The Multi-taskers’ Guide To Staying Organised

Being a multi-tasker can be a great skill to have – except when it means you lack organisational skills. While it makes you a good worker to be able to get multiple things done at once, if you can’t keep your schedule (or desk) organised, you might not be as productive as you think you are.

Are you the type of worker who works on multiple projects at once or that your co-workers come to when they need help? Does your boss always give you the most work because they know you can get it done quickly? Are you sometimes stressed out about how you’re going to get everything done, but all the work gets done anyway? If you answered yes, you’re a multi-tasker and you might need a little help with your organization at work.

Here are some things to consider helping you stay organized while multi-tasking.

1. Organise your desk

The first step to keeping yourself organised at work is to make sure your desk is organised–and I don’t just mean clean. It’s one thing to have a clean desk, and it’s a completely other story to have an organised desk. If you neatly organize your desk in a manner that makes the most sense to you, it’ll be a lot easier to continue multitasking because you’ll know where everything is–so you won’t ever have to slow down to look for a pen, paper, or that file your boss is asking for!

Now that you have organised your desk, make a rule for yourself: no clutter, ever. That way, you won’t have to keep cleaning your desk every week!

2. Work on related tasks

When you’re a multi-tasker, sometimes you probably work on completely different projects at the same time.  Or you might be working on a project on your computer while also doing work-related stuff on your phone. An easy way to organise your self at work is to simply separate all of your tasks into similar groups. So any work that needs to be done on your phone, you do on your phone at the same time. Any computer work gets done at the same time and any physical, paper work also gets done at the same time.

When you switch to a new task, you brain has to adjust its focus. So when you are working on two completely different tasks, it strains your brain to constantly have to re-adjust, thus slowing you down and draining your energy levels. Keep similar tasks together and switch between those two for a more organized and efficient outcome.

3. Organise your physical and digital storage

Both physical papers and digital files need to be organised in order to streamline your work. There’s nothing that slows down a multitasker more than having to click around in a bunch of folders to find the one file they are looking for; or to be scrambling around your desk searching for that really important post-it note. Consider setting aside some time to organize your files in a way that makes sense to you–that way, the next time you go to look for something, you will know exactly where it is.

4. Create a to-do list

Even if you’re not the type to use a to-do list and check tasks off, maybe it’s time to consider one. When you can visually see the work you have to do in a day and how far along you are on the list, it helps you organise what tasks can be done together and which are the most important ones. That way you’re not just getting things done in an inefficient order based on your memory, or constantly adding new items to the list as you think of them. Moreover, this is a great way to ensure that your big and important projects don’t slip through the cracks!

Not sure if this will work for you? Give it a try this week and see how it goes!

5. Don’t forget to take a break!

Many multi-taskers can go the whole day without taking a break. Even if they actually do take a lunch break, they end up eating at their desk and multi tasking while eating. Sounds crazy, right? That’s because it is! If you don’t take an actual lunch break or a 15-minute break to just clear your head and get out of your office, all you’re doing is slowing yourself down.

The more you multi-task in a single day, the more stress you’re putting on your brain and draining your energy levels. By simply taking the time to step away from work to enjoy your lunch or take a walk out of your office, you’ll give your body a break and then it’ll be able to continue focus and working through the day.

Multitasking can be great for busy workers who have a lot of work on their plate, but it can also be dangerous when you don’t know how to organise yourself or manage your stress. We hope these five tips help you better organize yourself at work so you can be a more efficient multi-tasker!