Getting Organized: Why it’s Essential to Your Productivity
If you think about it, being organized is one of the most essential factors in being productive. You do not need to be extremely rigid in order to be organized, but you do need to be conscious of and conscientious about everything that goes into your work day. Getting things done means being organized with your time, the supplies and equipment you use, and your expectations.
Think about someone who you see as disorganized — what does that person look like? What are the traits that are keeping them from being effective? Some common traits that you’ll likely see are:
They’ll likely rush into tasks, not taking the time to stop and think of a plan. It’s go, go, go all the time, which on the surface may seem very productive but when you closer, completing a bunch of random tasks with no plan hasn’t moved anything forward.
They might miss meetings throughout the day, or are constantly late to meetings. This is a symptom being disorganized and unaware of what the next step is. When there is no intention on managing time and effort, you’ll move where the wind blows resulting in sporadic results.
They might show signs of being careless with the supplies or equipment that they use. This is a more subtle straight but very indicative of a lack of organization. A similar trait would be someone who gets frustrated and makes excuses for their ineffective performance by blaming the lack or quality to materials/tools.
If you’ve seen any of your team with these traits, or come to the realization that you have some of these traits (I know I do), the good news is that getting organized is actually quite simple. You can begin by making a basic schedule of what you need to do and when it needs to be done. From there, you’ll be able to plan out what you need in order to get those things done: it could mean gathering stakeholders, developing skills, sourcing materials, etc. Knowing what you need to do is essential in accomplishing what you need done.
While the concept of being organized with both time and material items is not difficult, it is a skill that needs to be cultivated; it will require consistent effort and practice before it begins to feel completely natural for you. Preparing an outline of your work day will help you to be where you need to be, and to get things done on time. Keeping all of your supplies neat and organized will help you to avoid wasting time and becoming frustrated over not being able to readily find items when you need them.
When your goal is to increase your productivity — to get things done — being organized is an essential factor. If you are one of the many people who has not yet developed this positive habit, the results may astound you. You will soon see that you are accomplishing much more, doing a better job, and ending up with results that are more satisfying. Becoming better-organized in every aspect of your work life will greatly enhance your productivity.
