I’ve always wished I was more organized. As I look around my desk right now I see the notes for all the projects I’ve been working on in disarray on my desk. On the other hand, I also love being creative. Here are a few secrets I have learned from the super organized folks I’m around.
Don’t keep so much stuff
Paper is my main weakness. As an educator, I love books, notebooks and the notes I have taken. I am in the process of cleaning out my notebooks. I plan to scan certain ones so I can refer to them in the future. What can you get rid of in order to declutter your work space?
Identify your work style
Many times I have felt that something was wrong with me because I tend to spread out all the papers on my desk when working on a project. That seems to be part of my creative process and work style. That is fine as long as I come back and rearrange it periodically. Have you given yourself permission to work the way that is best for you?
Keep projects separated
You may mentally shift gears quickly but your paperwork will not move as quickly. Have a system so you can separate the items you need for specific projects. It can be as simple as a file folder. In fact, don’t make it to complicated. As you get ideas, put your notes all in one place. This will save you lots of time in the end and keep the amount of papers manageable. Where are you going to place the notes, etc. for each project?
Focus on keeping file folders on your computer
Despite what my desk looks like, I learned a long time ago to be very careful to create file folders and keep my electronic files where I could easily access them. If you are saving everything to your Desktop, it’s time to take a few hours to set up file folders and transfer the most important files to where you can easily find them. What electronic filing system do you have set up?
Schedule specific cues to stop and straighten up the clutter
One of the challenges of working from home is that work and pleasure at my computer tend to merge. I set an alarm to take a break in between. Before I can start my evening routine I clean off my desk in the same way I did when I worked at an office outside my home. What cues are you going to set up in order to know when to transition to personal time?
What suggestions do you have for me?
Author, speaker, corporate trainer and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. To increase hope and make difference in your business, click here.
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