The importance of being organised

When working with clients on growing or improving business, the subject of organisation often crops up. By organisation I mean the general structure and efficiency of working.

Some people for example, work in what can only be described as chaos. They have a work environment that has piles of paperwork and other paraphernalia sitting around. They have an in tray that’s more like an in skip, and there’s always a significant backlog of work.

It’s true that some people seem to thrive on chaos but generally it’s counter-productive. Often, working like this leads to procrastination. It could be that letting things pile up is an unconscious strategy to avoid moving forward because then there will always be a ‘good’ reason not to get on with things. Or it could simply be that ’stuff’ really has just piled up but now this acts as a barrier to getting on because the ’stuff’ needs to be cleared before getting on with less urgent but ultimately more important projects.

So, one way or another, becoming more organised is healthy from both a business and personal perspective. So how can you create a more effective environment and begin to reap the rewards that it offers you?

Have a clear workspace

Having a clear desk or workspace leads to clear thinking. If you have irrelevant ’stuff’ all over your desk it will distract you. Quite simply, if you can see it, it will influence you. And by ’see it’ I mean your peripheral vision as well. If you have ’stuff’ lying around and you really can’t quickly deal with it then the best thing to do is either remove it or put it behind you. You can create the illusion even if you can’t immediately make it a reality.

One lesson which has been shared with me a number of times, and has proved invaluable, is to only deal with one item at a time, meaning that you only have the current piece of work in front of you, not two, three or more.

Make your work space attractive

Although this leads on from the clear workspace idea I’m also talking about the look of your work area. It is relatively inexpensive to have nice decor and furniture. Personal objects, such as photos or mementos make it ‘your’ space and this can help enormously with creativity. The question to ask yourself is “is my environment allowing me to function to the best of my ability?” If your answer is ‘no’, then what is your ideal environment like?”

 Have all that you need at hand

When coaching I want to have 100% focus on my clients, not on trying to find something like a pen or paper, or being hampered by lack of the right equipment. I like to have pen, paper, computer, email, and all the resources I need. I use a telephone headset to make sure I remain comfortable. Also, I make sure I am undisturbed. Although it’s different for all of us you need to make sure you have everything available that allows you to get your work done in the most effective way.

Get in ’state’

What this means is that you set yourself up both physically and mentally for what you are about to do. This really begins with setting your intent. Consciously set your mind to what you are about to do and for a few moments imagine your desired outcome. This helps you to focus on your tasks with a clear mind and create the right physical posture. A great question to ask when setting about an important project or when really need to get focused is “how would the person I want to be do the things I am about to do?”

I think we all know the importance of being organised but it can take a little thought and effort to maintain it. Don’t be afraid to take a day or half day out every now and then to clear a backlog or have a tidy up. It will make a huge difference to your productivity.

I’m always interested in people who get extraordinary results and a while ago I was introduced to a very successful trader with one of the top global investment banks. This guy had made many millions and had consistently performed over a long period. I asked him what one thing above all others did he put down to his success. He replied “organisation, you’ve go to be organised”