We all want to feel less stressed at work. Pre-kids, after a long day at the office, you could at least kick back and relax in front of a good boxset and enjoy a tasty dinner in peace. We all know that this is no longer the case once you’ve procreated. Evenings with little ones causing havoc can feel even more stressful than being at work! With babies, you have the dreaded ‘witching hour’ and bedtime routine to contend with and if they’re a bit older, then you’re dealing with the post-dinner pre-bedtime energy surge that creates general chaos around the house.
Obviously we wouldn’t change this for the world but with so much going on at home, it can make pressures in the office feel amplified. Here, we’re going to share a few tips to help get you more organised in the office so that you feel more in control of your workload and can free up a bit more time. Hopefully you’ll feel less stressed, which means that you can actually enjoy your evening with your family.
Organise all your stuff
I truly believe that being surrounded by untidiness makes you feel more chaotic and heightens your stress levels. Even though I don’t know much about Feng Shui, the concept of clean and tidy spaces makes a lot of sense to me. How much of your work day is spent looking for stuff? Imagine if you knew exactly where everything was and could locate what you needed in a matter of seconds? Much better, right?
So this first tip is super simple but critical. Store all of your work neatly and in an organised fashion. If you still have paperwork (which I’m pretty sure we all do!) invest in files and, at the risk of sounding like Monica from Friends, a labelmaker! Revert to your 12-year-old self and rekindle that love for stationery.
When it comes to storing your digital documents, make sure you effectively name and date them. Keep your digital desktop tidy (I admit that I’m terrible at this). If you’re a Mac user, make use of the tags and colour coding system, so that you can group together similar files.
Keep your work space clean and tidy. Declutter. I honestly find decluttering like therapy – it always feels so good afterwards!
Up your time management game
Keeping on top of your time management is another simple tip but one that can easily be overlooked when you’re busy. If you’re the type of person who leaves everything to the last minute, then getting more organised with your time could help keep your stress levels down. Yes, you will always need to deal with urgent tasks that pop up at the last minute. Generally, though, having a good schedule set out for your day will help enormously.
At the start of the day (or even better at the end of the previous day), list the necessary tasks to be completed and allot a realistic time for each task. Don’t forget breaks! The most important part is sticking to it. If you can get into the habit, you’ll soon develop effective time management skills and the whole process will become second nature.
Consider outsourcing some functions
If you are a small business owner, you’ll probably feel even more pressure at work as the success of the business lies with you. You are responsible for every function.
If your business is growing and you feel as though you just can’t do it all on your own anymore (which is good news by the way!) you could consider outsourcing some of the work to an independent, third party. Most things can be outsourced – consider web design, market research, IT. If you do have staff, you could even outsource your human relations work to a company such as Peninsula’s HR services. If you can find good partners to work with and that you can trust to do a good job, outsourcing could help tremendously in freeing up some of your time.
This is all straightforward advice but it is easy to forget when you get caught up in your busy and full-on day. If you find yourself veering off track and you feel the stress levels rising, just take a moment to revisit your time management list. Remind yourself of what you actually need to get done that day, and try not to worry about the other things.
A positive day at work will really help you to feel better in the evenings when you’re at home with your family. Please try to switch off from work as much as you can once you leave the office. I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s a good intention to have.
Share your tips
Do you have any other tips to get more organised at work? Please feel free to share below.
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post.