The average employee is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes every day. Meanwhile, we get distracted or interrupted about seven times every hour. On average, employees can lose up to four hours during an eight-hour workday as a result.
Learning how to stay organized at work could help you avoid distractions, which could boost your efficiency and productivity.
Not sure how to get organized? Here are nine essential organizational ideas and productivity boosters that can help. Make a change for the better with these organization tips today!
- Manage Notifications
Remember, employees tend to get distracted or interrupted about seven times each hour. It’s likely your notifications, emails, and messages are all a source of distraction. In fact, employees receive over 51 to 100 emails a day each workday.
As you learn how to get organized, consider managing your notifications. After all, app usage is increasing every day. Though the apps we use can make our work lives easier, they can also become a source of distraction.
Start establishing boundaries as you build your organizational system. Otherwise, poor boundaries can contribute to disorganization.
Maintaining boundaries can help you shift through physical and digital clutter. You can start prioritizing messages and notifications based on the projects at hand, too.
You can’t always control when someone messages you. However, you can determine when you’ll read and respond to messages. You can also prioritize more urgent missives over others.
First, consider talking to your manager and teammates about how you communicate during the workday.
Then, develop a system for managing your messages. For example, you might want to turn off notifications during certain hours. Then, set a specific time each day for checking your messages.
Let your manager and coworkers know about your schedule to ensure they respect those boundaries, too.
Give yourself a deadline for when you’ll respond to messages if you can’t respond right away. Consider automating a response to let people know when you’ll likely get back to them, too.
- Organize Files
Remember, both physical and digital clutter can distract even the best employees. If you want to become more efficient at work, start organizing your files.
Otherwise, you might waste valuable time working on an old version of a document. You could waste time trying to search for files or digging through your downloads, too.
Maintain storage best practices and start breaking bad habits. For example, you shouldn’t let content build up in your downloads folder. Instead, clear away downloads you don’t need or start organizing the files into folders.
Update your file naming system, too. Improving your naming system can help if you store multiple versions of the same document.
For example, you can use “V1_filename” as a template. Update the number for each version you create.
Consider using a file-hosting company for your document management system, too.
Think about your physical files as well. For example, you can use custom tab dividers to better organize files.
- Foster Good Relationships
Fostering healthy relationships with your colleagues could help you discover new ways to stay organized at work. For example, it’s important to recognize the contributions your teammates are making. Their help could keep the entire team organized and efficient.
Understand everyone’s roles and how your team can work together to remain efficient at work.
To stay organized, make sure to consider:
- Everyone’s name and role
- What your colleagues are currently working on
- When your colleagues are busiest
- Each colleague’s workstyle
- Each colleague’s unique goals
Don’t forget to share information about yourself, too.
Otherwise, make sure you’re communicating! Improving how you communicate will ensure everyone remains on the same page. Otherwise, miscommunication can cause delays and frustration.
- Protect Time
Time is one of our most valuable resources. Otherwise, distributions and distractions can impact your efficiency, workflow, and output. Your bottom line could plummet if you’re not using your time wisely.
As you learn how to stay organized at work, consider how you’re managing your time.
For example, you might want to use a project management system to better manage your time. You can determine what tasks you need to complete to meet specific deadlines.
Determine what’s wasting your time, too. Where are you experiencing bottlenecks?
Work with your manager to make adjustments to the current workload to improve your efficiency and productivity.
- Avoid Multitasking
As you begin exploring new organizational tips, try to avoid multitasking. Otherwise, you’ll get less done when you multitask. The quality of your work will suffer as well.
Instead, focus on one task at a time. Give each project your undivided attention.
- Use Tools and Automation
As you begin using these tips, consider the tools you’re using. For example, you might want to start using apps and programs to remain organized. A cloud-based calendar or project-management system will help you remain organized.
Try automating repetitive tasks to better manage your time as well.
- Plan Ahead
Get organized for the entire week by planning ahead. At the end of Friday or early on Monday, set aside 15 minutes to plan out your week.
Determine what tasks you’ll complete each day. Consider how long you’ll need to accomplish each task as well.
Then, break your weekly plan up based on daily tasks.
- Take Breaks
As you use these organizational tips, it’s important to avoid burnout. When your energy levels are high, you’re more likely to get work done. If you’re exhausted, however, you’ll struggle to maintain focus.
Move your body, get some water, and stay fueled with a nutritious snack.
- Divide Your Desk
Consider organizing your desk into zones. Organizing your desk can help you find what you need when you need it.
Try purging supplies you don’t need to minimize clutter, too.
Learn How to Stay Organized at Work With These Easy Tips
Learning how to stay organized at work can have a major impact on your productivity and efficiency. Discover how to remain efficient at work using these nine easy tips. Keep up-to-date with new organizational tips throughout the year to improve your efficiency over time, too.
Make a change for the better with these tips today.
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