Organization & Efficiency Tips
Read these 22 Organization & Efficiency Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Office tips and hundreds of other topics.
Centralize Your Notes
Keep all of your notes to yourself in a single place, whether it's in an organizer, a notebook, or on your computer or handheld organizer. Resist the urge to write notes and lists without first grabbing your organizer or notebook ——you'll save yourself the stress and frustration of trying to find your notes later.
Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
Extra things and activities waste energy, time, and space. If you're not using it (or haven't used it for as long as you can remember), get rid of it!
Are You Busy or Productive?
Just being busy at something is not enough. The tasks we are occupied with should relate to the "big picture." Try this: record your activities for a week, listing the time it takes to complete each task. At the end of the week, analyze your record. Are you completing projects on track? Or are you wasting time on "busy work" that could actually be skipped? Were all the tasks truly necessary? Or are you allowing distractions to interrupt legitimate work? Try to eliminate the big time-wasters and you'll boost your productivity.
Your Friend, the Nightly Routine
Leave some time at the end of the work day to straighten your desk and prepare for the day to come. Attend to loose papers; put away work tools and file folders; examine your calendar and appointments. Add a few extra minutes to you pm routine at the end of each week to clean your computer monitor and phone and dust or polish your desktop. Bonus: Besides making your next day easier to face, these practices will reflect on your image as an efficient worker.
Get a Head Start on Tomorrow
Writing up your daily goals the night before makes it easier to get going in the morning. Take a few moments to think about what your most important objectives for the coming day and build from there.
Chores Around the Office
Got some chores that you just can't find time to do? Make a task cup. Write each project on a piece of scrap paper, fold it up and toss it in the cup. One day a week, or at the end of each day, pull a note from the cup and take care of business.
Your Sacred Planning Time
Daily planning is a powerful tool in gaining control of your time. It helps you to get the most important tasks done first without forgetting the small stuff. Set aside sacred, uninterrupted time with your calendar every day. Turn off the phone, close the door, and get control.
Zap Procrastination
When you feel overwhelmed by too much to do, it can be debilitating and keep you from doing anything. Of course, this just results in a larger backlog of undone tasks. How to break the cycle? Pick ONE thing that is the most important and just do it. Example: don't shuffle those unpaid bills to the bottom of the in box again. Sit down and pay them. Don't move that complicated research project to a pending file, open it up and get started. Doing one thing improves your esteem as you stop focusing on something negative (the un-done things) and gives you a great sense of accomplishment.
Divide & Conquer
Experts estimate that office workers spend 20 to 30 percent of their time just looking for information. Make your research time more effective by keeping file drawers lean and mean. Since overcrowded files add up to lost time and frustration for staff, streamline files by keeping guides simple and files well identified. When folders become too thick with paperwork, break them down into smaller files.
Hate to File?
Most of us don't enjoy filing, but the fact is, it's one of those jobs that must be done. Even in offices where clerical staff handles the bulk of the filing, some filing tasks fall on other staff members. Managers and middle-managers must keep track of projects and related paperwork. Keep the paperwork under control by leaving 15 minutes or more at the end of each work day to put paper in its place.
Tickler File
Defer an office task by placing it (say, a letter that needs answering) in a "tickler" file. Ticklers have sections numbered 1-31 (for days of month) and sections labelled for months of the year. Jobs to be done this month get filed in the appropriate day (number) section. Other items get filed in the month they are scheduled for. At the beginning of a new month, put items in that month's section into the appropriate date sections.
Color Coded Document Routing
Use different colored folders for different types of mail or documents that are routed in your office. For example:
etc.
The color coded folders will help busy office workers know at a glance which items require immediate attention.
Avoid Crowds and Save Time
Find quicker ways of doing things and you will reap the benefits in reclaimed time. One way to save time is to avoid crowds by buying postage online or by mail. The same principles apply to purchasing office supplies or doing banking.
Store It Where You Use It
Point-of-use storage saves unnecessary steps and adds to efficiency. Examples: keep the fax paper, toner and instruction manual with the fax machine. Or, keep coffee and condiment supplies in a location adjacent to the coffee maker.
Opening Incoming Mail
Open mail near a wastebasket and discard envelopes and inserts immediately. Automatic letter openers and electric date stamping machines will speed the mail opening process.
Group Like Tasks
Bundling tasks adds to your efficiency. Examples: block out a chunk of time to return or make phone calls. Schedule writing time for drafting reports, or answering letters and e-mail. Try grouping driving errands geographically.
Who's Got That File?
Using "out cards" in your filing system will let users know at a glance who has important files and how long they have been holding them. Out cards come in standard and legal size and are available from most office supply retailers.
Create Specific Files
Avoid creating "miscellaneous" or "general" files. It is much too tempting to throw many unrelated items into such a file, resulting in retrieval headaches later on. Much better to create a specific folder title whenever possible.
Getting Ready for Work
The morning rush is hectic in most households. Help smooth the routine by preparing the night before:
Put Your Stuff Away!
Putting things away after they've been used, will save you time in the long run. Author James Gleick states that in an average day Americans spend 16 minutes looking for things they've lost. In a year, that 16 minutes adds up to over 90 hours!
Work with Your Habits
Looking for ways to get more done? First, know thyself. When you know what your personal habits are, you can put practices in place that fit (rather than fight) your personal working style.
Easy Access Supplies
Keeping supplies simple to find, and easy to get to, will help everyone on staff who uses the supply cabinet. In addition to making visits to the cabinet quicker, easy access organization will help keep the cabinet tidy and help make checking inventory levels a snap. Example: Store file folders in a vertical sorter instead of in stacked boxes.
