Schedule Office Organizing Time… Be Ready for Summer
Summer is almost here. With the warm breeze and sunshine comes longer days and a desire to spend less time in the office. You may be planning a vacation or long weekends away which are well deserved after months of hard work. But before season starts, take a little time to declutter your office and get your paperwork in order so that you can make a fast exit on those beautiful summer Fridays. Not sure where do you begin? Your NYC Professional Office Organizer is here to help.
Step 1: Do a complete clear out. Schedule time into your day to do a complete walk through of your entire workspace. Remove any items that are cluttering up space, that don’t serve a purpose, or no longer work. Clutter not only gives your space a less than professional appearance, it also creates challenges for staying efficient. That’s a recipe for long nights and weekends stuck in the office instead of out enjoying the sunshine! So, take time to really remove those items that are just not needed.
Step 2: Focus on your desk. Not only is your desk the focal point of your office, it’s also where you spend most of your productive time. Clear everything off your desk that isn’t needed every day. Limit the items on your desk to only those that are essential to the work that needs to be done such as your computer, your phone, an inbox and outbox and basic office supplies. The more efficient your workspace, the more productive you will be!
Step 3: Clear your virtual clutter. If your goal this summer is to be efficient during the work-day and enjoy your days off, then you absolutely need to take time to clear the virtual clutter in your life. Start by clearing your computer desktop. Create folders to store documents, making sure to be specific when labeling them. Most importantly, spend some time cleaning out your inbox. This is the time to set up rules to divert all those non-essential messages into specific folders that way you’ll spend less time sorting through your inbox looking for the must do tasks.
Step 4: Shift your schedule. Want to enjoy long weekends and shorter workdays? Arrange your schedule to support enjoying the summer months. Schedule meetings earlier in the day and avoid scheduling them on Fridays so you can wrap up your workday and week a bit earlier. As much as you might like to work outside on sunny days, it isn’t always practical or possible. So be sure at the very least to leave the office for a lunch break and mid-afternoon coffee break so that you can enjoy the sunshine and nicer temperatures.
Step 5: Make organization a habit. The best way to be able to end your workday on a Friday and get out of the office to enjoy the weekend and the sunshine is to stay organized. You don’t want to be working late Friday night because you weren’t able to locate files you needed earlier in the week. Schedule time daily to file, declutter, and tidy up your space. At the end of each workday, clear your desk and look at your to-do list and calendar for the next day so you are prepared.
You can enjoy this summer, take vacations and long weekends, all with ease if you try some of these office organizing suggestions now. For more office organizing strategies and support this summer, reach out to your NYC Professional Office Organizer today.