Better productivity through organization

Most of us find that we waste more time through our day by searching for things that we should be able to lay our hands on in minutes. In reality, this problem is caused by a lack of organization, and not because we are wasting time deliberately.  So, how can you organize your home and your office to make sure that you’re being as productive as possible? After all, we only have 24 hours in a day and if we waste three or four searching for the right tools for the job, we’ve lost a significant amount of time from our week.

Empty spaces

Don’t let empty space become a catch-all for everything you have in your hand! Do yourself a favor and create an area that is easy to work in, easy to cook in, or easy for cleaning. Don’t let things get scattered all over the place so that you ultimately wind up spending time looking for things that should be where they can be found!  Empty space is good – and if you have organized things correctly, chances are that you’ll discover that you have more empty space than you ever thought.

Organization in the office

Take a look around your desk – chances are that you have tools that you need all the time that are not on your desk or readily attainable from your chair. Take the time to put the tools that you need within arms reach.  This might mean that you have to spend an hour or two filing away things that you have no ongoing use for, but in the end, it will result in you adding hours to your day.

Where is your printer? Your fax machine? Do you have to leave your desk to retrieve them? Chances are that you have space closer to your desk that can be easily filled with these handy tools. If you use your fax machine only sporadically then there’s no need for it to be close by. However, most of us use our printers frequently and it’s best to have them close by.  Think of all the steps you’ll save and the amount of time you’ll save too.

Organizing your home

Is your kitchen “cook” friendly? Do you have to go rummaging around ten cabinets before you find your baking dishes or cooking pots? Take the time to review how your kitchen is laid out and what tools you use most frequently. Create a working area that allows you to find what you need without having to interrupt your favorite recipe.  The more organized your home is, the more likely you are to be more productive.

The tools

Chances are that before you begin the process of organizing, you’ll need some tools. Bins, baskets and if necessary, file folders.  Tackle one area at a time, chances are they didn’t get disorganized in one day and chances are even better it will take time to get them completely organized.

We can make the most of the hours that we have available to us if we keep our most commonly used tools in easy reach.  Greater productivity often leads to greater feelings of accomplishment and also helps us feel better about our lives in general. Don’t fall prey to finding yourself overwhelmed with files that have little or no value, tools that seem to create clutter but never get used. Take control of your space and make sure that you’ve set yourself up for maximum productivity and maximum success.