Wellness Wednesday: Stay organized at work

You’re rushing to get out the door, but can’t find your keys. Or your water bottle. Or something else that was just in your hand. Does this common scenario sound familiar?

After months of staying close to home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many people emerged more organized than ever before. For those who’ve been putting the task off, consider how staying organized helps to stay focused and complete tasks on time – leading to less stress and anxiety.

The University of Rochester offers the following tips for staying organized at work.

Set goals

When you set specific goals with steps and a timeline, you can organize your work into more manageable tasks. Create both long and short-term goals and add milestones to your calendar to make sure you stay on task. To-do lists can help organize your work based on urgency.

Practice accountability

Regularly check in with yourself to track your progress and find areas where you can approve. You can also develop a system of accountability with your coworkers by holding regular check-ins with each other.

Limit distractions

When you limit distractions, you maintain your focus on your current task. Limit distractions by keeping your space organized and clean. Identify common distractions like your personal phone.

Keep a clean environment

In an organized office, you find supplies and materials efficiently, which makes your workflow more consistent. Decluttering your workspace is a crucial part of staying clean and organized. Once a week or month, take stock of your workspace and remove any items that you don’t use daily.

Sort your email

Creating digital folders in your email to sort your messages can declutter your inbox and help you find essential emails faster. Folders categorize your emails in the appropriate place. Labeling emails reminds you to reply to senders.

Take breaks

Breaks keep you motivated by avoiding overworking yourself in a short period. As a result, you can often work for longer. During your break, go on a short walk or get a snack. Make sure you take your break away from your workspace to reset your focus completely.

Twice a month, Asheville Parks & Recreation shares a resource or tip that can help in the development of intellectual, emotional, occupational, environmental, financial, spiritual, physical, or social wellbeing. For previous Wellness Wednesday articles, check out the archive.