.png)
There is no doubt that organization fosters success. The less organized your mind and environment, the more hurdles and delays on your path to success. Spending unnecessary time and efforts looking for things, catching up on work, and sifting through piles only makes you less productive and unhappy. Happy, productive people are successful people!
Bogged Down Brain
I’m sure there is a study somewhere to back up the science of organization but do we really need a group of scientists to tell us that having a mess makes our brain feel scattered? The more scattered your work area, the more scattered your thoughts. Not only is it a hindrance for your duties, but it is also a hindrance for your brain. There is more to keep you distracted and more potential pitfalls to keep you from being productive.
Start the organization process by keeping your area and desk clear of clutter and disorder. Make sure to separate your personal areas and belongings from the things that are needed for your workday. Mixing the two only keeps your brain wondering off course to other duties when it should be focused on the work at hand. Clean off your desk at the end of the day so that you can start fresh the next day. Starting each day with a clean slate keeps you from feeling stressed before you even get started.
Tune It Out, Turn It Off
Organization doesn’t just pertain to our physical surroundings. Working in a bustling office is one thing, but having multiple distractions buzzing can veer you far of course. How many times have you tried multitasking? Only to find that you wrote something you heard instead of the thought you were trying to convey. Definitely not conducive to success.
Keep the distractions to a minimum by eliminating anything that isn’t pertinent to the job at hand. Silence phones, mute IM conversations, and stop and listen to co-workers or meetings when needed. You’ll spend less time redoing work and more time on task. Take time to refocus when you start to feel there is too much going on. Take a deep breath, a short walk, or even listen to some tunes for a few minutes to hit your internal reset button and get you going in the right direction.
Organization with Your Schedule
You can’t make the best of your time if you don’t know where and when to spend it. Organization with your schedule is vital to your success. It is easy to get lost in your work and think that you have more time in the day than you actually do. This can lead to missing important deadlines, scampering to get work complete, and being late to or missing meetings altogether. So start keeping a schedule of day to day duties, meetings, and deadlines. Make sure that you clearly mark your non-negotiables such as one-on-ones with your boss or important doctor visits.
Once you’ve laid out your musts then you can go back in and schedule all the needs and wants on your agenda. It’s important to also schedule time for breaks. That way you don’t get burned out half-way through your day or end up sprinting to the vending machine because you’ve neglected to allow time for lunch. Take a mental note of your calendar at the beginning of the week and at the beginning of each day. This helps ensure that you not only know what to expect but that you also feel more accomplished as you navigate through your work schedule.
Looking for more tips? Check out our other blogs here!