Clean Out Your Desk

I have a plaque in my office.  It was a gift from a friend who has actually seen where I work.  It says, “A Clean Desk Is the Sign of a Sick Mind.”  I think she was trying to make me feel better, because I admit my desk is usually in a state of disarray verging on total chaos.

This lack of organization has been known to cause some problems because at least once a day I have to stop and search my desk for some item or document that I need to work.  And apparently I am not alone.  According to experts, Americans waste almost 30 minutes a day – 180 hours a year – looking for misplaced items.  If your hourly fee is $20, that's $3600 a year!  I would wager that there are many things you could do with an extra $3600 or 180 hours this year.

One of the first steps to getting organized is eliminating the clutter, and one of the first places you should tackle is your desk.  Here's a six-step approach to streamlining your workspace:

1.            Set aside some time.  The scenario you want to avoid: getting elbow-deep in the organizing process, only to have to dump it all back in the drawers and boxes because you have to stop to finish a report, host a webinar, or pick your kids up from school.  While how much time you need will depend on the size of your space (and your mess), a good rule of thumb is an hour for a desk, bookshelf, or file drawer.

2.            Pull it all out.  Even though it will make a mess, the quickest and easiest way to start your organizing process is to clear out the drawer, shelf, or desktop.  Strip it down to the studs and wipe the surface free of dirt, dust, and stray paperclips.  Then you'll have a fresh surface to work from.

3.            Sort.  Sort the items you pulled out into categories, such as paper, writing implements, books, manuals, etc.  As you are sorting, toss any obvious offenders, such as scraps of paper, broken items, outdated receipts, etc.

4.            Decide.  Choose how many of each item you need – pens, blank notebooks, etc. – and then toss, recycle, or give away the rest.  Trying to decide what you need to keep? Think about what you have space for, as well as what you're likely to use in a reasonable amount of time.  You might have room for seventeen replacement cartridges for your printer, but will you use them all before you upgrade to a new printer?

5.            Organize.  Replace the items in a logical manner – printing supplies near the printer, business books on a single shelf, computer manuals near the computer, etc.  Also think about keeping the most frequently used items in the most accessible place, and less-frequently used items in more remote locales.

6.            Maintain.  Unfortunately, organizing is not a one-time event; you must set aside regular times to file paperwork, clear the counters, and take out the trash.  Even just five minutes at the end of the day is sufficient to keep a handle on pile build-up.

Organizing is a great way to start the new year.  It will help you get a grip on any new needs you have, as well as remind you of tasks and projects awaiting your attention.  You'll be ready to tackle whatever comes your way with a clean desk, and a clean mind.

 

6 Steps to a Stress-Free Organized Office

Working from a home office can be challenging.  Space can be minimal, making it difficult to find places to work, store files, or place equipment.  Rid yourself of this stress by following the following tips for organizing your office space, no matter how small. 

1.  Declutter.  Get rid of everything you don't need.  This includes old files, equipment you don't use - everything.  If you haven't touched it in a year or more, remove it from your office.  If you think you may possibly need some of the files, put them in a box made specifically for storing paper files and move them into the garage, attic, or some other out-of-the-way place.  Equipment (like the old desktop computer I never use anymore) can be given away or sold. 

2.  Store.  Find places for everything you decided to keep.  Install some sturdy shelves to hold books and office supplies.  Use file trays to organize and prioritize work in progress.  Place materials in a basket that you can place on a shelf when not in use.  Use storage boxes on your shelves to organize files.  You can purchase these in a wide variety of colors, designs, and sizes to bring some color and
personality to your office while still keeping papers under control.    

3.  Save space.  If you don't have a room for your office, don't worry.  A roll top or drop-leaf desk in the living room can give you work space when you need it but be unobtrusive when not in use.  My first office was in my bedroom.  An armoire gave me a place to work and store my supplies, but could be closed up when I wasn't working.  A sturdy shelf in the corner of the laundry room, a file cabinet next to the kitchen counter, roll-away file cabinets that can be placed near the kitchen or dining room table when needed but moved out of the way when necessary can all turn any room in the house into a home office.

4.  Organize your workspace.  Keep items that you use regularly such as pens and pencils where you can easily reach them.  Use old jam jars or glasses, small baskets or tins, or even the old soup cans covered in wallpaper or wrapping paper (remember making those as a kid?) as an inexpensive place to hold pencils, pens, rubber bands, paper clips, or other small supplies.  My husband mounted a pegboard inside one door of my office armoire and corkboard on the other which gave me a place to keep things organized right within reach.

5.  Schedule your workday.  Use a desktop calendar, the organizer on your smartphone, or whatever means works for you.  I borrowed an idea from my daughter that she uses to keep track of her family's busy schedule.  Since my schedule can change quickly, I have a dry-erase calendar in my office that I can erase and update as needed.  Make a daily to-do list to ensure you take care of the most important items each day.  Have your daily or weekly goals posted where you can see them to remind you of what you need to put on your schedule. 

