Get Your Desk Organized

What to do When Your Desk is a Disaster

_______________________

Many of my clients are truly frantic because their desks are such a mess. They can't find slips of paper on which they wrote important phone numbers; they know they received information they sent for, but it's buried in a pile of paper; they were working on a chapter of a novel, but the notes for the next chapter are gone. Here's how I counsel them when I make a house call:

Address your desk problems in blocks of time. You may be able to straighten out the clutter in a few hours, or you may need a weekend. Sometimes it's better to devote a couple of hours a day to the job until you're done.
Have on hand a trash can, a pen, file folders, labels and the other desk organizational aids mentioned above that suit your needs.
Clear the space you want to organize (the desk surface, one of the drawers, etc.). Then make a big pile of all the paper.
Evaluate each item, categorize it and put it away (in the desk drawer, in a file, in one of the desk organizers, etc.), throwing out as much as possible.
Even when you are feeling overwhelmed, just keep sorting and categorizing. If you devote the necessary time, your desk can be cleared.
Enlist the help of a partner; a spouse, a secretary, someone who can help you keep going.

Organization is a skill that can be learned. The most difficult part is breaking your lifelong bad habits (like letting your paperwork pile up). The key to getting better organized is to start with one small step and then take others one at a time. You may find that what you've put off for years takes only an hour to do. And once you see the benefits in one part of your life, you'll be motivated to go on.

If you implement the ideas given here, you'll be free from chaos and feel in charge of your life. Once you've started, stick with it. Getting organized is the first step; persistence and follow-through will keep you that way. Now, go get started.

About The Author: Ronnie Eisenberg , a nationally recognized time-management and organizational expert.

Share Your Organizational Articles and Tips

Women in business for themselves helping other women in the same situation is what TheWAHMConnection.com is all about. Sharing expertise and learning from a mentor or peer is always a blessing. If you have organization tips or articles to pass along, we're sure other home based business owners and women in business would love to read them. Share your organization tips and articles.

What to do When Your Desk is a Disaster

_______________________

Share Your Organizational Articles and Tips

Products Recently Viewed by WAHMS Like You!