Getting and staying organized at work is no easy feat. Between phone calls, emails, DMs, meetings and the actual tasks themselves, it can feel almost impossible to keep up, let alone keep things in order. I am here to tell you, there is still hope left. Between my years of working in fast-paced marketing agencies and my love of processes, I have a few tried-and-true tips to help you— and your team — stay on track.
My top 3 organization tips for assisting the unorganizable
It took me a while to figure out the best way to stay organized. When I first started out in the working world, I struggled to manage all that any given day had to offer, as well as conform to the organization’s processes and procedures. How I wanted to be organized versus how my workplace dictated it were two different things. The result was a messy desk, random notes written on Post-its and a very cluttered computer desktop. Let’s just say, I drove a few managers crazy in my day.
Eventually, I learned to meld the two worlds together to create a more organized (and less anxious) me. Now, when I am working with someone else who is struggling to stay organized or is new to our organization, I start with these three tips:
1. Understand the process (and processing)
Every workplace has its own process for getting work done and uses various software and tools differently. Whether I am learning a new process myself or teaching a new employee our company’s procedures, I have found it to be more effective to start with the “why” behind everything.
Painting a big picture helps the brain connect the dots and better understand the importance of following the steps.
With that wide-lens understanding, it is easier to meld together company and personal organizational styles. If I know something needs to be done a certain way for each project, I can work that step into my own habits to ensure it gets done and I stay on track.
2. Establish a routine
Merriam-Webster defines routine as the “habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure.” So, why is this important to staying organized? Because if you do a task or an action the same way every time, then you are less likely to forget it. Not to mention, the more you practice routine, the more it becomes a habit (and you can put less energy into getting work done).
For example, I rely heavily on my Google calendar for my day-to-day life. I keep everything from meetings and appointments to school pick-up times, after-school activities and even to-dos in it. My routine with my calendar is to put something in it the moment it becomes a thing. When planning my day and week, I can see all my commitments in one view and organize my work accordingly.
3. Minimize distractions
The hardest, yet possibly most important tip to improve organization? Cut out distractions. We not only live in a very fast-paced world, but we have also become increasingly available to people. Take a moment to think about all the different ways someone can get a hold of you: email, chat, text, phone, video conferencing, social media, etc. And with each one of those avenues of communication comes its own set of notifications. It’s a wonder we get anything done in a day.
My best advice is to minimize distractions in a way that does not induce anxiety. There is all kinds of advice out there on how to reduce the noise, but that doesn’t mean it’ll work for you. For example, I’ve read about people who only check their email once or twice per day. Just the thought of this gives me anxiety. But to help with distractions so I can get something done, I turn off email notifications on my computer. This way, I can check email whenever I want, but I don’t have constant “squirrel” moments when a message pops up in the corner of my screen.
Take inventory, determine what communication routes are most important to you, and which are not and adjust notifications accordingly.
It could be that you just need more help
Sometimes, all the organization in the world isn’t going to help when your workload is above what is humanly possible. Reaching out to a manager, or phoning a friend (ahem, Content Matterz here to save the day!) can shift some of your tasks and ensure everything gets done in a timely manner.
At Content Matterz, we love to jump in and help where it’s needed. Whether you have one big marketing project or a series of little tasks that need an extra set of hands, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to us today to learn more about what we can do for you.