The environment you work in can greatly affect the quality of your output. If you’re working in a cluttered and disorganized space, chances are that it’s hindering your workflow. Most office workers spend much of their time in front of a computer screen, seated at a desk. This week we are going to give you 5 tips for organizing your office to help you increase work productivity.
Organization Tips to Improve Work Productivity
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Don’t Need It? Get Rid of it
This is the most important place to start. If it’s old, if it’s junk, if you don’t use it, you don’t need it. Go through your drawers and computer files. If you have old paperwork or old files you don’t need anymore, put it all in the trash can. Freeing up space in your office, and also virtually on your computer is a good way to start organizing your work space for optimal output. It can be easy for some people to let their space get cluttered, but if you make a point to keep your desk free of clutter, it will greatly reflect on your work productivity
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Start a Designated Folder or Drawer for New Stuff
A good way to help keep track of your files and folders is to designate an incoming folder or box to catch all of your new incoming paperwork. By keeping your new orders and new incoming documents in a specific place, it will help you to prioritize what you are already working on, and not worry so much about the next bit of work that comes down your line. This will help you stay focused on the task at hand and will keep your workflow smooth.
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Keep Your Desktop Clear
The ideal workspace is a clean one. One that is free of clutter and junk. How can you increase work productivity and perform to your full potential if your office and mind are cluttered with a bunch of stuff you don’t need? You can’t. Maybe you drink a lot of coffee from disposable cups or bottled soda. Don’t let that stuff accumulate on your desk. Pitch it. By cutting down on clutter, you won’t be distracted by a bunch of junk on your desk. A personal effect or two is okay, but you don’t need to bring your whole troll doll collection from home to keep you company at your desk.
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Use a Two Tray System
This one is pretty simple, but it is very effective. Keep one tray or folder for incoming mail and assignments and another for outgoing. This will greatly help you from getting anything mixed up, or overlooking important information. By keeping your incoming and outgoing separate you minimize the risk of being caught up in any potential “traffic jams” in your workflow. Keeping your incoming and outgoing documents separate and organized is essential to maintaining your best output.
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Use Your Drawers.
If you sit at a desk that has drawers built in, it would do you good to make proper use of them. Pens, notebooks, office supplies don’t have to take up unnecessary space on your desk, and chances are that you only need one pen and one notebook in front of you at a time. Things like staplers, hole-punches and even things like facial tissue or anything else that you don’t absolutely need on your desk can be stored in a drawer until you need it. This will keep your desktop uncluttered, your mind uncluttered and help you increase work productivity. Also, If you keep a few snacks on hand, it will prevent the need to leave your desk to make a trip to the vending machine or the nearest burger joint.
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Get a Bigger Trash Bin
This one is important! If you’re like me, you probably generate a lot of trash in the form of paper and plastic. Chances are you’re also constantly having to empty your trash can to keep it from overflowing. The key to solving this problem is a bigger trash can. A bigger trash can holds more trash obviously, so by getting a bigger trash can, you won’t have to empty it quite as often, and this will allow you to stay focused on your tasks. But don’t forget to recycle!
Conclusion
Whatever your preferred organizational method or productivity system, today is the day to organize and prioritize. The longer you wait, the longer it takes.
What methods do you use to keep your office organized and increase work productivity?