5 Ways To Be Better Organised At Work

No matter how good we think we are at our jobs, there's always room for us to be better organised. After all, it makes us more productive and frees up our time for other more enjoyable tasks, as well as our social life and time with family. Better organisation is also known to reduce stress at work, since you don't feel swamped by tasks all the time. Here are five suggestions on how you can be more organised at work.

1. Keep lists (and stick to them)

It sounds obvious, and no doubt you already make lists as part of some of your job, but do you do it effectively, and do you stick to them? May of us start our day by writing a 'to do' list, and then consider it set in stone with no flexibility. You may add and take away tasks, but as you're doing so, remember to prioritise them, too.

We all too often make a list of tasks as we think of them, rather than in order of importance. Also, there could be different lists rather than just one - for example, a list of things to do for your boss, and a list of things that are flexible and can be moved to a later date.

2. Don't do half a job and move on

One of the worst organisational problems you can come across is doing half a job, then getting distracted or abandoning it, only remembering to finish it at a later time - when there probably is no time. It's also very demoralising to have lots of half completed tasks surrounding you at work, instead of any fully achieved.

3. Always reward yourself

No matter how small the task, always remember to reward yourself - it becomes much easier completing them as a result. Even if it's just a cup of your favourite coffee after a particularly hard day at work, treating yourself can make things much easier and possibly even worth looking forward to. Remember to reward others too if you're in a position to - it's great to be appreciated for the small tasks at work, not just the huge ones that take days on end.

4. Set frequent, small goals

Like rewarding yourself with small pleasures, smaller goals will seem easier to achieve. Lumping a task into one huge bundle of work will make it sound insurmountable and will inevitably demoralize you. Instead of writing 'finish the project in a week', write down your daily or hourly tasks on the way to completion. It will seem so much easier, and it's a better way of organising yourself.

5. Remember - organization can include others

To be better organised doesn't always mean the focus should be just on the individual. Remember to delegate - this is part of the organisational process too. Also, don't be afraid to help others to be better organised when working as part of a team, it will improve the overall result. Your manager could also be one of the external people who could give you organisational tips from their experience, too.

Better organisation is available to us all - so why not start with no.1 and make a list of ways you can improve your skills in this area?