How to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed?

You may have organized your life into neat little boxes. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, it might be time to think outside of the box. Organizing your time is the key to getting organized at work. In this article, I will share how to get organized at work when overwhelmed.

The secret to success in any endeavor, whether it’s running a business or raising children, is having an organized approach that you can stick with through thick and thin.

The first step is to decide how organized you want to be on a scale (1) to organized and clean (10).

A 10 means everything has its place, there are no piles or stacks of paper anywhere in the office, and all files are neatly stacked with labels on them.

A 1 means that papers are strewn about everywhere, and that critical deadlines are coming up, but they’ve been lost in piles on your desk for weeks now. You haven’t seen the inside of your filing cabinet since last year’s tax season!

If you’re an organized 1, that’s okay. You can make some simple changes to start getting organized at work, even if this is the first time you’ve ever thought about it. If someone organized your desk for you or organized your thoughts before they left and came back later, then congrats – You’re organized! No further action is required on your part.

Suppose you’re organized 2, 3 or 4. In that case, you can make some simple changes to your most organized self that will help you get organized at work even when overwhelmed and feeling like a disorganized mess.

If you’re organized 7-10, we applaud you! You’re organized, and you know how to stay organized. You just need a little help with staying organized when overwhelmed.

Steps for Getting Organized at Work When Overwhelmed

To get organized at work when overwhelmed, try these simple steps!

• Update your supplies
• Make a plan for a better future
• Clear off the desk (yes – even organizing must start somewhere!)

Create a Plan to Get Things in Order [ Org organized 1]

You’ve probably already started thinking about some things that might need to change if you want to get organized at work.

Write down anything that comes to mind from the first step above – whether it’s as glorious as “I need to shred all of my old files” to “I should probably get organized enough to have a filing cabinet.”

Put it all in one list!

Next, pick one or two items from your organized 1 list that you can start with today.

For example:

1) Shred Old Files (If You Don’t Need Them for Tax Records)

2) Clean Off the Desk

Steps to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed [Org organized 2]

While some people might want to make sweeping changes, such as throwing out most of their belongings and starting fresh after feeling overwhelmed, this isn’t necessary. The first step is getting organized at work when by clearing off the desk.

Cleaning your office is a crucial step in becoming organized and getting organized at work when overwhelmed. It’s also one of the most challenging steps to actually accomplish because it’s so daunting!

And once you’ve done that, you need to get organized at work by creating a filing system.

• Clear off the Desk
• Create a Filing System (whether it be physical or electronic)
• Update Supplies/Equipment/Furniture You Need for Your Office

Steps to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed [Org organized 3]

Most people find organization easier than cleaning, but if you’re super organized already, then this might help!

The first step is updating your supplies, which can be done with just a few clicks on the computer from home or during your lunch break at work.

– Update Supplies/Equipment/Furniture You Need for Your Office

Steps to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed [Org organized 4]

If you’re organized and need some new ideas, here are some suggestions! The first step in improving your organization, even if that means being organized about how you are organized. Nobody said it was simple! For example:

• Improve Your Inbox Organization (So It’s Easier to Find Important Emails)
• Create Labels for All File Folders (So You Can Find Them More Easily)
• Put Your Supplies in Alphabetical Order

Steps to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed [Org organized 7-10]

If you’re organized and need some new ideas, here are some suggestions! The first step in improving your organization, even if that means being organized about how you are organized. Nobody said it was simple!

For example:

• Improve Your Inbox Organization (So It’s Easier to Find Important Emails)
• Create Labels for All File Folders (So You Can Find Them More Easily)
• Put Your Supplies in Alphabetical Order

After you are organized and have a plan for when things get overwhelming and out of control again, you might want to take a step back and look at how organized you actually are.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when thinking about your level of organization.

• Is My Desk Clear?
• Do I Have All of the Supplies That I Need?
• Am I Organized in How I Store Documents? (For example – organized by topic in a file cabinet or organized alphabetically?)

If you find that there is still room for improvement, feel free to go back and use one of Org organized 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 steps on this list!

How to Get Organized at Work When Overwhelmed

1. Avoid multitasking

Multitasking can be a detriment to your productivity. Many people believe that by multitasking, they are getting more done, but research has shown otherwise.

Multitasking can actually make it more difficult for you to strategically plan your tasks. Even if you think you are good at doing two things at once, studies have shown that there is still an inevitable drop in the quality of work.

2. Don’t skip the planning process

While you are in your planning stages, brainstorm everything that needs to get done and how much time each task will need. Having an organized, strategic plan is what keeps you on track all day long.

