People work very differently. Some enjoy comfort clutter on their desks and adhere to the idiom that “a messy desk is a sign of a genius”; while some work more efficiently with a tidy workstation. Whatever makes you tick, one thing’s for sure, messy desk or not, you need organization in order to be productive. Imagine spending over an hour to look for those sales reports? A nightmare.
A way to avoid this scenario is to join the thousands of people who are celebrating “National Clean Off Your Desk Day”. Observed every second Monday of January, employees all over the globe—whether a regular office worker, a virtual staff, or a remote staff—seize the opportunity to start the year right with some desk organizing during this period.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your organizing journey:
Begin by lining up three boxes to help you organize the stuff that you still want to keep, toss, or move.
Next, file in flair. Prioritize and organize your files in whatever order that you want: alphabetical, chronological, or even by color and size. However method you choose, remember to review your file pile each week to keep everything in order throughout the year. Surely, Filipino virtual assistants, such as our contractors in Remote Staff, can attest to the importance of keeping your files orderly and organized.
You’ve got to love labels, too. (Labeling things are not just for relationships.) Mostly, it is also an efficient way to keep things in order, keep everything in its proper place, and avoid confusion. And for people who work from home, this is also a great way to ensure that your office staff is properly labeled and separated from your stuff at home.
Scan and save. Reduce your paper pile by having your documents scanned and saved. Aside from saving literal space, it also eliminates the risk of losing important documents. This is particularly useful for workers, such as bookkeepers in the Philippines, where every single file, or receipt, is important.
National Clean Up Your Desk Day also gives you the extra motivation to organize your computer. Make your virtual “desktops” run faster and smoother by deleting unnecessary files. Re-label folders and backup important files—for example, articles by blog writers or Photoshop Documents (PSDs) of graphic designers—to avoid data loss.
Don’t let your disorganized desk hinder your productivity this 2019. Lessen your distractions, and remember to keep “a place for everything and everything in its place” mentality throughout the year. Happy cleaning!
