One of the best ways to increase productivity and output is to have an efficient workspace. While you may not be able to change the layout of your company’s office, there are some ways that you can increase the efficiency of your individual workspace. Here are some tips for improving your workspace organization both digitally and physically.

 

Digital workspace

1. Separate Work and Personal files. Keeping separate files can help you stay focussed on the files related to your work. I recommend either using separate drop boxes or two different overarching folder systems.
2. Create broad folders. When trying to find files on your computer or drive it is important to have a quick and easy way to find different file types. Creating broad overarching folders allows you to find topics much faster due to the breadth of files that will fall under these categories. After creating these broad folders you can add secondary and tertiary folder layers to narrow your search.

 

Physical Workspace

1. Place a trash can under your desk. This can eliminate the clutter on top of your desk and in your files because throwing things away will be convenient. It will also minimize the time away from your desk during the workday.
2. Use Cable Collectors. You will never have to worry about finding the correct cord to plug in your devices again. They can hold your cords out of the way and give you the ability to keep all of your plugins in the same spot. This will help improve your efficiency by keeping your cords at the reach of your fingertips.
3. Invest in a clear desk cover. While most people use this to store pictures of their loved ones at their work stations, this can also be a very impressive tool for organization. It can allow you to keep notes and documents you use on a daily basis visible on your desk while not creating clutter.
4. Use an accordion folder or document storage system. Even though a lot of companies are going digital this system will be handy for any paper documents that you will receive. Just like organizing digitally, I recommend you use broad themes for your organization.
5. Use a shelf or desk hutch. This will take the existing space that you have on your desk and increase it vertically. You can put items you do not use on a daily basis here to increase space or use it for decorations to make your desk feel more lively.
6. Consider desk drawer organizers. This helps you take your workspace organization one step further by eliminating clutter from within the desk. This will help you save the time you would be using trying to sift through office supplies by laying them out in specific places.
7. Layout is Key. You want to set your workspace up so that the supplies you use the most frequently are the most readily accessible. Essentials like your computer and notebooks should be placed in the center of your desk so that it is the first thing you see. You can also utilize material zones for your layout. Material zones make sure that all related materials and supplies are in similar areas.

 

How do you use organizational techniques to improve your workday? Let us know.