Office Organizing Tips for the Desk
It can be a challenge to keep your desktop organized and clear of lots of extraneous stuff. Keep in mind that lots of stuff cluttering up your desk can be very distracting; make it difficult to find stuff and a real drain on productivity. Here are some office organizing tips for the desk to help you start the New Year off with a clearer desk.
- If you have pens, pencils, sharpies, and highlighters all crammed into your pencil holder, consider dividing them between 2 containers. The sharpies and highlighters in one and the pens and pencils in the other…. It will be much easier to grab what you need when you need it.
- Set up designated In, Out, To File trays. This will help keep your desk clear of papers that aren’t related to the current desk at hand.
- Avoid decorating your desk, computer and the surrounding walls with post-it note reminders. Put this information on your to do list and calendar or in your phone book. The more post-it’s the less likely you will be to see the “trees from the forest” and actually see an important note at just the right time.
- Collect the business cards that need to be entered into your contact management program in one folder and schedule time on a weekly basis to quickly enter the information. Cards piled on your desk will land up mixed in with other papers and potentially misplaced for at least the short term if not indefinitely.
- Eliminate the piles of paper on your desk. Create action files for projects and frequently occurring tasks. Place the relevant paperwork in the appropriate folder upon receipt.
- Reduce the number of mementos to your favorite 2 or 3. You can periodically add new ones but the objective is to not exceed 3 at any one time.
It can take a little while to get over the hurdle of change, but by following these office organizing tips consistently, you can do get to the other side! You’re going to be feeling better about your desk soon!