Do you ever feel like you need more hours in the day to get things done? If so, you probably need some organisation in your life and don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Getting organised comes as second nature to some of us, while for others, it can feel impossible. For those people, even the thought of organisation can be daunting. However, whether it is one of your strengths or not, it is a habit that everyone can learn to get into.
By following specific habits such as planning and writing tasks down to ditching unnecessary things that don’t matter, you will become more organised as long as you’re willing to learn. If you’re looking for some tips on how you can manage your time more effectively and accomplish more, follow these handy tips.
Don’t multitask
We all do it - text while walking, send emails during meetings, talk on the phone while completing a task. However, while doing this may seem like a good idea, research shows that multitasking isn’t as helpful as we might think. In a study by the American Psychological Association, it was found that shifting between tasks can cost you up to 40 percent of productive time!
Multitasking takes place when someone tries to perform two tasks simultaneously, switching from one task to another, or perform two or more tasks at once. Doing this reduces efficiency and performance because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time.
Once you learn to avoid multitasking, the quicker you will accomplish more and therefore become more organised. You’ll probably be surprised at how much your productivity levels increase!
Have a planner
When you run constantly from one task to the next without any clear structure of what needs to be done, your time can get away from you. Using a planner will help you schedule each task, meeting and deadline so that you know what to expect and don’t run out of time.
Advances in technology mean that there are now many tools available to businesses, making task management easier than ever for individuals. Microsoft Planner is a great tool within Office 365 which we use in the entrust IT Group offices. It creates a singular hub for users to create plans, organise and assign tasks to other team members and check updates on previous via various dashboards. Digital tools like this are helpful as they allow you to organise with ease using labels, tags and check boxes. You can find out more about Microsoft Planner here.
Organised people don’t waste time. They have a plan and stick to it. Take 30 mins or so to go over and complete your work plan for the coming week. It will help you keep organised and remember when things are due. Therefore, something won’t pop up that you completely forgot about.
Take breaks
It takes energy to stay organised. By taking short breaks throughout the day, you will be able to recharge and refocus on the task in hand. When the Harvard Business Review examined the benefits of breaks, it was found that breaks throughout the day allow us to take a step back and make sure we are accomplishing the right things in the right way.
“When you work on a task continuously, it’s easy to lose focus and get lost in the weeds. In contrast, following a brief intermission, picking up where you left off forces you to take a few seconds to think globally about what you’re ultimately trying to achieve. It’s a practice that encourages us to stay mindful of our objectives…”
Those that follow the blog may remember us speaking about a time management technique called the ‘Pomodoro Technique’. Using this method, you break down your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by 5-minute breaks (pomodoros). After around four of these intervals, you take a longer break of 15-20 minutes. The aim of this is to increase your productivity by diving your workday into highly focused chunks separated by short breaks. Thus, making you more organised to get things done!
Write down tasks for the day
While it is important to have a larger, long term plan of what needs to be done in the coming weeks, writing down your tasks for each day is also essential to keeping organised. Doing this helps you to visually see what needs to be done. To put this into practise, considering taking 10 minutes at the end of the day to write a list of your tasks for the next. You should find it helps you break down the long-term tasks and gives you a jumpstart to your day in the morning.
Not only will to keep you more organised, but Dr. Cynthia Green, a nationally recognised clinical psychologist and brain health/memory fitness expert, has said how it can boost your brainpower too! Find out what she said here.
Declutter your work area
There is an old saying that a clear space means a clear mind. If your workspace is cluttered, it can be distracting and impact your productivity. Decluttering will not only keep your things completely organised but your mind as well.
A survey by retailer OfficeMax proved just how much clutter can impact adults when 90% of respondents said they believed that clutter has a negative impact on their lives and work. Furthermore, more than half of respondents said disorganisation impacts their state of mind and motivation levels.
Things do not stay organised on their own. Use your planner to find time to organise and then make sure you do it. By taking the time to tackle the clutter at your desk, you will soon reap the benefits of a clear space and therefore a clearer mind.
Don’t procrastinate
Procrastination is something that individuals in all lines of work can face. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to do something, the harder it is to get done. By putting in the effort early on, you will lift the weight off of your shoulders from doing it later.
Setting SMART goals is a great way to help avoid procrastinating as the habit often comes from goals that are either vague or completely unachievable. ‘SMART’ is acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Using this method will give you deadlines, clarity and enable you to prioritise tasks and achieve goals. If you want to find out other ways which can help you avoid procrastination at work, follow this link.
For many of us, staying organised can be a daily struggle. The key to it is to be consistent. You must incorporate these tips on a daily basis in order to see some real changes. Everything takes time to master - start small and don’t let yourself become overwhelmed and quit.
There are many technologies available today that can help employees become more organised wherever they may be in the world. For example, Microsoft Planner, a tool within both the Office 365 and Microsoft 365 Enterprise suites has many useful features that allow you to plan and make the most of your time. Not only does it allow you to build a plan and the team to complete it, but you can assign tasks and monitor the whole process, all under one pan of glass. What’s more – Planner now has a mobile app, so you can stay organised whether you are at home, at work, in between appointments or out running errands!
If you’re looking to get more organised and want to see for yourself how the Office 365 suite can help with this, why not learn a little bit more about the range of tools that sit within it.
Interested in finding out more about Microsoft 365 Enterprise? Download our FREE White Paper >>
