Being organized is becoming more important than ever before. With all the different events going on in our lives, organization is key. Being more organized helps us to make sure that we stay on top of our various tasks and be accountable. When I started my journey as an author, I had to create a time management plan and be accountable with the time I had. We all have the same 24 hours, but how we use those 24 hours is what makes a difference. Being more organized can help us in the workplace, school, life and even in our homes. So, how can young professionals be more organized? Here’s a few simple ways below!
Disclaimer: This blog may contain affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post, but these are services that I highly recommend. I will not put anything on my blogs that I have not verified or personally used. This post is based on my personal opinion, experience, and my personal research and is for educational purposes only. If you are seeking further guidance please see a professional expert. To view my full disclaimer, Click Here.
Organize your workspace in the office
We all know that one coworker that has a bunch of papers spread across their desk and has to dig through the papers to find what they need. Some of us find keeping our workspace a troublesome task and because of that, it’s hard for us to keep track of where certain things are. Here are some simple things we can do to make sure our workspace is both functional and neat.
- Use storage baskets or bins to store items that we don’t use daily. This will help keep our desk tidy and give us more space to work.
- Get rid of any unnecessary clutter. If there are items on our desk that we don’t use regularly, consider storing them elsewhere or getting rid of them altogether.
- Invest in a good quality paper tray to hold all our important documents. This will ensure that everything is within reach and easy to find.
- I have provided links to some recommendations below:
Use a desk calendar, notebook, planner, create alerts on your tablet, phone and digital tools.
Using digital and physical time-keeping tools can help us to be more organized. By using digital and physical time-keeping tools, we can stay on top of our work and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Digital tools make it easy for us to keep track of our tasks, get organized and stay productive. One great way to keep track of your tasks is to use a tool like Asana, which allows you to create and manage projects and tasks. You can also use a tool like Evernote to take notes and capture ideas, as well as store documents and images. Finally, there’s nothing wrong with getting a notebook or a planner to help us stay organized.
- I have provided links to some recommendations below:
Organize our week before it starts
Another way young professionals can be more organized is by organizing our week before it starts. This can be done by taking a few minutes on Sunday to review our upcoming week and plan accordingly. We can also use a planner or calendar to keep track of important deadlines, meetings, and appointments. In addition, we can try to set aside time each day for specific tasks so that we can stay on top of our work and avoid feeling overwhelmed. By organizing our week before it starts, we don’t have to scramble on Monday mornings to get organized.
Write down what your priorities are and work on them
Sometimes we have deadlines that are quickly approaching but, we keep getting a new email or task that seems to take priority over the previous task. We end up working on 4 different projects simultaneously, only to realize that the deadlines are coming a lot faster than we expected. In situations like this we need to prioritize our tasks and identify the one that needs to get accomplished first. This will help us to stay focused and avoid being overwhelmed. Also, if you can get assistance with a particular task, don’t be afraid to seek help when its needed, there’s no shame in acknowledging that you need assistance. If the project is sorely yours and no assistance is available, speak with your supervisor on what should be completed first.
Work on one thing at a time.
Another way that we can stay organized is to work on one thing at a time. This way, we can focus better and get tasks done more efficiently. We can also create checklists and use other tools to help us stay on track. Make sure that you set deadlines for yourself and try not to procrastinate too much. When we decide to work on 5 different tasks at the same time it becomes difficult to get them all done in a timely manner.
Don’t procrastinate
When we procrastinate things can become very stressful very quickly. Remember in college when we had a 1500-word paper due at 11:59 and we would start at 11pm? The adrenaline rush is like no other. We can avoid procrastination by planning our tasks for each day ahead of time. Having a plan can help us stay on track and not fall behind. Also, we can set smaller goals rather than thinking about the entire project or task at hand all at once. We can avoid making mistakes if we plan ahead as well. Breaking down a task or project into smaller pieces makes it feel less overwhelming and easier to accomplish. Finally, we can try to establish a routine and stick to it as much as possible. This will help create a sense of stability which could reduce feelings of anxiety or stress that can also lead to procrastination.
Be more mindful of the company we keep
We all know the saying, “You are who you surround yourself with.” And it’s true- to an extent. The people we associate with do have an influence on our lives and how we see the world. But that doesn’t mean we should avoid everyone who doesn’t think, or act like us. If you spend a lot of time with those who aren’t organized and don’t have structure in their lives it’s possible that their habits can rub off on you. When we associate with people who have similar goals and values, it pushes us to reach higher and improve. Their positive mindset can have a tremendous impact on us.
Know your strengths and weaknesses
Young Professionals can be more organized by knowing their strengths and weaknesses. It is important to know what we are good at and use that to our advantage. We may not be good at everything, but there are bound to be things that we excel in. We can utilize our strengths to make our work easier and become more successful. Additionally, young professionals should also be aware of their weaknesses. This will help us to stay humble and continue working on improving ourselves. Nobody is perfect, so don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t great at something, simply focus on getting better!
Be Organized with your emails
Keeping our emails in check and up to date is another way we can be more organized. By taking the time to properly organize and manage our inboxes, we can ensure that important messages are never missed or forgotten. Here are a few things we can do to keep our emails in check.
- First, we can set up filters and rules. Filters and rules can automatically sort and organize emails, making it easier for us to find what we need.
- Also, we can use folders and labels. When we create folders and labels, it enables us to quickly find and sort through emails. This will save us time and frustration when trying to locate a specific message.