It can be a beneficial tool to write down each step of the process to clarify everyone involved. This way, if there is ever a problem or question along the way, clarity will prevail.

3. Appointments over meetings

If possible, try not to have too many meetings unless necessary for moving forward and achieving big goals for your company.

Unless specific steps need to be discussed amongst a group, individual appointments tend to be more productive as there are fewer distractions.

4. Set goals and review them daily

Setting small, achievable goals is critical to helping you stay focused on what matters most. By reviewing your list every day, you will continually be reminded of your priorities for the day and find yourself pushing forward towards completion.

Meet with your supervisor/boss as often as possible to update them on your progress and go over any roadblocks preventing you from completing tasks.

5. Take breaks

Taking breaks between large tasks or feeling overwhelmed can help refocus yourself on the next task at hand.

Taking a break for 10-15 minutes can clarify whatever issue is at hand and refresh your brain so that you have better concentration and focus.

6. Make a routine out of it

Many successful people are organized not only at work but also in their daily lives. Having an organized morning routine that includes getting up, eating breakfast, exercising, and dressing for the day is key to keeping organized every step of the way throughout your day.

This includes working towards long-term goals as well as completing your daily tasks efficiently.

7. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

If you find that you are constantly overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities at hand, try asking one or two co-workers who have more free time than you to help complete any small or large projects

8. Get organized on weekends

Saturday can be a great time to get organized. Chores such as cleaning your desk, filing paperwork or balancing the company chequebook can be done on weekends.

By spending a little time during the weekend to plan for a productive week ahead, you won’t feel overwhelmed come Monday morning.

9. Keep organized folders on hand for everything that needs attention

The key to staying organized is orderliness. When you place your organized folders in places that you can easily access, it helps to stay organized.

Place the organized folders where they are easy to find when you need them by placing them in your desk drawer, under your desk, or on top of your desk.

This will help to save time when looking for organized folders because they will be in one central location for you to find easily.

10. Don’t pile up papers or put them into stacks

If you have many papers lying around your desk or organized in stacks, this can make it more difficult for you to find the one you need.

Piles of papers and stacks of organized papers will get in the way of your daily activities and distracting you from your work. Try piling organized papers into organized piles that are organized by type.

11. Keep organized folders for all projects

Organized folders are great for organizing and staying organized on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Make organized folders specific to the type of project you are working on (i.e. patents, meeting minutes, etc.). Then place each organized folder in an organized filing cabinet to stay organized at work.

12. Put items that need attention in labelled bins

Put papers that need your attention or action into labeled bins so they don’t clutter up your desk, giving you more space to work with and making them easy to find when you need them most.

Labeled bins can be purchased from any office supply store, giving you a way to organize your office supplies and have them easily

13. Plan your day ahead of time

There are a lot of productivity apps available to help you plan your day ahead of time. They can be a great way to stay organized by helping you prioritize tasks to get them done promptly.

These applications could be helpful if you’re overwhelmed because they will show you the tasks that need the most attention, even if someone else from management assigned them. It will help to reduce your stress level, and you get organized at work when overwhelmed.

14. Establish realistic goals

To stay organized, it is essential to establish realistic goals. One goal could be to complete the assigned tasks for that day while still having time for other important things in your life.

You could also set a goal for the week by completing the mandatory assignments and doing some of your personal tasks simultaneously.

It is essential to always have backup plans for everything, so you are organized no matter what happens. For example, you could make an organized folder for projects or organized bins for papers that need your attention or action.

These simple steps will help you stay organized at work when overwhelmed!

15. Focus on high-value activities first thing in the morning before distractions come up

One tip for staying organized at work is to focus on high-value activities first thing in the morning. Typically, people are more organized in the morning or early afternoon because they have 100% energy.

Later in the day, people get distracted by all of the tasks that need to be completed and may not complete them with 100% quality.

Focusing on your high-value activities first thing in the morning makes you more likely to accomplish all of these tasks successfully before distractions come up later in the day.

16. Delegation

One way to stay organized at work when overwhelmed is to delegate tasks. Delegating will allow you to save time because someone else will do the task for you!

When delegating tasks, it’s essential to know who can do the task best instead of just delegating the first person that comes into your head. This will also save time because you are not wasting your time by asking others to do a task that they can’t accomplish with 100% quality.

Conclusion

When you’re overwhelmed at work, it can be challenging to stay organized. However, many simple tricks will help you get organized at the office and make your life easier!

The most important tip is to focus on high-value activities the first morning before distractions come up later. Make it a productive day and get organized at work when overwhelmed!