Time Management For Dummies - How To Organize Your Workspace for Efficient Time Management
A cluttered workspace can indicate a cluttered mind. Right? Maybe.
New material comes in every day, usually things you haven’t scheduled to deal with so it goes in your in box. These items may bury important stuff you are working on or the new papers may have information you need but it may disappear amongst the clutter. This can result in you spending too much time on urgent things rather than the tasks you have prioritized. A lot of people will tell you they work better in a cluttered workspace. Others will have nothing on their desk except their phone, a pad and a pen. Which is better? It would have to be the clear desk. Right? Wrong.
Whatever works for you is best. Whatever will make you more effective in your workspace is the better option. Most people can afford to get rid of some of the mess on their desks and no one works well with a completely clear desk. Creating an efficient workspace is exactly the same as goal setting. Break it down into small steps so the task doesn’t seem overwhelming.
There are five things you should do each day that will keep your workspace, whether it is at home or in the office, efficient.
1. Remove catalogs, journals, brochures, manuals etc from your desktop
2. File as you go
3. All memos, ’stick-it notes’, reminders, etc to be transferred to your diary or planner (more about points 1, 2 and 3 in a minute)
4. Run your virus scan for emails or when downloading
5. Defrag your computer at the end of every day.
The first three points usually create all the clutter. If you haven’t dealt with them for a while your desk will be a complete mess and you need to sort it out - now! Start by clearing your desk and creating three piles. From now on, you will deal with all paperwork, journals etc as they come into your workspace and separate them into these three piles.
Pile 1 is for anything that needs to be dealt with immediately. Pile 2 is for things that need to be filed. This is paper that isn’t urgent but needs to be put with the other projects you are working on, or put with the goals that you will working on at a later date. Pile 3 is for paper that can be tossed or recycled. We use so much paper in this technologically advanced world. Recycle as much as you can.
That system seems rather simple. But it needs a little more, especially for Pile 2 to work. Most people have clutter on their desks because of the information kept in Pile 2. If they didn’t have Pile 2, the Keep It pile, you would find different piles all over the desk with each pile representing a project to be worked on, referred to or to remind you of what needs to be done. It becomes too much information for your brain to remain clear for the task at hand.
For Pile 2 you need to invest in a series of folders that can be filed away, so at the end of the day, you can quickly re-file all the paper in Pile 2, into the required folders. Label each file for your projects, such as ‘Tasks’, ‘Mining Report’, ‘Budgets’ and so on. The folders can then be filed away and only brought out when you have scheduled to work on that project. Now you will be in control of the clutter on your desk. You will be able to find each item, as you need it. It is at hand in your filing cabinet, just a short step away from your desk. If you are concerned you won’t remember where you put it away, make note of it in your diary or planner.
As you sit down at the end of the day to make your to-do list for tomorrow you can enjoy the feeling of a clear desk to start the following day’s work. It’s a load off your mind.
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