Ahhhh, desks. Such a convenient landing place for things to get to “later.” Days and weeks later the piles and clutter have grown to the point where it’s not even functional anymore. If you’re neat and organized with a work environment that serves you well, this article won’t speak to you. But if you’re like me and need a little guidance, read on.
Papers!
Have a sit-down at your desk and take a few (or many) minutes to tackle the papers. Look at each piece of paper and follow the rule of three – either
Throw it out
File it, or
Deal with it
Note: If your office is in your home, take care to keep intrusion from the rest of the house to a minimum.
Here’s an article about desk organization rich with ideas.
Make a Great Filing System
Papers are the hardest to control! Having an efficient and meaningful filing system provides a home for important documents and a way to find them easily when you need ’em. A color-coded filing system is easy and straightforward. An attractive wire crate made for hanging folders keeps papers within reach without having to pull open filing cabinet drawers. Different colored hanging folders makes it easy to categorize your papers. The categories you choose should be broad, yet meaningful for the way you work and nature of your business.
Incoming/Outgoing
Make a place for incoming and outgoing papers. Make sure to sort through your incoming papers at least once a week. It’s all too easy for unpaid bills, invoices, proposals, purchase orders, accounts payables and more to go missing or forgotten. A smooth and meaningful workflow is essential. Record the path any given piece of paper travels across your desk from the moment it enters the room to when you’re finished with it. Hint: your desk should never be the stopping point.
Even email can add to clutter and must be managed. Avoid reading every email that comes in. Try designating three times a day to check and answer emails. Turn off alerts if necessary.
Supplies
Keep backup office supplies tucked away out of sight in containers and/or in a closet. They make an office look cluttered when left in plain view. Those you use every day should be corralled in a nice holder, within reach. It’s very distracting to your brain when you have to get up and look for a pen. If you work at more than place in your office, make sure each location has its own set of supplies.
If You Have the Space…
Set up a different area for each of your various tasks. A desk might not be the best place to do all of your work. Do you meet with clients? A nice conference table and comfy chairs might provide a better place for meetings than your desk. A comfy, cushy chair in a quiet corner might encourage creative thinking. If your business is selling creative items, a physical work space is essential. These will relieve your desk of some of your work burden and help keep it tidy and organized. Remember that if you do have other areas in your office to keep them organized and clutter-free too.
Finally, don’t be too utilitarian. Keep a few items on or above your desk that inspire, motivate, and lift you up. Remember this when deciding what to keep there and what to move – is it helping you reach your business goals? If yes, keep it. If not, it has to go – move it or dump it.
Photo by Norbert Levajsics on Unsplash
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Ellen Clarke
Recent Comments