Organizing the work area

One of the most egregious stains on workplace inefficiency is the ineptitude of the common worker in one area: his desk. We can blame this on the frantic pace of modern society and the huge number of important items we have to remember from day to day, but this is not the time to point fingers. Rather, it is time to face up to one serious inadequacy millions of us share: the inability to organize.

1- Keep lists
The proverbial to-do list is a clich to be sure, but it got to be one for a very good reason -- it works . Lists work, given your ability to abide by them. In essence, they are an easy way to organize your tasks. The key is not to pile papers up and keep haphazard notes everywhere. Store your lists in a logical place, like a PDA or an e-mail that you re-send yourself on a regular basis.

2- Act fast
One negative thing about lists is that some people forget their crucial reason for existence: for you to get things done.

3- Reduce your junk
Paperwork, books, manuals, pictures, junk, and who knows what else can pile up and invade your space like a termites on a toothpick.

4- Keep important stuff visible
Efficient, smart work is all about shortcuts and quick steps. I like to keep all my critical information within eyeshot as I sit at my desk.

5- Streamline your computer
The most blatant mess of all is seldom on our desks but in our computers. Files and folders are everywhere, our Inbox has a ton of random messages we have yet to read and our desktop is strewn with random documents.