How to Be Organized at Work

Whether you're commuting or working from home, a few organizational hacks can allow you to keep your workspace and work life organized. HRMatrix is here to provide you tricks and tips to maintain the inertia of your success. 

  1. Do an initial sweep of your overall workspace. Desks and workspaces tend to accumulate office supplies, books, paperwork, and other items gradually over time, making it difficult to stay organized at work. Tidying up your physical space can help develop a more productive environment by minimizing distractions. Take some time to remove anything you don’t use on a daily basis and address all of the paperwork taking up space.

  2. Designate a storage space. Make sure to utilize your bookshelves, closets, and file cabinets to keep your valuable workspace clutter-free. Before leaving the office at the end of the day, make sure you put everything back in its place.

  3. Have a trashcan nearby. Having immediate access to a trashcan in your home office will help you declutter your workspace as items eventually pile up.

  4. Post a daily task list. Keep a daily to-do list in a clearly visible spot in the office. This will help you organize your workday, ensuring that your important tasks are completed with punctuality. Sticky notes make quick work of color-coding tasks by task type, priority, or the time it’ll take to complete them, helping you organize your day accordingly.

  5. Keep a digital calendar. Being able to look ahead and schedule accordingly can help you maintain an overall better work-life balance. Take advantage of a digital calendar's automation and notification capabilities to remind you of important dates such as meetings, birthdays, coworker outages, deadlines, and holidays so that you are able to stay on track. At the end of the day, you'll be able to quickly see what the next day holds and block out designated focus time if it is necessary.

  6. Schedule personal time into your day so that you are able to recuperate and recharge. Set aside blocks of time throughout your day to catch up on your email inbox, phone calls, or errands as this will also help you remain organized. Having a designated amount of time to tackle these tasks will allow you to improve your overall workflow.

  7. Rethink your daily routine. It can be arduous to lead an organized life and be an organized person when there’s uncertainty around simple, everyday tasks. Establishing good habits like going to bed at roughly the same time every night and prepping meals can help you save time and streamline your day to increase productivity.

  8. Keep everything in its correct place. Everyday carry-items such as your phone, wallet, and keys should have a designated spot in your home so you know where things are. Consider placing a tray, bowl, or basket near your door or on your kitchen counter—wherever you're most likely to set things upon entering your home because as you get busier, you will have less time to mind these small responsibilities.

  9. Keep a checklist. Checklists can help you prioritize tasks, reduce procrastination, and make the most out of your daily errand runs. It’s good to know what your day consists of and what needs to be completed first. Checklists help streamline your day.

  10. Focus on one task at a time as multitasking often leads to poor time management and all of the tasks your manage is often left incomplete. Save time by simply focusing on finishing one task at a time so that you are able to thoroughly complete the next.