Organize and Declutter Your Workplace

A functional office can increase your productivity

Did you know that the average person loses about one hour of productivity each day due to a disorganized work area? By keeping your desk neat and implementing a few organizational systems, you’ll work more seamlessly and create the right mindset to tackle your day.

START WITH YOUR DESK LAYOUT

Besides keeping your desk free of clutter, there are ways you can design it to enhance your efficiency:

Ensure your monitor is straight in front of you, at eye level.
Keep frequently used items (like your phone) on your dominant side, allowing enough space to attend to paperwork.
Limit the number of office supplies on your desk to the ones you use every day.
File away anything you’re not currently working on.

THEN CHOOSE THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS

Setting up the right systems will make finding what you need easy:

Desk accessories: Use simple desk accessories for everyday items like pens, paperclips or sticky notes.
Drawers/cabinets: Store items used less often out of sight in cabinets or drawers.
Vertical files: File paperwork vertically, rather than in piles, to avoid overlooking anything out of view.
Calendar: Hang a calendar where you can visually track your deadlines — dry eraser boards work great!
Shelving: Keep books, magazines or other reference materials on shelves; complement them with houseplants or other decorative accents.
Command center: Designate a space for your printer, charging station or in/out boxes, and make this space the command center of your operations.

As a rule of thumb, store like items together — common categories could include writing tools, paper/notepads, labels/files or mailing essentials. Knowing where to find what you need quickly can save valuable time and keep your mind on the task at hand.