Being organized at work can pay off in enhanced productivity and career satisfaction. It can also improve the relationship you have with your co-workers. Understanding the pitfalls of multi-tasking in the workplace and the benefits of concentrating on one thing at a time can go along way to improving your workday. Following are 15 organizing, time management and priority strategies for being more productive at work. Clear your desk. It’s hard to concentrate on your current projects when you have other things piled on your desk that also need attention. Work smart by removing unnecessary paperwork from your line of view. Dividing your focus is counterproductive. You’re able to concentrate better and get more accomplished when you’re able to focus on one thing at a time. Plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you may as well plan to fail. Planning is a great way to achieve your goals individually and collectively. It also helps you organize your time effectively and enables you to chart your progress along the way. Consider setting monthly, weekly and daily goals. Prioritize your projects. Write a detailed to do list starting with your most pressing projects and working down to those less important. Having a list also helps you select one project at a time to focus on and creates a sense of order and accomplishment. Create mini goals. Break down each project or goal into small manageable tasks you can either delegate or schedule into your day. Assign a deadline to each job and then pencil it into your calendar. Understand the power of a deadline. Having a start and end time can be an effective way of getting the task at hand accomplished. By creating a sense of urgency and excitement you also release adrenaline which in turn helps you stay focused. Learn how to delegate. Select the right person for the task and make sure they know your standards. Once you clearly communicate what needs doing, trust that the job will be completed to your satisfaction. Allow extra time. Be realistic about how long it takes to finish your tasks and you’ll get more accomplished. When travelling factor in traffic and the time it takes to find a parking spot. Build in a buffer. Do yourself a favor and schedule 15 minutes between meetings. Use the time to clear your head and wrap up any loose ends. By scheduling a 15-minute buffer you’ll arrive at your next meeting refreshed and ready to be productive. Allot extra time at the beginning and end of your day to effectively gear up and wind down. Wrapping up your current projects and taking the time to plan for the day ahead is just as important as the time you actually spend working. Use a multi-tiered inbox. One of the best ways of organizing your incoming and outgoing paperwork is to replace you inbox with a set of stacked trays that encourages your co-workers to do your filing for you. Be sure to label the trays in such a way that it makes your daily tasks easier. Consider labels like ‘urgent memos’, ‘current projects’ and ‘to be filed’. Eliminate unnecessary interruptions. Use voice mail to your advantage. If your work is piling up ignore your phone. Your recording should encourage the caller to leave a brief but detailed message so you have all the particulars on hand when you return their call. This can be an effective way of getting the job done in one phone conversation instead of two. Also consider posting a ‘do not disturb’ sign. Use an email signature. Save yourself time by adding an automatic signature line to your outgoing emails with your name and particular contact information. To learn how, look up the word ‘signature’ in your program’s help menu. Don’t be ruled by your email. Most of us look at our email messages as soon as we receive them. Consider the time you lose each and every time you allow yourself to be interrupted by email. Instead set aside a couple of times a day for reviewing mail. I’ve found once in the morning and once again after lunch, works well for me. Take a break. Many of us think we’ll get more done if we keep our nose to the grindstone. Studies of workers at large companies have found that taking frequent breaks can actually make you twice as productive. Even a five minute break can give you the second wind you need to get more accomplished. Take deeper breaths. Did you know sitting up straighter also improves your focus? You see when we sit up straight we force ourselves to take deeper breaths. As a result more oxygen reaches our brain thereby allowing us to better concentrate. Raise your eyebrows. As crazy as it sounds you really can boost your concentration by making a physical effort to lift your eyebrows and focus your attention on what you’re looking at. And when we concentrate on one thing at a time we are always more efficient. |