Many people are overwhelmed by the thought of getting organized. Managing the avalanche of information can be a bit like drinking from a fire hose. It’s been said that a weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 17th century England. More new information has been produced within the last 30 years than in the last 5,000. Yikes!

I like to be organized.

Ok – I admit it. I like to be organized. In fact, I sometimes find myself procrastinating by organizing. When I walk past an unorganized office, I need to resist the urge to jump in and start sorting. But enough about me …

Simple Improvement

Getting organized is one of the easiest ways to boost our productivity. It doesn’t strain the brain, yet it yields some immediate positive results.

Getting organized offers many compelling benefits:

  • We save time by not having to look for things
  • We significantly reduce chaos and distractions
  • We are able to focus more on our most important work

Getting organized is actually pretty simple.

Most of us know what we need to do to get organized. The biggest challenge is likely finding the time. So my first tip would be to clear your schedule for 2-3 hours. My second tip would be to recruit some help. An assistant, an eager colleague or a dutiful friend all work. Finally, make it fun! Bring some snacks, turn on some music or even uncork some wine.

A few simple tips will help focus your efforts.

[sws_picture_frame3 src=”http://clearconceptinc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/desk.jpg” title=”” alt=”” align=”sws_frame_left” lightbox=”” album=”album” video=””] [/sws_picture_frame3] As you dust off your piles, consider the following organizing tips:

  • Clear your desktop. Only keep the task that you are currently doing on your desk.
  • Set up a staging area (for example, on a back credenza) for work you plan to complete later that day or week.
  • Establish a home for everything. Create files. Group like with like. House things where you use them. Purge anything that is unnecessary.
  • Put everything else away. Worried you’re going to forget about it?  Write it down on your To Do list.
  • Commit to maintaining your organized office. Avoid creating a ‘to be filed’ pile. These piles multiple faster than rabbits. Instead, file it right away.

So there you have it – a low-key, easy project that can boost your productivity. Perfect for these lazy-hazy summer days.