Total, Relaxed Organization, The Blog

Organization helps you stay on top of your tasks, but for the sake of your sanity, it’s important that it be relaxed organization. Here are 8 easy tips for feeling more relaxed … and therefore more productive!

1. Clean up the clutter.

No matter what, you can’t be at peak efficiency unless your desk is clean and all your tools and tasks have a “home.” One study even shows us that people with messy desks get passed over for promotions. In the FBI, for example, they emphasize the importance of organization in each agent’s life–my cousin is an agent. Her house and everything about her? Immaculate.

But the bottom line is, you need to focus. And it’s hard to do that when you’re surrounded by mountains of unfinished tasks, screaming for your attention. They’re like massive piles of proverbial guilt.

For organizing your desk and life most efficiently, check out Total, Relaxed Organization.

2. Make it feel like yours.

When you walk into your office or work area, you want to feel comfortable. You want to feel good about it. Ask yourself what your first response is when you look at your workspace. Do you feel focused and at ease? Or do you feel overwhelmed? Or even apathetic?

Don’t forget lighting. That’s also important for ambiance. There’s no set rule about this – maybe you prefer natural light, or perhaps you prefer a dark room so you can focus! It’s up to you. Do make sure that you can see properly, however….

3. Make it smell good.

As it turns out, cleanliness IS next to godliness, according to another study, which showed that fresh aromas promote good ethics. Personally, I like to smell baked goods while I work, so I bake muffins or make pancakes in the morning. (Don’t you wish you worked with me?) But like the lighting, it’s really up to you.

4. Get a soundtrack for working.

Life would be so much better if we all had our own soundtrack … actually, thanks to our iPods, we essentially do. Get a soundtrack for what helps you “get the most done” — Pandora is great for this. Some people prefer classical to stimulate their brains, others choose new-age music to relax their nerves. Just make sure none of the music has lyrics. Test a variety of music genres to see what effect each has on your productivity level. Try out TRO coach Kevin Crenshaw’s Pandora station. If you work with others, use headphones to be courteous.

5. Get a good, supportive chair.

I can’t emphasize this enough. I’m a bit of a cheapskate, so I tried working in a regular folding chair to avoid buying a nice, cushy office one. But I soon found I was spending a lot of time changing scenery, moving around, and constantly suffering from back pains and neck cricks. Finally, I caved and bought a pretty affordable one from Target. Work has never been more comfortable. I can work for longer, without constantly interrupting my work flow to take breaks from sitting. To see reviews for the best ergonomic chairs and find your best fit, click here.

6. Open a window.

Or, if it’s cold out, get a fan. But a cool breeze can do wonders for your concentration, especially if you’ve been cooped up inside all day.

7. Add a fountain.

I have an illuminated water fountain from HoMedics, and I can never get over how peaceful the sound of trickling water truly is. Most likely, you’ll have to replace the water every 3 days. (Or if you work from home, and you have cats, twice a day. Never mind that they have their own water bowls!).

8. Put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Figuratively speaking, unless you really want to put up a literal one. Determine a time of day, every day, where you turn off your instant messenger and don’t check email. If you’re really daring, turn your phone off. Schedule this time to target the very complex tasks that require your total attention. You’ll find it’s easier to focus on a task when you don’t need to worry about being interrupted.

For even better ways to get “total, relaxed organization” and to see the positive testimonials (and live stats) from our very relaxed customers, just click here.

- Kirsten Brownrigg, Priacta precursor of productivity and author of “Stormy’s Scoops”

Posted via email from Strategy in Principle