toss it to the trash can when you get up. When you do this habitually, it won’t be surprising to see your workspace full of things that should be disposed of already. To prevent clutter on your desk, place a trash can near your desk so that it will be easy for you to drop your trash in it.
3. Don’t let cables be all over the place.
Cable clutter is part of the lives of many of us, but it doesn’t have to be part of yours. All you need to do is have a cable holder on your desk, or you can also use a binder clip to keep all your cables together.
4. A document storage system has to be on your desk.
It is likely that there are a lot of documents you have to receive, read, or file every single day. In this case, there really needs to be a way for you to keep them organized. You’ve got many options to choose from in terms of what storage system to use – a filing cabinet, an accordion folder, or an ordinary desk organizer with folders. Whatever you use, what matters is that there is somewhere all your documents can be kept.
5. Have a junk jar.
You simply cannot prevent paper clips, loose change, and rubber bands from invading your desk. But instead of letting them just sit there, why not keep all of them in a junk jar? You need a regular glass jar where you can put all the small items that make your desk look messy.
6. Clean up and organize your desk before you end your day.
You don’t have to clean up your office or cubicle every single time before you go home. What we mean here is that you should at least neaten up your space so that when you arrive in the morning, you can just go straight to work.
When it comes to being productive and motivated at work, the way your workspace is arranged greatly affects how good or bad your day will be. In fact, even a career or personal coach will encourage you to form a habit of cleaning up your things, as this can help you perform well in your job.
Cecile Peterkin is a certified career and retirement coach, and a registered member of the Career Professionals of Canada and the International Coach Federation. She is also the Founder and Senior Career Strategist at Cosmic Coaching Centre, provider of career and life management services for middle managers and mid-career professionals across Canada, United States and Europe.