Being organized is proven to have a wide variety of positive effects on your mental and physical health, such as minimizing your stress levels and increasing your productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, we all know that staying organized is easier said than done. This is especially true with the onset of the pandemic, which drastically changed how we worked and presented us with new challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll talk about what might be keeping you from being organized and share our best tips and tricks on how to stay organized at work (and how having the best employee scheduling app<\/a> might help).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Before we discuss how to stay organized, we first need to understand the biggest hindrances to our goals. Once we know how these factors affect us, we can take the right steps to overcome them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are six things keeping you from being organized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t worry; these hindrances aren\u2019t a death sentence but rather a key to unlocking your organizational potential. In fact, understanding them is the first step towards knowing how to stay organized at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you ready to start organizing? In this section, we\u2019ll discuss fifteen tips and tricks that you can use to stay organized at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most effective organizational tips for work is to create a schedule using the time blocking method<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time blocking is a scheduling method where you delegate specific tasks to certain times of the day. For example, at work, you can have the following time blocks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n With time blocks like these, you know which tasks to focus on at a particular time, allowing you to plan out your entire day. You can also adjust them based on last-minute additions or sudden meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the easiest ways to be organized at work is to use an application. In fact, there are plenty of apps specifically designed to help people stay organized at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Practically every time management technique<\/a> has its own app, from simple timers to dedicated task management software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When using apps, it\u2019s important to remember not to be swayed by hype and reviews alone. Remember, no app in the world can help you become more organized if you don\u2019t enjoy using it. Make sure to try it out first to see if it matches your needs and preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Routines are powerful mental tools that can help structure your day. An efficient routine will automatically help you organize your work, even without your direct input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you believe you can change\u2014if you make it a habit\u2014the change becomes real.\u201d <\/em><\/p>Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n A daily or weekly plan can help you eliminate distractions<\/a> and focus on what you need to do. Write down all the things you have to achieve within this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only can this improve your performance, but it also helps you avoid having to make sudden decisions not based on logical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using a checklist can help you visualize the tasks you need to do. Not to mention, crossing things off always gives a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One effective trick is to arrange the tasks depending on their level of priority when making your checklist. You can do this in the traditional pen-and-paper way or with an app like Basecamp<\/a> or Asana<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Level up your checklists by color-coding items based on specific categories, such as priority level or task type. Doing so can help you determine your next course of action with just one glance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Checking emails is one of the most persistent tasks that every employee around the world has to deal with every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To stay on top of your emails without reducing your productivity, set aside a portion of your day specifically for checking your inbox. Ideally, this should be at the beginning, middle, and end of your day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also unsubscribe from unimportant newsletters, create email folders by importance, and mark important ones that need more attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It might surprise you, but multitasking isn\u2019t as effective as it\u2019s made out to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truth is, multitasking simply pulls your energy into multiple different directions. Although doing many things at once may seem like a productive undertaking, it actually just spreads your focus, preventing you from getting things done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of multitasking, concentrate your effort on achieving realistic goals per task. This way, you can give your 100% on each one and cross them off your to-do list much faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing busy is not the same thing as being productive.\u201d<\/p>Ryder Carroll, The Bullet Journal Method<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s tough to resist the urge to check your phone whenever there\u2019s a notification, even if it’s unimportant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turning off your phone\u2013or at least putting it in silent mode\u2013will remove this distraction. It\u2019s also one of the simplest things that you can do to get organized at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to know how to get organized at work, you should try setting up a work-only browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like setting up a dedicated physical workspace in your work-from-home setup<\/a>, a work-only browser acts as a dedicated digital workspace. After all, your normal browser contains shortcuts to all your interests, so it\u2019s easier to get distracted when you\u2019re using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, a work-only browser won’t have these distractions, which means you\u2019ll be less tempted to procrastinate while working. Be sure to tweak its settings, filters, and permissions to optimize it for your work tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies show that an organized workspace reduces stress levels and enhances productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that organizing your office<\/a> to conform to your workflow and keeping it clean can help you motivate yourself to work. This includes finding a place for everything, clearing up your desk after work, and throwing away useless clutter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have a trash can within arm\u2019s range, you\u2019ll just put off throwing garbage away until it piles up in your workspace. Having a trashcan nearby can eliminate this tendency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a designated place for everything in your workspace can help you keep things organized. Not to mention, spending a few minutes every day to look for important supplies can take away precious time from your work and even increase your stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re interested in getting organized at work, don\u2019t place essential office supplies away from you, especially if you have to stand up and walk over to get them. This can mess with your productivity and workflow<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, have them close enough that you can reach them easily without thinking twice about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working too long, too often with no breaks is the surest path to stress and burnout. To combat this, schedule small but frequent breaks, ideally five minutes for every half-hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it may seem counterintuitive, work breaks can refresh your mind and replenish your energy levels, allowing you to work harder for longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Everhour, we help people learn how to stay organized at work. With its timesheet app<\/a>, features for task management, time tracking<\/a>, and even billing, Everhour is guaranteed to streamline your workload and give you a more organized, more efficient experience every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTop Barriers to Staying Organized at Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Top 15 Tips for How to Stay Organized At Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Create a structured work schedule for better organization<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Use an application \ud83d\udcbb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Stick to a daily routine \u2600\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Have a daily and weekly plan \ud83d\udcdd<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Using checklists to boost work efficiency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Color-code your to-do list \ud83d\udd8d\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Stay on top of your emails \ud83d\udce9<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Don\u2019t multitask \ud83c\udfc3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Silence your phone \ud83e\udd2b<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Set up a work-only browser \ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. Keep your desk clean \ud83d\uddc4\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Have a trash can near you \ud83d\uddd1\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. Use desk organizers \ud83d\uddc2\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
14. Store your most-used supplies close by \u270d\ufe0f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
15. Take regular breaks \ud83d\udc86<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Organize Work Tasks: The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n