Do you struggle to keep up with your work and personal commitments? Don’t know how to be more organized or where to even begin? You’re not alone. Many young professionals feel overwhelmed by their workload.
The good news is that there are plenty of ways to become more organized and overcome this problem, and the sooner you start implementing them, the sooner you’ll see results.
In this article, we’ll outline six tips that can help you learn how to be more organized and productive. So let’s dive right in!
6 Tips for Being More Organized
1. Plan your workday.
The key to organizing your professional life is effective planning. For most people, the workday begins at 8:00 a.m. when they wake up and ends at 6:00 p.m. when they go home.
However, the stress of the next day and the unfinished workload of today keeps them up till late at night.
Only if they plan their day to complete every office task at the office and schedule the next day’s task in advance they’ll have more time and freedom to enjoy the rest of the day. This proactive approach can help them avoid pushing important tasks for later and then getting swamped with work the next day.
“Proper planning and preparation prevents poor performance.” ― Stephen Keague
That said, here’s what to do when planning your workday, starting today.
- Pull an all-nighter today and finish all your pending tasks. Do not leave anything for the next day.
- Next, when you go to the office tomorrow, make a list of all the tasks for that day. Dedicate time slots to them. Stick to that list.
- Lastly, have a to-do list for the next day before leaving the office. You might use Google planner for this.
Keep doing the second and third steps for the rest of your career to stay on top of your workload.
2. Identify distractions.
Getting distracted can result in a loss of work and time, stopping you from finishing the tasks of the day. This can lead to an overwhelming workload the next day.
So…identify the things that distract you from your work. Ask yourself; “What are your biggest distractions?”
- Social media?
- Games?
- Television?
- Mobile phone?
- Checking Emails?
- Scrolling through YouTube?
Do you tend to spend your time on these activities when you’re supposed to be working? If so, you need to get rid of them.
Consider whether you can switch off these distractions while you’re working. If you’re going to use a computer, turn off your email notifications and lock social media websites. There are online extensions that allow you to do that.
Also, try to avoid using your mobile phone even for work-related tasks. Just focus on doing everything from your computer screen. It’s best to put your phone on silent and place it in a drawer.
3. Establish routines.
Routine is one of the most essential aspects of a productive life. But for young professionals, establishing a routine can be challenging because they’re still developing their professional identity and establishing their career path. As a result, this means that they’re constantly changing their priorities and routines.
However, if you want to stay on top of your work and personal responsibilities, you need to form a routine that works best for you. Here’s what you can do to establish one.
- Set aside specific chunks of time during the day to work.
- If you’re working from home, you can set aside time in the morning or at night.
- You should know what you’re going to do each morning and what you’re going to do at night. (Just create a to-do list like mentioned in Tip #1.)
- It’s important to have downtime throughout your day to recharge. You can get this by scheduling lunch breaks, going for walks, and taking short breaks.
4. Keep your desk tidy.
A clean desk is a happy desk. Have a clear view of your monitor and computer keyboard. Your workspace should be free from unnecessary clutter.
According to a study, there’s a direct correlation between tidy office space and higher productivity. Now, of course, you cannot tidy up the whole office, but you can clean your desk as you’ll be spending the most time there.
Keep your monitor screen and keyboard away from drafts, dust, and other debris. Likewise, organize all paperwork in files and put them in your desk drawers.
There should be nothing on your desk besides the computer and one or two decoration pieces like a potted plant.
5. Use the Pomodoro technique.
This is a technique that almost every guide on how to be more organized mentions…and that’s a good reason for it! It allows you to avoid feeling overwhelmed, especially when taking on a big task.
The Pomodoro technique involves using a timer to give you a short break when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload. The idea behind it is that you’ll get more focused and productive if you take a 5-minute break after 25 minutes of work.
You can use this break to do anything like meditating or watching a funny video. Or, you can get more organized in this time by cleaning up your workspace or doing some housework.
6. Keep a journal.
Learning how to be more organized externally is not enough. You need mental clarity as well. Writing things down in a journal helps you organize your thoughts and keeps you focused.
If you have ideas for new projects, write them down in a notebook or planner and then revisit them later when you have time to work on them.
Thus, by keeping a notebook with ideas and important tasks with you, you won’t have to waste time remembering what it was that lit a bulb in your brain. As a result, you can just refer to your notepad and start working on it.
Plus, this process also teaches your mind to build focus. Likewise, when you start writing your thoughts, you start repeating them in your mind, which teaches it to cancel out the noise and focus on what’s important.
Parting Words
In conclusion, the key to organizing your life as a young professional is planning your day and getting rid of distractions when working on planned tasks.
Finishing all your tasks, meeting deadlines, and finding free time to spend with friends and family is the ultimate result of how to be more organized.
