5 Ways to Be More Organized Today

One way to reduce stress and anxiety related to your job is to become more organized and structured at work. This will help you be better prepared for the inevitable curve balls that come your way.

Implement these five tips to be more organized at work today.

Create a to-do list. But limit it to only three to five items. Be focused on tackling the most important tasks facing you today and avoid becoming distracted by tasks that seem urgent but ultimately do not contribute to the success of your project, career, or company.

And create your list in an e-version rather than hard copy so that you don’t add to the clutter around your work area. If you don’t want to use a simple Word document you can find many apps available to assist with setting your daily priorities.

Simplify your work space. Speaking of clutter, remove anything you don’t need from your desk or work area. Keep your space free of items (folders, files, papers, desk supplies, etc.) that are unnecessary to the work you’re doing. These items can make it difficult to concentrate or focus on the task at hand, or complicate finding some important notes you jotted down about the project you’re completing.

A clean, simple work space will assist you in directly your energies more fully to the important tasks you’ve identified.

Schedule time to organize. Set aside 15-20 minutes in your day to organize your work area, systematize files and folders, and remove or delete unnecessary files.

Ensuring that you schedule just a few minutes to organize each day will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed in the future.

Plan for tomorrow. Before you leave work take 10-15 minutes to evaluate your day, review your to-do list and set your priorities for the next day. This will enable you to relax and enjoy the evening better, and prevent you from the stress of thinking about what you need to get done.

Automate as much as possible. If there are ways to use apps, programs, or other tools to automate task associated with your work find a way to incorporate them into your work flow. This can free up time for the most important things you do in your work day and can ease stress levels.

Spend a few minutes today researching apps related to your job and you can yourself better equipped and more organized tomorrow.

4 Ways to Practice Self-Care in the Workplace

Let's face it. Our work lives can be quite stressful and take a toll on us, both emotionally and physically. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the urgency of it all and then fail to recognize what we're experiencing.

When our work situation takes us to the breaking point it is likely to impact our personal and home life, too, and so it's important to develop a practice of self-care in the office.

Consider the following four elements of a self-care plan and adjust them, as necessary, to your work situation.

Surround yourself with support. Unless you're the boss, you can't pick your team but you can choose the colleagues you grab lunch with, or meet up for a coffee break with, or hang out with after work. Build a supportive and encouraging group of colleagues around you to be a source of strength when things are tough and stressful at work. These colleagues can share an encouraging word around the coffee machine or crack the right joke to put things in perspective. Seek out positive people and you'll feel less stressed.

Create a healthy and encouraging work space. Put up some inspiring and motivational quotes t around your desk or on your computer. Always be surrounded by the encouraging wisdom of others you admire and respect. In addition, keep your work space organized and clean. Consider adding a plant to help clean the air and provide a little color. And put up some art by your favorite artist.

Take time to move. Schedule regular time in your day to get away from your desk or work area and take a walk. Adding some physical activity to your day can help refresh and re-energize you, and a comfortable walk allows you get away alone and come up with a new, creative approach to a problem you might be dealing with.

Recognize your successes and victories. Each day and every week brings some successes with it. Be sure to slow down enough to recognize those victories and acknowledge them. Write them down and allow yourself to enjoy even the small successes.

Applying these four practices to your regular work routine can help prevent the stressful times from overwhelming you and negatively impacting your satisfaction on the job and your enjoyment at home.

How to Get More Out of Your Work Environment

If you work in an office or a cubicle it can often feel like there is little you can do to enhance your work environment to support your productivity and enjoyment.

There are, however, several small steps that you can take to spruce up your work area to make it more effective for you. Try implementing a few of the following ideas and you might find yourself looking forward to coming in next Monday.

1. Add color to your work area. Many of us work in offices with white or off-white walls, or with dull colors that make one think of sleep. Color can energize and bring joy so find some opportunities to add color to your work station by putting up photos or posters with lots of color. Nature photographs work well and can help relax you during a particularly stressful day. You might also tape up swaths of wall paper or colorful wrapping paper to add a burst of color to your space.

