NYC Professional Office Organizer Case Study – Creating a Productive Workspace

Like many of us, my client has a very full plate. She is a writer, is working on her master’s degree, and has 4 grown children plus a large extended family. As she is often pulled in numerous directions at the same time, maximizing her productivity is a daily objective so that all the relevant tasks in each segment of her life are addressed. As often occurs when life happens, she gets off track and the systems that we have created aren’t followed resulting in chaos. In her case, piles of papers creep up around her, school paperwork is left in her tote bags instead of filed away, meetings aren’t noted in her calendar and tasks are listed on random sheets of paper instead of on her to-do list. All in all, the outcome is a cluttered workspace and difficulty in prioritizing since she doesn’t have one master list of tasks to be done.

Process

Over time, we have created systems for productively managing her calendar, to-do list and workspace that she is able to maintain. When these systems get derailed which periodically happens, we immediately focus on the reason and then work on getting them back on track. In doing so, we review new developments in each area of her life to those identify issues that are creating havoc.

Results

We not only tweak the systems to my client’s specific way of thinking, but we also include new procedures which will improve her productivity and enable her to check tasks off her to-do list routinely. We immediately update her to-do list to include all tasks yet to be done; add appointments to her calendar so that her available blocks of time are clearly noted; and declutter her desk so that there are fewer distractions.

What my Client Says

“I have internalized Stephanie’s methods…my papers are filed and my calendar and to-do list are in plain sight on my desk. I owe this learned behavior to Stephanie. Her strength is her calm. Nothing ruffles her. She listens carefully and reminds me “life happens,” allowing me to exhale, get my systems back on track, and move forward.”

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