I recently came across some re-runs of The Odd Couple, an American sitcom that I used to watch as a youth. The premise of the series, which was based on a film, which was based on an original stage play, is that divorced sports writer Oscar Maddison takes in his friend Felix Ungar after the latter's marriage breaks up. What transpires as these two men share the same living space is that Oscar is the world's number one slob, while Felix is a stickler for tidiness and organisation. This premise, with friction and conflict never far away, was so rich in possibilities that the TV series ran to 114 episodes. Who better then to demonstrate the rights and wrongs of organisational skills that this pair?

Oscar is a busy guy and he believes that when naming a file or document keeping it short saves time. There is no logical order to his storage system and everything is listed in his own chaotic way. A series of documents relating to the 'Hoboken Project' are filed as HK1, Hob, Hoboken1, Hoboken 2, HK2 and Hobo. If he has to refer back to any of these documents, then finding the one he wants will be down to pot luck.

Felix is just as busy, but he knows that taking a little care to name files logically can save time in the long run. He names and then numbers documents in chronological order so that every one is in its correct place for easy retrieval. While Felix's documents are filed as neatly as the matches in a box, Oscar's method resembles a game of jackstraws.

Oscar is as slovenly in the office as he is at home, and his desk is a mess. He has just printed off a six-page document, which he needs to staple. His desk, however, is an avalanche of papers, magazines and Styrofoam coffee cups and the stapler is buried somewhere underneath it all. He rummages for a moment but then realises that it would be quicker to borrow Felix's stapler.

Felix is actually on the phone when Oscar arrives, miming 'stapler'. Without even being distracted from his call, Felix slides open his desk drawer and pulls out his stapler. The time saved by storing items properly is clearly demonstrated in this exchange, but unfortunately Oscar fails to return the stapler and there are now two 'missing in action' in the clutter on his desk. The old adage 'a place for everything and everything in its place' should be observed in keeping an organised desk.

Oscar has a cigar in his mouth and he is just about to leave for a smoke break when the phone rings. Repeating the word 'uh-huh' he scribbles on a scrap of paper then hangs up and leaves the office for his smoke. The following day his phone rings again and it is the same caller, this time asking why Oscar failed to keep the appointment they had arranged. Oscar had forgotten about this meeting as the details he had jotted down on that scrap of paper had been lost in the clutter.

Felix never misses an appointment as every one is noted in his calendar in Outlook and he is alerted to each one well in advance. He also makes notes in a diary for ease of reference should he need to go back. Again the moral of the tale is that a little time spent in organising matters efficiently can save even more time further down the line.

Being well organised in the office is both efficient and healthy as it maximises time usage and minimises stress levels. It pays to be meticulous in the workplace as it streamlines your performance, a fact that will not go unnoticed when the next round of promotions are due. One word of caution, though. I would advise against taking this meticulous organisation into your home life. Ironing your socks and then allocating each different colour its own drawer can be rather irritating to your partner.