Titanic Suites | Organising Your Workspace: The Essentials

Organising Your Workspace: The Essentials

Working in a busy office can be exciting, however you may find that organising your desk is often neglected. This can result in your work space becoming messy and overflowing with non-important papers, coffee cups and old post it notes. As the average office worker spends up to 8 hours each day at their desk, this area should be a hub for productivity. However, if your work space is disorganised, your productivity and efficiency levels will be significantly affected. Additionally, messy desks can have an impact on how others see you, with research stating that 73% of managers perceive employees with messy desks as disorganised.

At Titanic Suites, we want to share some of our top tips for keeping your workspace organised and help you lead a more productive and efficient working day.

GET YOUR LAYOUT RIGHT

Firstly, it is important to consider the layout of your workspace. You should think about your needs – do you need space to spread out projects or would you benefit from having everything closer to hand? Once you have decided on these, you should then consider where they will be located on your desk.

When moving a computer, Ergotron states that you should ensure it is placed directly in your eye line and should be at least 20 inches away from your face. It is also important that you ensure office supplies and materials are fully stocked and available. Being unprepared can have a significant impact on your efficiency and effectiveness as you will need to stop to find what you need.

DECLUTTER DAILY

Studies suggest that the average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for materials amongst the clutter around them. This can lead to increased stress and reduced concentration levels. Looking at a cluttered workspace will also subconsciously reinforce the perception that you are disorganised while providing a continuous distraction. We recommend setting aside 5 minutes each day to sort out any paperwork you have accumulated during the day. You should also make sure to throw out any unnecessary pages and only keep those that you need.

KEEP A NOTEBOOK HANDY

In an age where most things are stored digitally, it may seem unusual to have a notebook on your desk. However, it is extremely beneficial to keep one beside you as it can be used to jot down useful information or ideas. Additionally, it will allow you keep those important pieces of information in one place rather than scattered across your desk.

ORGANISE YOUR COMPUTER DESKTOP

You may have a desk that is completely spotless and well organised, but if your computer screen consists of unsorted files and an abundance of icons, there’s still work to do. Having a messy computer can be surprisingly distracting and will result in extra time being spent trying to find documents. The best method for organisation is to create folders for different projects as this will allow you to make your home screen more streamlined and reduce the number of stray documents on your desktop. You should try to keep on top of this on a weekly basis as this will prevent your home screen from becoming too messy and distracting.

CONTROL YOUR INBOX

Having a clear inbox may seem impossible, but it is an important factor that can help you become more organised. In order to avoid an email build up, you should keep it clean and organised throughout the day. If you get an email that you don’t need, delete it. This will allow you to keep your inbox in check and avoid email overload controlling your life. Learn more about how you can keep on top of your emails.

At Titanic Suites, we firmly believe that organising your workspace is an entirely worthwhile investment of your time. If you follow this guide and implement these small changes, you will see an increase in productivity and efficiency throughout your working day. If you would like to read more tips from Titanic Suites, don’t forget to like us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.