Q: My office is a mess! It takes me so long to find things that I usually give up before actually finding what I need. Can you help me?

A: Organizing your office can be easily done with the use of a few simple tools:

Calendar
Use a calendar (electronic or paper) to keep track of all appointments, both business and professional. Review your calendar first thing each morning to help plan your day.

Filing
At a minimum, maintain an inbox, outbox and “to be filed” box (pile) on your desk. On a daily basis, review items in your inbox and move that item one step forward (that is, do it, delegate it, delete it or add it to the “to be filed” pile. On a weekly basis, review the items in the “to be filed” pile and move them one step forward – toss it if you don’t think you will need it again or mark the date on the paper and file it.

To Do List
Maintain a “to do” list along with your calendar and mark off items as they are completed. Move unfinished items to the following day until it is completed (be sure to add “Filing” on your weekly to do list!) Keeping your office and workspace neat not only looks better, but will also improve your efficiency. Think of all the things you can do with the extra time you’ve created!!

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