Say you work in sales. The moment you get on a call with a client, your communication and negotiation skills are impeccable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, when you try to close the deal, you can\u2019t find the contract papers anywhere. Or, it takes you a while to find the notes from your previous call when following up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are all the consequences of poor organization<\/strong> \u2014 so let\u2019s see how you can stop this kind of situation from ever happening.<\/p>\n\n\n It seems obvious that good organization is important for your work. When you\u2019re disorganized, you\u2019ll miss deadlines, responsibilities, or even completing important project deliverables<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some key ways in which staying organized benefits you include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All in all, improving your organization is only <\/em>beneficial to both your well-being and your productivity at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Experience the benefits of improved organization with stellar task management in Plaky by CAKE.com. Keep yourself andyour workspace organized.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no by-the-book set of rules for good workplace organization \u2014 what works and what doesn\u2019t often depends on your individual needs<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this doesn\u2019t mean that you shouldn\u2019t try out the solutions that have worked for others. With this in mind, here are 12 expert tips that are worth trying if you want to get more organized and productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We spoke with Andrew Latham<\/a>, a certified financial planner, who believes the mess around you can create a mess in your head. He suggests getting rid of clutter first before getting down to work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDeclutter your workspace and keep only the essentials. A clean desk can lead to a clear mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Not having to dig through tons of papers and other trinkets on your desk is a massive time-saver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, a cluttered desk almost always causes a cluttered mind. Plenty of studies show how disorganization affects your brain<\/a> \u2014 and you guessed it, it\u2019s never positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This tip is especially important if you work from home \u2014 that pile of laundry can be awfully distracting when it\u2019s right next to your desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your digital workspace organized with Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Andrew shared another valuable tip for staying organized, which involves taking care of your digital workspace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUse digital tools like task management apps or calendars to plan your day and week. Prioritize your tasks based on urgency and importance.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n A project management tool<\/a> can help you keep track of your: <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s more, it\u2019s helpful to both the team and project managers<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With a PM tool like Plaky<\/a> by CAKE.com<\/a>, for example, you can keep track of all aspects of your project. So, you can take all that clutter from your desk and organize it in a simple, digital workspace.<\/p>\n\n\n Stay organized by keeping all important information in one place. Try Plaky by CAKE.com today!<\/p>\n We touched on the subject of emails with Juliet Dreamhunter<\/a>, who helps businesses navigate AI and deal with productivity issues. She stressed the significance email filters have had for her own organization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorting through hundreds of emails eats up a big chunk of your day, and even though it technically works and it keeps you busy, you are usually not making much progress with important tasks. Set up filters in your mailbox that will automatically sort your correspondence into relevant folders and prioritize everything.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n It might seem like emails are a less important part of your workspace to organize. But, anyone who has wasted an hour digging through clutter just to find one email can vouch for how frustrating it can get. <\/p>\n\n\n Delaying tasks can become a personal hell, especially if those tasks are smaller and easily forgettable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why Juliet stresses the importance of acting on tasks as they arrive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTry to act on tasks or decisions the first time you come across them, rather than leaving them for later. This helps prevent work from piling up. Additionally, the 2-minute rule that says \u2018if it takes under 2 minutes, do it now,\u2019 is very effective for shortening your to-do list.\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Putting something off for later is the calling card of procrastination. If you make a habit of it, it will become more difficult to stop doing it as time goes by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t let tasks pile up \u2014 keep track of them in Plaky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To go a step further, you can time block your tasks \u2014 Liz Pharo<\/a>, who organizes costs and time of divorce proceedings, explains how time blocking works: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s about dedicating chunks of time to specific tasks. Instead of scrambling to get things done, you have a set schedule to stick to. Plus, it helps prevent burnout because you’re not just endlessly working \u2014 you’ve got a structure, and you’re in control.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n In essence, time blocking<\/a> helps you better organize your tasks by literally creating time slots in your calendar for working on specific tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n To better organize your tasks, it’s important to know how much time they take. On this topic, Tom McCarron<\/a>, an experienced paid media specialist, says that time tracking is essential:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBy linking tasks with time slots, it helps to manage your own expectations of what can be completed from your to-do list on a given day. Separately, when tracking your time, you’re able to gain a clear understanding of the tasks and processes that can consume most of your day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n For example, say you\u2019ve completed an event planning project and tracked the time it took to complete every task. Now, when you need to plan another event, you\u2019ll organize every task better \u2014 because you\u2019ll know exactly<\/em> how much time each will take.<\/p>\n\n\n Use Plaky\u2019s time tracking integration with Clockify by CAKE.com to keep track of how long tasks take. Waste no time \u2014 set up and keep track of your improved deadlines today!<\/p>\n Switching from one task to another is generally seen as a great skill to have, so who wouldn\u2019t want to get better at it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the truth is \u2014 even if you try juggling tasks that seem simple, your brain is not able to effectively focus on each separate task<\/strong>. Ultimately, juggling many tasks at the same time leads to reduced task performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, while you may think you\u2019re doing yourself a favor by learning how to multitask, in reality, you\u2019re harming your efficiency. It’s better to organize tasks by priority and do them separately, one by one, than trying to do them all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We don\u2019t always have the luxury of avoiding overlapping tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to organize these tasks is to prioritize them while keeping deadlines in mind. As Liz puts it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne trick I find super useful is categorizing my tasks based on urgency and importance. There are apps out there that can help, but good old pen and paper works too. And always keep track of deadlines, that’s non-negotiable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n It’s important to prioritize \u2014 it won\u2019t always be possible to dedicate the same amount of time to each task. Luckily, techniques like the Eisenhower matrix can improve your workload management<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to know more about project prioritization, here\u2019s a helpful guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hoarding information will only make your work more difficult. As Andrew highlights, it\u2019s important to keep your documentation neat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDevelop a habit of regularly reviewing and clearing out old or irrelevant information. Remember, it’s not just about capturing information but also about maintaining only what’s necessary and useful.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n When sorting information, first divide it by what you might need again and what has become obsolete. Then, get rid of that second category. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first category should be further organized \u2014 by the type of information, the project or task it\u2019s needed for, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Organize information in Plaky by CAKE.com \u2014 group items, sort files, and keep track of task info. Try it today!<\/p>\n Working from home can bring its own bunch of obstacles to organization. Juliet warns us of arguably the biggest one \u2014 phone usage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLeave your phone in another room and don’t touch it until you finish your work for the day. This is the most simple and proven way to not get lost in mindless scrolling for hours when you are supposed to be working.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/How-to-stay-organized-at-work-cover-3.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nBenefits of being organized at work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n12 tips to get and stay organized at work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#1 Organize your workspace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Andrew-Latham-headshot.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n#2 Use a PM tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Keeping](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/keeping-track-of-a-project-in-Plaky.png\")
![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-2@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n#3 Sort your email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Juliet](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Juliet-Dreamhunter-headshot.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Creating-a-filter-in-Gmail.png\")
#4 Use the \u201ctouch it once\u201d rule<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n#5 Try time blocking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Elizabeth](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Elizabeth-Pharo-headshot.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Example](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Time-blocking-example.png\")
#6 Use a time tracker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Tom-McCarron-headshot.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Tracking](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Keep-track-of-how-much-time-you-spend-on-tasks-directly-in-Plaky.png\")
![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n#7 Avoid multitasking <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
#8 Categorize tasks based on urgency and importance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
#9 Clean up and sort out old information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Plaky](\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-3@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n\n\n#10 Eliminate distractions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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