6 Easy ways to be more organised

For many professionals, few things are more important than being properly organised. When you can operate in a clutter-free environment, with complete visibility into your tasks, and access to the right tools, you achieve higher levels of productivity and efficiency.

Not to mention, good organisation keeps countless common workplace problems to a minimum, like frustration, procrastination, and lost creativity. Studies even show good organisation can improve your health by cutting down on stress.

The only problem? As the average workplace grows more complex, and businesses evolve, staying organised is often easier said than done. That’s why I’ve put together this list of strategies I use every day to keep myself on the right track.

Let’s dive in.

1.    Take notes (constantly)

There’s a reason teachers encourage note-taking in class. Taking notes forces you to pay attention to the information running through your head. It helps you focus, improves your chances of remembering the things you need to do, and even improves learning outcomes.

These days, you can take notes pretty much anywhere. If you’re on the move, write things down in a notepad or a sticky note so you can come back to them later. Alternatively, take advantage of the notes app on your phone when you don’t have a pen handy.

If you’re in front of your PC, make notes on a word doc, or use a note-taking app. Evernote, Google Keep, Microsoft To-Do and Dropbox Paper are all good options. These digital tools can even allow you to colour-code your notes and add reminder notifications too.

2.    Leverage the power of lists

Like notes, lists are a great way to organise your thoughts and keep you focused. They help you to get your head around everything on your schedule, so you can organise your tasks and concentrate on the things with the highest priority levels. Once again, you can use a standard pen and paper, a calendar, or anything else you have lying around to make your lists.

However, I do find technology can make the creation of lists a little simpler. Evernote is a great option for lists, and Todoist is another fantastic option. The great thing about lists is that as you progress through your tasks, you can check off what you’ve done.

I find crossing off tasks on my to-do list to be super satisfying, and it’s a fantastic way to stay motivated if you’re dealing with a pretty hectic schedule.

3.    Use time blocking in your schedule

Part of staying organised is figuring out how to manage the time in your day as effectively as possible. You’ve probably already noticed there are moments throughout your days when you feel more energised, motivated, and focused. “Time blocking” is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most out of these high-productivity sessions.

With a tool like Gmail, you can block out slots of time in your day for everything from meetings and appointments, to answering emails, completing research and more. Knowing exactly when you’re going to focus on each task will also prevent you from attempting to multitask.

I know, multitasking can seem like a good idea at first, but studies show it actually makes it harder for you to concentrate on tasks, and can potentially lead to more mistakes.

4.    Keep it simple

Work smarter, not harder. Keeping things as simple and “de-cluttered” as possible in your work day is a fantastic way to reduce the complexity involved in getting everything done. One of the easiest ways to streamline your day is to aim for “Inbox zero”. Delete the messages that don’t matter, archive the ones that do, and respond when necessary, at the end of the day.

Keeping a minimal inbox will mean you can reduce visual overload when you’re logging into your accounts each morning. Plus, it ensures you can see exactly what new tasks you have to add to your to-do list each day.

If you need help keeping track of specific messages, there are unread markers and stars you can use on Gmail to help you prioritize. Outside of keeping your inbox as close to zero as possible, it’s worth narrowing down your task list too. Remove unnecessary tasks from your list if they can be delegated, or they’re not going to deliver value.

5.    Use tools to collaborate

The digital world really has made life a lot easier for people who want to master better organisation. If you’re collaborating with people close-to-home, or those overseas, you don’t have to rely on endless emails and memos shared between departments anymore. There are some great tools online that can help with everything from project management, to storing and sharing files.

Options like Asana, Trello and Monday give you an all-in-one environment where you can manage your to-do list, share knowledge with colleagues, and keep track of everything. You can even assign deadlines to tasks and use notifications and alerts to ensure you don’t forget anything.

Many of these tools also come with video conferencing and messaging apps, so you can stay up-to-date with other employees without having to overwhelm your email inbox.

6.    Organise your physical space

Clean workspace, clean mind. It might sound like a cliché, but studies have proven that decluttering your workspace really does help to reduce stress and keep you focused. Taking a little time at the beginning and end of each day to throw out the trash, put things away, and essentially keep your space neat and tidy will transform your working routine.

It’s much harder to stay focused on what’s going on in your day if piles of loose paper and crumpled up notes are constantly catching your eye.

Bonus tip, when you’re clearing up your space, consider adding something that’s going to refresh your mind and keep you happy while you work, like a beautiful plant or a picture of your loved ones.

Get ahead: Get organised

Getting organised is one of the best ways to invest in your productivity, and ensure you can get the most out of every day. Plus, it’s often much simpler than it seems. These days, there are tons of tools and services available online to help you maintain efficiency.

Need help getting your business organised? Then you need a VA. Reach out today to find out how a virtual assistant can take your organisation levels up a notch.