3 Steps to A Productive Workspace

I’m going to let you in on a little secret – the key to productivity at work is to create a command center. It’s that simple! The key lies in transforming your space. A command center is a space where everything you need for your daily work is within arm’s reach. It creates a simplified, systematic work experience and is an important part of improving productivity. Get started by implementing this NYC Professional Office Organizer’s 3 step strategy to help you turn your workspace into a command center.

Step One: Figure out what you need and why you need it.
Start by thinking about what tasks you do on a daily basis. Make a list of what you do frequently and what tools you use to accomplish those tasks. Aside from your desk and trash pail, your list will probably include your calendar, to-do list, contact database, and trays to manage the paper flow. Take inventory of where those items are located in your office. Is your trash can near your door rather than near your desk? Are you storing your action files on the other side of your office? Two things happen when the items you need are not near you while you are working. First, you spend valuable time getting up and searching for those items throughout the day. Second, if you must get up to return an item to its proper storage place or toss out a piece of scrap paper, you may be tempted to leave those items on your desk while you continue to work, leading to a cluttered workspace.

Step Two: Create a plan to bring your most used items to your workspace.
Now that you know what items you use with regularity, it’s time to figure out your workflow and organize your office accordingly. Take a look at the storage locations already in your office. Which ones are most accessible when seated at your desk? In most cases, the main storage location will be on or in your desk. If you take a lot of phone calls, you want to have your phone right on your desk and near the arm you use to answer calls. If you take a lot of notes, have a notepad and pens in the drawer of your desk nearest you. Try and keep items that are used together in close proximity to each other. For example, keep a ream of paper near your printer. When you are thinking about which items to store where, remember to keep the items used most often in the nearest drawers and shelves to you, and the items you use slightly less in the next set of drawers or shelves.

Step Three: Create systems to integrate the key tools.
The premise of a command center goes beyond the actual frequently used tools. In order to have an effective command center where you can be most productive, you will need to create systems that integrate the flow of information between your calendar, contacts, email, to-do list and paperwork. For example, consider how tasks that received via email are going to get included on your to-do list or the process for adding new contacts to your contact database.

The objective of your command center is to have a very productive work environment that is customized to the type of work that you do. The actual tools, their location and how they interface are key.

How productive are you at work? Take this NYC Professional Office Organizer’s free productivity assessment and find out!