Whether it’s to find a new job or boost productivity in your current position, getting organized can save you time. Since time is money, investing in better organization can put more money in your pocket.

The Ancient Greek maxim ‘Know Thyself’ applies to many situations, especially when it comes to getting organized. Begin the organizational process by thinking about your productivity shortcomings. Are there times of the day when you are less productive?  Do you take a long time with some tasks, but can rip through others like a hot knife through butter?

Conducting this quick self-assessment will put you in the right mindset to execute your organizational strategy.

Visualize Your Process and Responsibilities

Begin by listing all tasks that need to be accomplished. Then, take each task and associate a reasonable length of time it will take to get it done. Consider if getting one task done will help or hinder the completion of another.

Categorize and Prioritize Your Tasks

After laying out the tasks, their completion times and other details – categorize the tasks into groups that could either get done sequentially or simultaneously. Organizing in this way keeps you from jumping between disparate categories of tasks. For example, if you’re making chicken soup it’s probably best to chop up all your vegetables before cooking the chicken. Unless you think you can get both done at the same time.

Finally, prioritize your tasks in order of importance or impending deadline. If something is due ASAP it gets top priority. If you have a major project due for a very important client that should get attention before projects for less active clients.

Leverage Automation and Other Tech Solutions

Software developers have created countless applications for helping with all kinds of mundane duties.  Some of these applications have automation features that can exponentially boost your personal productivity.

For example, if one of your tasks involves a routine, repetitious calculation look into an automated program or spreadsheet solution that can save seconds. This ultimately translates into minutes, even hours saved.

Track Your Time Spent

When experimenting with new methods, apps or software – track your time for each task to see if you are indeed increasing your efficiency. Determine which methods,– if any, are working and assess ways to improve efficiency for tasks that seem to be overly time consuming.

Follow Though Until Goals are Reached

All the organization in the world is meaningless if you don’t follow through until tasks are accomplished. Avoid getting sidetracked with extraneous duties, which might mean saying ‘no’ to colleagues seeking help.

Once you’ve perfected your organizational routine and follow-though, ritualize these elements until they become a permanent part of your workflow.

At Long Island Temps we understand that organization equals more time and money. Feel free to contact us if you need advice on how to streamline your job search or the workflow associated with your current position.