How to be more organised at work
British economist John Maynard Keynes once famously predicted that advances in technology and productivity would eventually result in a 15-hour working week.
We were going to have all this free leisure time at our disposal while still earning enough to satisfy our material needs.
Never mind a 15-hour week, there are plenty of people putting in 15-hour days. That is partly because of technology and the fact we can be contacted anytime through emails - – even more so as boundaries between work and life became blurred during the coronavirus pandemic and the time we spent working from home.
But it also comes down to the fact that some of us could be better at time management or fall short when it comes to organisational skills.
So, we’ve gathered together tips from experts that will help you to become less stressed and more productive, no matter where you’re working..
1. Take Control of Your Email
Louise Chunn is the founder of welldoing.org and former editor of Psychologies, In Style and Good Housekeeping. This is her five-point plan for organising your emails...
Set aside specific times to read emails rather than responding to each and every notification, allowing it to interrupt concentrated spells of work
Create VIP notifications for people whose emails you shouldn’t miss
Keep your email messages short and responses will often mimic your brevity
Don’t have dozens of email files – keep your subjects broad. You can usually word-search to find what you happen to be looking for anyway
Pick up the phone – it’s more personal and will often solve the problem more quickly and definitively
We’ve found these email management tips particularly important in this new flexible and home-working world we’re in. Adding structure to your email management can add much needed structure to your whole day, keeping you on track and productive at home, in a co-working space or back in the office.
2. Do Your Own Review
Graham Allcott has taught employees at eBay and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation how to use their time more efficiently and is the author of How to be a Productivity Ninja. According to Graham...
Henry Ford once said: “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.” At least once a week, spend some time in “thinking mode” to review your second brain’s to-do lists and see the wood from the trees. Doing this for a concentrated couple of hours is a great investment – it will save you time, reduce your stress and generally make the rest of your week much easier.
If, like many people, you’re splitting your week between working from home and working in an office environment, blocking out time to think as you change your setting can act as a great refresher to clear your mind and get you set up ready for your new work space and the distractions that may come – either at home or a co-working space.
3. You Are What You Eat
Performance nutritional consultant Laurent Bannock says...
“If you eat rubbish, you’ll feel it. Make five minutes in the morning to prepare a healthy breakfast to take to work, such as a low-fat yoghurt with a tub of berries and seeds, rather than grabbing something on the way in. Prepare a lunch of smoked salmon and a bean salad that can be eaten cold too. If you don’t always have time for lunch, keep some high-energy snacks, such as almonds and apples or bananas and cheese chunks, handy. This should help you to avoid grazing on highly processed foods.”
This is especially important in the flexible post-covid working world. Spending more time at home can throw our eating schedules into chaos or sees us reaching for snacks we wouldn’t go for in the office. Staying hydrated and making sensible choices can keep your concentration and productivity up all day – if you’re working from 116 Pall Mall our all-day grazing station in the Carlton Room could be just what you need to hit those targets!
4. Get More Sleep
Norman Blissett is the CEO of consultancy firm Gallanach and a Fellow of the IoD. He says...
"It’s estimated sleep deprivation costs the UK £40bn and 200,000 lost working days. The biggest productivity gains can be made from those sleeping fewer than six hours a night getting a little more. Tired workers are less productive, take more time off and are less healthy. Employers can help through employee health and wellbeing programmes.”
As work-life balances blurred during lockdowns and the new flexible working style many organisations moved towards has settled in permanently, it can be tempting to check your emails late at night, or to feel as though you’re constantly staring at a screen, even in space at home that used to be associated with relaxing. Try to move away from all devices at least an hour or two before you plan to start winding down for bed (yes, even your phone!) to create a definite end to the work day and the start of personal, relaxation time.
If you’re back in the office, adjusting your monitor to remove the blue light can reduce headaches and stress and we get used to larger, brighter screens again. Speak to your HR and/or facilities department about reviewing your set up to make sure you’re comfortable and calm at work going forward.
5. Delegation
David Allen is the author of productivity bible Getting Things Done. He writes...
“Often, it’s important to realise that you can’t delegate the whole outcome – if you’re responsible for improving your company’s credit line, you’re accountable for that – but the next step [down] could be delegated… Clearly defining roles and accountability in your business makes it easier to see which elements of your project list could be handed off, and it becomes an easier conversation once people understand what’s really on their plate.”
Checking in with your colleagues, teammates and direct reports is crucial to understanding not only what people can take on in terms of their workload, but also to fully utilise their skill-sets. So many of us have picked up knowledge and skills on a variety of topics, platforms and projects over the last few years, so doing an informal audit of this within your teams can make sure you’re bringing your best selves to work each day. What you might see as delegation, a team member might see as a step up, so be sure to communicate openly and honestly with those around you in regard to what they can – and want! – to get involved with.
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