- Next, we can keep an up-to-date calendar. An up-to-date calendar will help us to keep track of deadlines, events, and meetings.
- Finally, we can unsubscribe from unnecessary emails. Unsubscribing to emails we no long see as important can help us declutter our inboxes.
Stop over Analyzing/ (K.I.S.S) Keep It Simple!
This is something that I currently struggle with, and I sometimes remind myself that I’m human and I will make mistakes. When we have a plan and know what our goals are, it’s easier to stay on track and not get bogged down with the details. My English teacher had an acronym that she used a lot. She would always say to the class when we got stumped on a question “Keep it Simple Silly”. We all have had those moments when we know how to do something, but then in finding new ways to do it end up creating new and possibly more complicated situations we had no business creating. Let’s keep it simple!
Create a routine
A routine gives our day structure and makes it easier to get things done. It can be hard to stick to a routine, but if we can find one that works for us, it will make our lives much easier. Here are some tips on how to create a routine! First, we can decide what order we want to do things in and try to stick to it. For example, we might want to start our day with breakfast, then shower, then get dressed, then head to work. Or we can wake up at earlier every morning, meditate, brush our teeth, eat breakfast, shower and go to work.
Another tip is to figure out what we need to do every day and write it down. This could include things like working out, taking care of personal hygiene, and spending time with family or friends. Finally, we can get guidance from a coach who can give us tips on how to be more disciplined in creating a routine.
Be Organized in your spending and stick to your budget
Another way we can be more organized as young professionals is by watching our spending and sticking to our budget. In the current economic climate we are living in, most of us might feel like we are continuously fighting a battle against our finances. With inflation near an all-time high, pinching our pennies is starting to hurt. In times like these we must be very disciplined and stick to our budget.
One way we can stick to our budget is by tracking our spending. It is important to know where our money is going. If you’re new to keeping track of your finances, one strategy is to keep track of all your spending for a month or two, so you can see where you’re spending the most money. This will help you figure out where you can cut back to save more. I recommend this budgeting workbook “The One Week Budget” by Tiffany Aliche, also known as, The Budgetnista!
Be Organized seasonally: Print some labels and store seasonal things away
We can be more organized by printing some labels and storing seasonal things away. For example, we can print a label that says, “Summer Clothes” and attach it to a bin where we store our shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. This will help keep our closet more organized and make it easier to find what we’re looking for. Also, we can use this strategy to store other items like winter coats and holiday decorations. By taking the time to print some labels and store seasonal things away, we can save time and hassle down the road.
Don’t let the dishes and laundry build up
If our apartment is cluttered, it will be harder to keep on top of things like dishes and laundry. We should try to declutter regularly and give ourselves some breathing room. We can avoid the dishes from piling up by doing the dishes every night after dinner. Also, instead of waiting to do laundry every Sunday morning, try washing a load or two Wednesday night. By getting into a groove, we can avoid letting little things pile up and turn into a bigger workload.
Don’t be afraid to auto pay
Autopay allows us to schedule automatic payments for bills, loans, and other expenses. This tool can help us stay on top of our finances and avoid late fees. Additionally, autopay can also help us build good credit habits. If we are looking for a way to be more financially responsible, we can consider using autopay. Autopay is an easy way to make organizing your money a priority!
What are some things we should know about using auto pay?
- The autopay feature may not be available in all countries.
- Autopay may not be available for all bills or expenses.
- Some banks charge a fee for using the autopay feature.
Note: Please speak with your bank to ask what fees are associated with using autopay if you’re interested.
Be Organized with your mail: Consider going paperless and digitize the mail that comes in
There are a few ways we can go paperless and digitize the mail that comes in. As mentioned before, we can unsubscribe from any unnecessary mailing lists. To go paperless, we can opt for electronic billing and statements whenever possible. To digitize our mail we want to keep, we can invest in a good scanner or scanning app to keep all our important documents organized and accessible on our phone or computer. Be sure to have a good security application on you home and mobile devices to avoid getting sensitive information stolen.
Choose a day for ironing and folding the clothes
Doing laundry doesn’t have to be a huge time-consuming task if you’re organized and plan. I remember the days when I used to get up and throw a shirt or pants in the dryer before I took a shower to go to work. Now I make sure to choose a day that I iron my clothes so that I don’t have to worry about rushing to get it done the morning I need it. The best time to fold the clothes is after each load is dried. When we wash all our clothes and dump it on the bed, the mountain of clothes can look intimidating. Especially for a family! I recommended folding and putting away clothes right after each load is dried so you can break up the laundry task into smaller more manageable sections.
Note: You can also try to delegate the folding of clothes to take the burden off you. 😊
Be Disciplined
Being disciplined is the key to staying organized. If we don’t have discipline, we most likely won’t have any structure. One common step to being disciplined is making a list of the tasks we need to accomplish and then schedule time for each task. Set deadlines for ourselves and make sure we stick to them. However, we must be prepared to work hard and put in the effort!
Conclusion:
So, there you have it! We hope that you found these tips helpful and will be able to apply them in your own life. Being more organized is not always easy, but it is worth the effort. Please feel free to share this article with your friends and family and let us know how you struggled with being organized and what tips worked best for you. Until next time! Check out my other blog Reasons Long-term Goals are Important!
Pingback: Automation. What are the Benefits? - Signify by Alex