COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way we work, and, in many cases, has changed where we work. Working smarter is more important now than ever, and one of the best ways to do that is to make sure you have a clean and organized work environment. Reconfiguring is often a great solution. Here are some of the best ways to organize your workspace and keep it that way!
De-cluttering your workspace is the most important thing you could do in order to stay organized. Working in a messy workspace can be distracting and make you feel less productive. Nothing is better than a clean and tidy workspace to motivate yourself.
Start by getting rid of any unnecessary clutter. Get rid of anything that doesn’t contribute to your productivity or make you feel good. Remove any papers, knick-knacks, furniture, that take away from your workspace.
Now that it is free of clutter, take the opportunity to clean and sanitize your workspace using household cleaners.
Use inspirational resources like magazines, Instagram, Pinterest, or even Google to find the kind of workspace you want to create – then remove anything that doesn’t fit that vision.
Now that you’ve de-cluttered and gotten rid of everything you don’t need, what about the things you do need? That’s where a great filing and organization system comes in.
Organizing your files and items is a very personal thing – there is no “one-size fits all” system for organization. That being said, here are some things that help a lot of people.
Use boxes and storage containers to keep your things organized and contained in your workspace while still having access to them when you need them.
Consider colour coding similar objects and files in order to have another way of organizing similar objects and files.
If you are able, use an under-the-desk pedestal or cabinet with drawers in order to keep your things organized and out of sight from the rest of your desk.
Segmenting your work zones is sometimes easier said than done, especially with a big shift towards temporarily working from home due to COVID-19, but there are still things you can do in order to create boundaries with your space.
If you already have a dedicated office or workspace in your home, great! You’ve won the battle (for the most part). But for those of us who don’t have a dedicated work space in the home, there are some ways to mentally create space.
Do your best not to work in your relaxation zones. This means not working from the couch or your bed, no matter how tempting that may be. Blurring the lines between work and play can be detrimental to both.
On top of segmenting your work zones, do your best to put away your work once the day is done so you’re not constantly reminded by it – out of sight, out of mind.
A lot of focus is placed on the physical workspace, but what about your digital workspace?
Taking the time to clean up all of those random files on your desktop can have just as much of an impact on productivity as cleaning up your actual desk.
If you’re someone who uses your phone a lot for work, consider organizing the endless pages of apps that you have into neat folders. If there are apps you use frequently for work, consider grouping those together in order to compartmentalize them from everything else you do on your phone.
As you can see, there are several ways to organize your workspace, both physical and digital, in order to increase productivity and contribute to your overall happiness and wellbeing in the workspace.
Connect with us on social media for workspace inspiration and let us know how you’re keeping your workspace organized.