You probably won’t believe this… but, the surroundings of your work space play a vital role in your productivity…
Whether pitching sales to a lead on the phone or working on your laptop, your surroundings influence both your work mood and work productivity.
…Working in a cluttered and messy environment often creates negative energy!
Not to mention the fact that it keeps you big time distracted.
In co-working, shared office environments, and even private offices, you may hear the EXCUSE of not having enough room to keep the work space clean.
Well, those are just that, EXCUSES… and as the old saying goes, EXCUSES ARE FOR LOSERS, WINNERS NEED NONE!
So we’ve put together a list of six work efficiency tips to help you be a WINNER in the work productivity battle.
Before, I give you the list, let’s give the WHYs to those that think they don’t have the time to clean up their work space…
I don’t know… maybe I’m talking to you 🙂
WHY An Organized Work Space Increases Productivity & Efficiency?
First of all, your unorganized desk and work area is hindering you professionally!
How? Well, remember the time you confused dates and times with that person you needed to meet with?
…Or, how you mixed up assignments, or missed that project deadline?
Look in the mirror and honestly ask yourself, “did I come across as a reliable and dependable professional?”
Of course you didn’t!
Secondly, your unorganized workspace is directly decreasing your productivity!
How? Locating that important document that’s in between, and underneath all the folders on your cluttered desk costs you time, and brings on unnecessary anxiety, frustration, and stress.
Thirdly, It’s costing you Time and… Time is Money!
I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this, but, your inability to keep your workspace organized is costing you real money because you are losing time!
How? Well, your failure to prioritize what you need to do, to complete the project assignments, and even prepare your day-to-day activities are coming along with an expensive time price tag.
Lastly, an unorganized work space can negatively impact your mental and physical health.
How? Remember earlier how we talked about how you rummaging through folders looking for that important document gave you “unnecessary anxiety, frustration, and stress?”
Obviously, this is not good for your mental and physical health.
In fact, the Mayo Clinic documented how decluttering your space could make you healthier and happier.
Okay, so now that I’ve beat on you a bit (tough love is the best kind of love 🙂 ), let’s get to the six work efficiency tips to help you bring out the WINNER that’s in you.
- Purge Your Office Space
By “purge,” I am not talking about the Hollywood thriller in which people were hell-bent on destroying each other.
…With purging your office, I mean that you should first de-clutter your desk space, shred every piece of unnecessary paper that’s adding no value to you or your work.
If you’re not sure what type of workspace vibe to create, go on Pinterest, do a search for “workspace inspiration,” and look through some of the results for ideas…
- Utilize Colors and Labels
You can use colors anywhere in your workspace to evoke some powerful emotions. For your reference, I gathered a shortlist of colors and the emotions they evoke:
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- Blue. Blue is calming.
- Yellow. Yellow is the epitome of happiness.
- Green. Similar to blue, green is also calming.
- Purple. You know purple is royal.
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So use colors in your workspace including color-coding your labels.
Speaking of using labels, you should use some type of naming convention (whatever makes sense to you) to stay organized.
…This will help you deal with the “rummaging” issue we talked about earlier and reduce your risk of losing important documents.
So again, look to using colors as a tool for workspace design and productivity. Your efficiency will definitely increase.
- Divide Your Work Space into Zones
One practical method of organizing your workspace is to divide it into zones…
I personally used this approach very effectively when I was in the “corporate world.”
…You basically break down your office space (no matter how big or small) into different areas or zones.
These can include using a separate drawer for signing relevant documents, or a distinct area to keep your business cards.
Efficient division of your work space is a “best practice” strategy in optimizing office space efficiency.
- Use Reminders
Sometimes, a neat and organized office space needs a little motivation.
… That’s where sticking motivational quotes and reminders around your work space can come in.
Fill these with your goals and dreams!
As I’m sure you know, it is easy to sometimes lose motivation…
Inspirational reminders can provide you with some easy to use Do-It-Yourself (DIY) decorations reminding you of what you value in life.
- Organize your Work Desk
One of the most effective work efficiency tips is keeping your work desk clean.
…This may sound like one of those “duh…” tips but, what I mean is having a mindset of keeping everything organized down to that pen lying on your desk.
- Boxes and Containers
When it comes to taking care of the unnecessary items in your work space, storage boxes, and containers can come in handy.
I recommend you invest in an effective storage option, as these will help you take care of the “extra stuffs” in your work space.
You can label these using color-coded slips to keep everything in order.
In the end, it will help you stay not only organized, but also reduce the extra clutter in the office and work space area.
Summary
In summary, following these useful work efficiency tips will help you not only keep your office and work space clutter free, it will also maximize your productivity.
… And remember what the Mayo Clinic study said, “decluttering your space could make you healthier and happier.