An Organized Desk Helps to Keep You Focused and Productive

Posted by Dianne Hartwick in Organization, Self Improvement | 1 comments

Trying to stay organized during the day can be a bit tricky yet it’s worth the effort.  There is a positive psychological aspect to working at an organized, decluttered workspace; therefore I encourage you to consider some of these simple methods:

• Keep one file/project open at a time and keep the rest of your files in their place—current projects in either a step file on your desk or in a drawer close at hand and occasional projects in a file cabinet close by.
• Keep only the items on your desk that you need for a productive day i.e. laptop, pen, note pad, phone, remote for your IPod dock in case the phone rings and you need to mute. All distractions should be put away…consider putting your cell phone away for maximum productivity
• I have some DIY implements that I like to use to keep my desk organized.
  • Binder clips for organizing cords and,
  • I use small boxes that fit in my desk drawer to keep small items at my fingertips.
• Keep a basket or a tray nearby so that if you have a good thought i.e. a business development idea, you can write it down and put it in the basket for later. This basket can also hold your business reading material; it’s a general collection of “To Do’s” that you can get off of your mind and manage later. This allows you to focus on the task at hand.
• Keep another basket for your Virtual Assistant. This basket contains a list of the tasks that you would like managed by an outsourced professional such as filing, business cards that need to be scanned and entered into your database, items requiring follow-up, receipts that need categorizing and entered into the accounting system etc.
• At the end of your workday, put away your files, tools and put your coffee cup in the sink.
• The last thing I do before I leave my home office, or anyone else’s office, is wipe down the desk. I do this for two reasons. 1. If I’ve worked in someone else’s office, I like to wipe away all germs and finger prints before I leave and, 2. It’s the last step in preparing for the next day; tangibly and mentally. Oh, there’s nothing like arriving at your clean, uncluttered workspace and beginning your day with a focus and energy. When your workspace is clean and organized, there are no distractions, physical or mental that will immediately impede you getting off to a good start.