Leading the Way - December 2009
Get Organized
By Ericka GorskiIn our current economy, many organizations and business places are being downsized in staff, but not in workload. As more and more work is being placed on the individuals left, stress levels rise.
Getting everything done that needs to be done in your office or at your
desk can be overwhelming, and looking at the work as a whole can stymie
your progress. Getting organized can really alleviate some of the angst
that comes along with a heavy work load.
The first thing that you can do is make a list of your responsibilities.
Once you have your list, prioritize your jobs. When you come into your
workplace in the morning, try to complete each task on the list from top
to bottom. If responding to e-mails is #1 on your list, try to go through
all of them within the first half of an hour of being at work. The urgent
matters should be completed first and then work down the list accordingly.
Eventually, this will become routine and anything that you do “routinely”
will be accomplished more effectively. In addition, you will be more focused
on completing the tasks.
The next best key to being organized is making sure that you have room to work at your desk. Having multiple projects in front of you splits your brain into multiple parts. Only keep essentials in your work space in front of you. Find a surface to put all other work, such as a bookcase, shelf, or even another office chair, that you are not working on at the time. Prioritize the piles wherever you decide to put them.
Take a break! Having little goals and meeting them deserves a reward. If you are typing a long deposition summary, tell yourself that when you are done you are going to get up and get a cup of coffee. If you don’t like coffee, have a couple of stretches that you can do at your desk instead. Reward yourself for staying on track. When doing something makes you feel good, the result is that you are more apt to get to it and get it done. Self-motivation can be very rewarding.
Go to a NALS function and find out how other people organize their work, files, time, etc. Meeting with other members and finding out how they do things can give you some great ideas on how to better your workflow. Not to mention the support and camaraderie that can come from being interactive.
Prioritize, set goals, and reward yourself.