From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Organizing your office

From the course: Administrative Professional Tips

Organizing your office

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- As administrative support professionals, we are looked at as the organizational expert for our offices. Most of us have high levels of skill in the area of organization. If this is not a strength, don't despair. Here are some basic tips to get organized which leads to greater levels of productivity. First, declutter. One of the first things that I did when taking over my current position was to rid my new office space of furniture, office supplies, and equipment that I was not going to be using. Some of the items were outdated and could not be of use to anyone else in the organization. Those items were put in the garbage or recycle bin. Other items that were still usable were put into a central supply area. Even if you're not new to your office space, take some time to declutter, as things tend to build up over time. Label, label, and label again. It makes good sense to label your files, drawers, trays, and bins when organizing. This is helpful not only for you, but for anyone that needs to find things when you're away from your office. Oftentimes, the person or team you support may need to understand where files or supplies are kept. This will help them to locate things easily. It is helpful for you, because you can put things in their proper place after using them, which keeps your desk clutter to a minimum. Also, the likelihood of something being misplaced will be low, especially when moments of high stress emerge and you need to find something right away. Utilize your wall space. Oftentimes, when we think about organizing, we are thinking of desks, drawers, filing cabinets, et cetera. If you are in an actual office, then it is literally your wall space. If you are in a cubicle, then it would be the partition. Either way, you can use that space to hang calendars, whiteboards, filing systems, and shelves. For example, I have a large erasable calendar on my wall where I keep track of all of my bosses' board meetings. I reference it several times throughout the day to answer questions and to ensure I am meeting all of my deadlines. Having it visible saves me time and energy. Finally, keep your personal items to a minimum. The majority of us have personal items in our office such as photos. Personal items are a good reminder of what is the most important things in our lives and a source of happiness throughout our day. However, I have seen instances where personal items are excessive, and take up a good amount of workspace. To avoid this, keep those special pieces to a small amount. By being more organized in this manner, I am able to conserve my time, get more done in a day, and reduce my stress levels. Moreover, it positions me for literal organizational success.

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