(LAM) Getting Organized Lesson

Getting Organized

Whether you are at work or at home, getting and staying organized can save time, reduce stress, and allow you to be more productive. In getting organized, begin by being realistic about what you can and can't control when it comes to organization. Being organized should relieve stress, not increase it. Taking a few minutes to make your work area more pleasant can help relieve stress, even if it is doing small things like adding a plant or pictures of friends and family. It is also wise to try to manage your time rather than to try to multitask. This assures that each task gets the attention it needs and eliminates many mistakes. Establishing good habits will add structure to your day and also relieve stress. Here are more specific tips to get your life organized:

  1. Organize your desk, including the drawers. Desktop and drawer organizers are available rather inexpensively to help you corral your things. Or you can be creative in the containers that you use. The main thing is to give everything a place to "live."
  2. Use a calendar. Whether it is a paper calendar you keep in your pocket, or a digital calendar you keep in your phone or computer, get used to making entries. In addition to putting an event in on the date that it occurs, set a reminder or write the event a week or a few days earlier in the calendar if there are things you must do to prepare for the event.
  3. Make a list and check it twice. List making is one of those good habits that will relieve stress and help you get things done. A great amount of satisfaction comes from checking off a task you accomplished. List making should become a daily habit.
  4. While you are making lists, make a list of your goals. Goals become more real when they are written down. Having a written list of goals can also help us not waste time on tasks that are not going to help us reach our goals.
  5. Use the FAR rule. File it if it is important. Act on it if it needs action. Recycle it if you are finished with it. Doing this consistently will help eliminate an enormous amount of clutter and keep you on track.
  6. Get rid of what you haven't used in the past year, whether it is office supplies or addresses. We all have a tendency to hold on to things way beyond their usefulness. That is often where clutter originates.
  7. Take five. Take five minutes at the beginning of each day to look over your list of what you plan to accomplish. Take five minutes at the end of each day to reflect on what you have done and think about your accomplishments.

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