Organising your space

Organisation is key in the work place to ensure everything runs efficiently. Reclaim control of your workspace and take simple actions in this brand new blog from Lighthouse Personnel.

Think of your desk from an outsider’s perspective. Whether you have regular visitors or not, someone is bound to pop by the office at some point. Think about what it says about your work environment, how would you interpret your desk if you just walked through the door?

Start with that big pile of documents that we all have sitting in the corner of the desk. Shred what needs to be shredded, chuck away what needs to be chucked away and file the rest. You’ll be able to find things easier and you’ll free up a large amount of space on your desk.

However, clutter isn’t always just paper. Are you running low on storage on your phone or laptop? It might be time to have a digital clear out as well! Deleting and limiting files means that you can remove anything without a daily purpose. This can be from an overflow of files to emails in your inbox. It’s easier to maintain your junk email and files each day rather than prolonging the process where you end up with more. If you take 5-10 minutes to de-clutter every so often you will see the difference.

If you’re a multitasker like most of us try to be, then we know multiple things get hidden under others. Even in a digital age, we still conduct a lot of our work through physical supplies such as calendars, books and reports. Our top tip is if you have draws, label each one so you know what needs to go in to each. Alternatively, staple your work together and put a post it notes on the top of each. Both techniques will allow you to find your work more efficiently. Having sensitive information laying on your desk will cause privacy concerns in many industries, which is why it’s best to store information as you go.

When you prioritise your work, wonderful things happen. “A messy desk is overwhelming and doesn’t tell you where to start”, says professional organiser Thalia Poulos. It’s also a great idea to have a plan in front of you, listing your tasks in order of what needs to be done first. This will allow you to have more control of your day. You’ll also find yourself with more space to work with, rather than pushing a pile of mess to the side for you to think about later.

When you have a messy work space and you have tasks spinning in your head, the work is bound to get on top of you. A messy work place promotes a negative mind set which contributes to you feeling overwhelmed. If you have an upcoming task, having an organised working area and plans in place will maintain your focus and efficiency.

A lot of us think ‘I don’t have time to organise my desk’ but it would save time in the long run if you start now to take action on your work space. Each day, give yourself 5 minutes to clear up and sort out anything laying around.