Top Tips for Improving your Organisation Skills

Regardless of your job title, good organisational skills are essential to remaining focused, on top of your duties, and having a high work output. While organisation is good for any work position, it is especially crucial if you are a senior member of stuff, such as a project manager. The good news is that improving your organisation skills is quite easy, and below are our top tips for how to do it. Create a to-do list. Whether it’s simply filing and creating databases or your job as a senior developer means you need to lead the way in productivity, a to-do list is essential. It’s one of the oldest organisational methods and has stood the test of time. By knowing what you have to do and having it in front of you, you can’t fail. You can even go one step further by allocating a period of time to each activity, so you know when to start, how long you have, and when to stop to move on. One of the biggest reasons to fall behind is to spend so long on one thing everything else gets neglected, but by allocating time this will not happen. Modern technology has also made this easier, with cross-platform apps like Wunderlist, you can create lists at home or on the train on your smart phone, and it will sync with the desktop program on your work and/or home computer. Take notes. This is an important but overlooked step; you should be taking notes of many things, from what people tell you about your work, deadlines, and even when you talk to others. For example if you are talking to a partner or client and they mention something personal, like an illness, next time you talk you can ask about their recovery. This shows you care and can strengthen a relationship, and ensures you never forget something important. Use a planner. This is similar to a to-do list, but extends beyond what you need to do that day. With a planner you can schedule meetings and conference calls in the future, and this makes sure you never forget an important appointment. Read your planner. There’s no point writing in one if you never look in it, or only open it once you’ve missed an event. With that in mind, you should read it every night before you go to bed so you know what’s coming up the next day. You can also use this time to create the to-do list on your phone so it’s all sorted when you get to the office the next day. Get plenty of rest. It’s one of the oldest sayings, and it may not seem possible with a heavy workload, but it is essential. When you are tired you lack concentration and focus, often opting to defer today’s tasks until tomorrow or, perhaps worse, completing them today but doing a poor job. If you are well rested and refreshed, you will be able to complete all of your tasks to your best ability and be able to move on without revisiting to improve what you have already completed. Getting organised is not particularly difficult and is often more about routine than anything else. Once you are used to using a planner, creating lists and going to bed by a certain time you will soon find it all becomes second nature. As a result, you will be a better worker with a higher output and better results. You never know, you could even impress your boss so much that you get a promotion.