2. Bring in the outdoors. A plant can do wonders to improve your mood while also improving the air quality in your work area. It can also, as mentioned above, contribute to stress relief. Add some flowers to the mix for some color and you might just find yourself working with a smile on your face.

3. Reduce and de-clutter. Some of us have too many things on our desks—papers, clips, rubber bands, folders, post-it notes—and by removing some of this clutter and being better organized we can be more productive, reduce distractions, and increase our satisfaction while at work.

4. Clean your work area. If your company doesn’t hire a cleaning staff to come in and wipe down your desk and clean your work area be sure to do this regularly. Schedule some time each week to wipe down your desk and filing cabinets. Eliminating dust build-up will keep you feeling healthy and energized.

5. Light it up. Many offices are poorly lit contributing to eye strain, headaches, and a depressed mood. Consider bringing in your own small lamp or light fixture to brighten up your work station.

6. Get motivated. A final suggestion is to post a motivational quote or two somewhere you’ll see it throughout your day. You might even supplement it with a photo of something or someone who motivates you—maybe a vacation spot you’re saving for, or your spouse and children. Find something that energizes and encourages you to do your job well.

4 Ways to Love Your Job

The start of the new year is a good time to get a new start at your job and this can be particularly important if you're finding it difficult to like your job. Job satisfaction is important to your health, your emotional well-being, and to your career success.

You can take steps to love your job and the following four ideas will get you headed in the right direction:

1. Personalize your work area. You might not be able to add new lighting to your workplace or change the color on the walls but you can take some small steps to make your work space more comfortable. Bring in a picture of someone you love, or a photo of your favorite vacation spot. Post an inspirational quote or some other line that inspires you. Bring in a small plant.

2. Take on your most difficult tasks first. You can enjoy your work more if you're able to get the work you least enjoy done first and can then move on to tasks or work you enjoy more. Of course, this is not always possible, depending on your job, but set this as a goal and you'll find yourself energized when you complete that despised task.

3. Spend time with co-workers you enjoy and develop friendships. Many people find that they enjoy the people they work with much more than they enjoy the work itself. Take the time to get to know your co-workers, have lunch with them and socialize outside of the job, and you'll find yourself looking forward to going to work in the morning.

4. Seek out a mentor at your work place. Having someone on your side, who has your best interests at heart, and can help you grow as an employee can help you enjoy your work more. A mentor does these things so seek one out. Today!

4 Keys to Work Productively from Home

Many companies now allow employees the flexibility to work from home at least part-time, or occasionally. In addition, many people leave the work force and start businesses from their homes.

So how does one stay productive and focused with the distraction of home?

Here are four keys to manage your work at home situation and to maximize your productivity:

1. Set aside a dedicated space. You'll want to have a space to work that is located in a comfortable part of your house or apartment, and that you can use every day you are working. It is distracting and unproductive to change work spaces every time you're at home. Set up a dedicated place for you to work and ensure that you have everything necessary to do your job within arms reach.

2. Disconnect. Turn off the TV and put your mobile phone on mute. If you like a little background music feel free to have the radio on but for many the radio will be another distraction. Check your phone at designated times but otherwise leave it alone so you can focus on the task at hand. Speaking of focus ...

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To be most productive you want to give 

your attention to one thing at a time.

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3. Focus on one thing. Get rid of the multi-tasking mindset. To be most productive you want to give your attention to one thing at a time. Set yourself up for 45-50 minutes of uninterrupted time to focus on tackling one specific task before moving on to something else.

4. Move around. It's important to your energy levels and to aid in creativity to move around. If you have stairs go up and down a few times. Or take a walk around the block. A good way to manage this it to schedule time (5-10 minutes) to move after each working session described above. You'll find yourself energized and focused to move on to the next task.