6.  Don't take work home.  I know this sounds impossible when you work from a home office, but I mean it.  First, by keeping everything in its place in your office you will be more organized when you are at work.  Second, part of being organized is finding time for your personal life while running your business.  When the work day is finished, then it is time to close up your office, leave work in its place, and concentrate on family, friends, and yourself.

What My Daughter Taught Me

Since starting my coaching business, I have worked with clients who in varied professions including top level executives, mid level managers, support staff, lawyers, small business owners, entrepreneurs, salespeople, and engineers.  I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Invariably their perception of being organized is either related to getting rid of paper clutter, improving their filing system or how they need more time each day to get it all done. And it is true, that solving these problems will help them become better organized.

But there is a part of being organized that not many people realize, and really is the basis for solving all these problems.

First, let me say that generally, most people are not very well organized. We are not born organized. It is a learned skill. It is a skill that anyone, in any profession can learn and use to increase productivity and work more efficiently. I have been helped along by my daughter, because she is an organized person. I am learning her ways. (I don't know who she learned it from.  It sure wasn't me!)

During my years in the military, I worked closely with several top level commanders. These people were all very organized, which helped them attain these high positions. I also learned a lot from them. What I pass on to you is a culmination of the techniques, methods and systems used very effectively by them, my daughter, and by me.

Okay, now back to the real basis for effective organization. Being organized is being in control. A few words but a powerful statement. It means you are in control of how you handle paper, email, the phone, your time, and all the other tasks and responsibilities that make up your work day.

It means knowing the status of every aspect of what is happening in your job at all times. It also means arranging your time and workload to meet your goals. Yes, goals. A very important part of being organized.

If you don’t have goals, how do you know where you are going. You don’t. You end up wherever. It is not my purpose to get into goal setting here. That is an issue that I talk about often and have written articles on, and I will help you with the process. But it is important to mention here as it is a facet of how to control what takes place in your life every day.

To be in control is to be proactive as opposed to being reactive. A proactive person takes responsibility for their own lives. They are in control of how they use their time, and how and when they perform certain tasks.

They make things happen rather than letting things happen to them. Responsibility is made up of two words, response and ability. A proactive person uses their ability to choose their response to any given situation.

A reactive person empowers others or circumstances to control them. They are victims of constant interruptions, are more prone to being controlled by crises and the unexpected events of the day that invariably come up.

Reactive people are controlled by what others think, how they are treated by others, and even the weather.

There are many events and circumstances that can and will present themselves in each work day that can eat up your time. It is how you respond to these events that means the difference between being effective and productive or not.

That is a powerful statement. It makes all the difference between being proactive or reactive.

Each of us has the choice of deciding how to handle the day to day events. What if you are focused on a task and the phone rings. Are you going to answer it and interrupt yourself or are you going to let it go to voicemail until you have completed the task you are working on. Which is more important, the task or the phone. You decide.

Someone walks into your office while you are focused on a project, and you know they just want to chit chat. Are you going to let them waste your precious time or will you tell them that you are involved in an important project, can you get back to them later. You decide.

Besides being proactive, this is also known as self-management. Each of us has the choice of deciding how to handle the day to day events.

What are your priorities for today?

How are you going to spend your time.?

Do you have a place for each piece of paper that crosses your desk or does it pile up because you don’t know what to do with it?

Preplanning for what you want to accomplish today, this week, this month, and writing it down is a good goal setting process. It makes you aware of where you are now, where you want to go, and your plan for how you are going to get there.

This is being proactive and taking control of your job responsibilities. Some of you may be able to set aside specific times for specific tasks. For others, the times and tasks may change every day.

Don’t become discouraged if your plans don’t work out the way you want every day. This is not a perfect world. Unexpected events can and most likely will appear that can eat up your time. But if you are in control, it will usually not disrupt your entire day.

Decide how and when you will handle the unexpected event. Is it more important than what you are doing now or can it wait until later. Are you going to address it proactively or react to the circumstance without considering its level of importance.

The commanders I worked with had goals, focused on the important tasks by being aware of their priorities and were in control of how they spent their time each day. You can do the same.

By reading the articles on my web site, subscribing to BoomerBizTips, and actively using the special reports, seminars, and workshops I offer, you can improve your organizing skills.

Whether it is how to stay focused, handling tons of email, keeping on top of projects, getting rid of those piles of papers, or having a simple, easy filing system, you can now understand that these are all proactive activities.

They all contribute to better organization. Practicing these processes will give you control over your work flow.

Remember, as I said in the beginning, organization is a learned skill. But oh, what a difference it can make in your life!