Organizations reduce distractions and remove the unnecessary from your life. So stop attending to that stack of junk mail and start delegating those non-critical tasks!
Five Steps to Get Organized
1. SHINE YOUR SPACE! – Nothing says “weak manager” like a disorganized workspace. Getting organized starts by creating an uncluttered workspace. Clutter is death!
2. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS – According to Psychology Today, it takes workers 25 minutes to return to a previous task after being distracted. So start focusing on your work and stop focusing on things like junk email and personal calls.
3. CARRY A NOTEBOOK – WRITE STUFF DOWN! TAKE NOTES – at meetings, with clients, and with your boss – show that you’re serious about results and outcomes.
4. KNOW YOUR PRIORITIES – What does it matter if you dedicate a week of exceptional work to creating a color-coordinated timeline that cross-references every detail needed if it is such a low priority that nothing will ever be done with your chart? That sounds like you just wasted your time. So prioritize your work. Keep asking yourself, “What’s the most important task you should be working on NOW?” Complete a time log. Is your time spent advancing the business? Remember: Everything you do comes with an opportunity cost. Use a calendar system (MS Outlook, DayTimer, etc. Convert phone calls into emails.
5. FOCUS ON ONE TASK AT A TIME – Are you guilty of talking on the phone and typing an email at the same time? How effective are you really at listening to the person on the phone? We are not as good at multitasking as we want to believe. However, it is more productive to focus on the task in front of you and complete it well the first time before moving on to the next.
Quick Tips to Avoid Multitasking
- Turn off the email alert on your computer when starting a conference call.
- Turn off your screen when meeting with a person in your office.
- Put down your phone when talking with someone in real life, really stop texting.
Want to learn more about becoming an effective manager? Check out these related topics:
Personal Transformation Through Leadership
5 Tips for Thriving Leadership
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