Getting organized at work can seem like a full-time job in itself so it’s easy to see why it’s such a hard task. You may find yourself always starting a new organization strategy or following someone else’s method to keep up with your schedule, but they never stick. You have to find something that works with and for YOU! You wouldn’t go to the gym for two hours, five days a week if you were just starting out, would you? You might start off doing that but would most likely abandon your workout plan just as quickly as it began because it wasn’t right for where you were starting out. When you do find a great organization process that sticks, you will be streamlining your work life in no time. Here are some tips for how to get organized in a way that works for you!
How to Actually Get Organized at Work
First, identify where your problem areas are. Maybe you want to create a better way for you to manage projects or tasks? Or organize your inbox? It’s important to set your goals so you can keep track of your progress. Then, look at your normal daily routine to see where you can best fit new processes. If you normally have meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then it would be best to fit in some time to sit down to plan your next work week on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Here a few methods to consider to help you get organized at work:
1) Use an App
There’s an app for everything in today’s time so why not get one to help keep your work-life moving efficiently! Most of these apps are amazing for time management and tracking project status from start to finish. Depending on which one you choose, you can integrate other apps you regularly use. The type of business you own or work for can have some effect on what app to get, but here are a few of my recommendations.
- Click Up: this is the one we use at Crossroads. You can organize different work spaces, folders, documents, calendar views, etc. any way you need to manage workflow. Our marketing team has our workspace organized by client with folders for each type of project we manage for them.
- Basecamp
- Monday.com
2) Make a Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Plan
You probably have heard of this tip before, but it really only works if you keep at it. Take some time at the end of the month to look at what’s coming for the new month. It doesn’t have to be specific. List all the projects you know are coming next month, as well as ongoing tasks so you can balance your time as far ahead as possible. Next, take some time during the week to plan out the following week. For example, I always take some time Friday morning to write out my work plan for next week. With your monthly and weekly plan, your daily plan should be a breeze! Set aside time in the morning to go over your priorities for the day. What needs to be done first? What could wait in case something comes up at the last minute? Prioritizing your to-do list is almost as important as creating one.
3) Organize Your Desk
This tip is simple: keep your desk clean and clutter-free! It is so much easier to be productive with a clean space. It’s also a good idea to keep the supplies you use every day close by so you always know where they are and have easy access to them. Regularly declutter your supplies and take some time once a week to make sure papers and files are correctly organized.
4) Get Into A Routine
All of these new processes and apps you start using will quickly fade away if you don’t work to add them to your routine. Make getting organized at work, work for you! Take these tips and customize them to fit your current schedule. If one of these tips doesn’t work for you or is taking up too much extra time, try something else! There are endless combinations of strategies to help get you organized. When you can streamline your organizational habits, you know you’re making progress.
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