Not too long ago, the Guardian printed an article on time management, along with all of the typical excuses that are made when things don’t get done in the office. Things like difficult bosses, too much to do in too little time and unexpected projects are just some of the things that seem to prevent professionals from staying on track at work. There are, however, plenty of things that one can do to stay focused and organised when it seems like everything’s being thrown at you at once.
Prioritizing the day in advance is one way to ensure things stay simple and organised. The key is to plan your day the night before, rather than on the train to work in the morning. Allow a little bit of extra time in your schedule for unexpected events which might occur during the workday. Some of things to put into your schedule include any potential meetings or calls which might need to be prepared for, as well as emails and any other urgent tasks that need to be taken care of. Write them down in order of priority, so that when you get into the office in the morning, you’ll know exactly what needs to be done. A pocket sized personal organiser is a handy tool in which to jot down your weekly schedule.
Whilst for many people, Friday signals the end of the working week and the time to relax, it can be very useful to take just 15 minutes at the end of the week, to look ahead to the following week and make a list of what tasks need to be done. When Monday rolls around, getting started on your work won’t seem quite as daunting.
Deadlines are another essential part of staying on top of your workload. Setting personal deadlines as well as following ones set by the manager will mean that employees will feel more in control of their daily work. The key is to make these deadlines challenging, but achievable.
Organising your desk space is another important component of being organised and focused. Keeping it clutter free by filing away paperwork as and when it arrives on your desk and add some useful stationary items to ensure that you’re always on track. Things like paper trays with a pad of paper are great for jotting down notes, numbers and reminders.
