Work never stops in an office. Every day, there are new tasks to perform, new fires to put out, new targets to reach and new ideas to execute. Things-to-do keep piling up on your desk and in your inbox. Before you know it, you are already swamped with a lot of files that you miss out on some important matters that needed your attention.
There are people who thrive in a chaotic environment. But more often than not, a messy work area can adversely affect your performance in your job. A cluttered physical space can affect your mental health as it can increase stress and anxiety, bring confusion to your thoughts and block your creativity and workflow. A tidy desk can help you relax and breathe better. It’s about time to put some order in your office area and do things more efficiently. We’re giving you tips on how you can manage your papers, computer files and items on your desk and work station.
O - Organise
Before you begin implementing changes in your office space and computer, create a plan first on how you will arrange and categorise items. How will you put things together and where will you put them? Designate areas where to place confidential files, urgent matters, and personal stuff. You can do the same thing with your computer files.
R – Re-examine your belongings
Assess your effects on your table to see which ones should go away and which ones should remain. As you go through your items, you might realise that you missed out allocating things for certain categories. There may be personal items that are better kept at home. You might even come across documents that should be given to your colleagues or materials that belong to your library or common office shelf.
D - Declutter
Tidy up and leave as much space as you can for you to move around and work better. Personal effects must be kept at a minimum. No need to put a collection of items on your desk or office. Keep piles of papers off your table. Go as paperless as you can. There are many cloud storage sites where you can upload certain files to free up your computer space.
E - Eliminate non-essentials
Drafts and non-important paper files that are no longer needed should be taken out from your pile of documents. Books that you do not even read but you put there for decoration may have to go away. Contracts and other legal papers from years past may need to be archived or kept hidden. Others probably belong to the trash bin.
R - Retain only what’s important
What are the urgent matters? You may hang on to certain things but make sure they are important. Sort your belongings according to your priorities and their relevance to your job. Maintain some items that make you happy and inspire you to work.
With a neat and orderly office, you can easily locate important objects and note urgent matters. It also clears your mind and allows you to think freely. Moreover, a clean and tidy surrounding also promotes a healthier lifestyle. Make it also a daily, weekly and monthly habit to declutter in the office.