Like It Marketing | Work Organization Tips

Are you tired of feeling defeated because you went another day without completing the tasks you wanted to? We’ve all been there. The trick is, there’s no trick. To be productive, all you have to do is master the art of planning and organizing. And don’t think that it takes a special skill to be organized, because it doesn’t! All it takes is a little prep work and execution. Keep reading to find out exactly what that involves.

Clean up your workspace

I can’t stress this enough! Having a clean workspace to work in makes all of the difference. Each morning I walk into my office I feel instantly satisfied because every item has its own place. Plus, the majority of my office supplies come from Amazon so I don’t even have to leave my house to get these awesome products!

Here’s some office supplies I’d suggest investing in:

A filing cabinet for storing your important paperwork.
A bookshelf, which can be used for all sorts of miscellaneous items.
A desk organizer, to hold your stapler, tape, tissues, or whatever else your heart desires. Here’s the one I have from Amazon.

It may cost some money up front to organize your office, but I promise you it will pay off in the long run.

Write a to-do list

The first thing I do each morning is pull out my pen and notebook (Yes, I’m still old school when it comes to that) and I write a to-do list. I put the date at the top, and I write down the list with a checkbox next to each task. I don’t know about you guys, but for me, there is something so satisfying about checking off a completed task. LOL. Of course if you prefer a digital task list, you can use programs like Google Tasks, Asana, etc. to accomplish the same thing.

Here’s some tips to keep in mind when writing your list:

Make sure the list is realistic. Don’t put a hundred tasks on the list, knowing you can only accomplish a quarter of that. For one, it’s discouraging, and for two, it’ll make you want to gather your things and go home.
Prioritize your tasks. You can do that by writing down your tasks in order of importance, from the most important tasks at the top to the least important tasks at the bottom. Or, you can write a number next to the task in order of its importance. For example, if calling a client back is your most important task for the day, write #1 next to it.

Implement time blocking

Time blocking is a technique that involves you blocking out specific parts of your day for specific tasks. Here’s an example:

9AM – 10AM: Check emails.

10AM – 12PM: Attend meetings.

12PM – 1PM: Take lunch.

1PM – 3PM: Complete project 1 & start project 2.

3PM – 5PM: Wrap up project 2 & plan for next day.

Why this method works is because it keeps you on track and keeps you accountable. Add these things to your calendar for best results. Also, when blocking out your time, you must make sure you block out time for breaks! For those of you who cringe at this, I’m talking to YOU. People underestimate the value of breaks and they don’t realize how it impacts their productivity levels in a positive way. So stop skipping breaks, my friend!

Reading these organizational tips was the easy part. Now it’s up to you to execute and start having productive work days! Sign up for my newsletter to read about topics such as organization, time management, content creation, social media and more!