Of all the things that will kill your productivity, having and trying to operate in a disorganized space is at the top of the list. When your environment doesn’t support you, it contributes to wasting your time. With a disorganized space you spend more time looking for things, trying to find things in your office, in your files and on your computer.
Operating in such a space not only costs you your precious time and money, but it causes stress, not to mention the fact that it can be distracting to work in a disorganized, cluttered space. Not only is it necessary for a space to be organized, but it must also have the right furniture, files, supplies and systems to support you. For instance, if your desk doesn’t provide you with the features that you need, then it’s not supporting you in your day-to-day work and you need to find one that’s more appropriate. Your desk should have enough surface space to house your computer, desk top trays, etc and the drawer space for supplies that you need on a day-to-day basis.
With paper being the number one culprit, you’ve got to have a way to contain and manage it, so you’ll need a solid filing system. Your filing cabinets should have ample space for the files that you have and your filing system should consists of three types of files: reference, action and archive along with a plan for regular purging and archiving.
Anything else that you have in your office should support you in your daily tasks, so seriously think about what you’re going to add before you actually do so. Consider the space available in addition to whether or not the item is going to serve you. Choose items that are functional. Besides the functional items in your office, add decor that gives it a bit of spice and that’s pleasing to your eye.