Professional Organizers in Hawaii

Today’s question was posed by Michael Yoshino, a busy Realtor Associate with Coldwell Banker.

QUESTION:

As for organizing, I guess my biggest challenge is just getting started. My office is a mess and I just get caught up in my daily activities. Any tips?

ANSWER:

For busy working professionals, the messy office is a common struggle. Very often, two things impede the organization process:

1. It seems like such a huge job that it’s overwhelming, and

2. They don’t know where to begin (as in your case).

Unlike making a sale or earning a commission, organizing doesn’t provide an immediate monetary benefit, so it can be less inspiring to address. That being said, a disorganized space is like a house built on sand; without the solid foundation, things fall through the cracks and productivity (and profitability!) suffers.

Here are three ways to create a “house” (office space) built on solid rock! Productivity will soar and your clients, your profit margins, and your personal wellbeing will all benefit.

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1. Determine your area of greatest pain…is it your messy desktop, the piles of papers that need to be filed, your email inbox? When attacking an organizational challenge, it can be good to face that first as the psychological benefits are enormous!

2. Determine your personal “peak” time of day and schedule regular organizing sessions into your calendar during that time. Whether you’re a morning person or night owl, address your organizing project during that time, when you are at your highest energy and mental clarity. Right after lunch, for example, is often a low productivity time for many people and would not be the best time to address a seemingly daunting task.

3. Work on the project for a pre-established amount of time. I often do 25 minute segments based upon the popular time management technique, The Pomodoro Technique. Set your phone timer or alarm for 25 minutes and get after it!

Bar all distractions during that time…no phone calls, emails, conversations with colleagues. Focus is key. If the project is totally overwhelming and the prospect of 25 minutes at once is more than you can take, start out doing 7 minute segments.

The amount of time is not important…this is just a vehicle for getting you started. Often you end up working longer than the established amount of time because you are inspired once you get going!

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Organization is about maintenance and that’s the main area where people fall short. While an awesome organization session can bring about a clear desk and an organized space, the area quickly reverts back to chaos unless maintenance work is built into your daily routine. But organization is the solid rock foundation to mind-blowing productivity and profitability. By just asking the question, you’re already off to a great start!