An excellent way to stay organized when working from home is to create an office space in a room that you already use. Do remember that there are some things you need to always keep close by, such as paperwork, your computer, and the internet so you can conduct business from your own home office. Sometimes it even helps to have a set time each day for work hours or for sleep.
1. Put away personal belongings
Include your laptop, workstation, and desk in the home office. These are all items that most folks need to stay paperless and make the transition from working from a coffee shop or local library easy. Put everything away neatly and make sure it’s not visible from the front room.
2. Keep your computer and audio equipment on top of the bookcase or other storage unit
Use an open shelf to place your computer, printer, scanner, laser printer, VCRs or other equipment you use in your daily work life. If there is not enough room for this unit close enough to be usable, then find an unused storage space for it instead (such as a closet).
3. Install a cat tree where you can keep books, papers and other supplies
This also allows you to have a drink nearby without it being in plain sight. A cat tree also doubles as a nice place for cats to lounge around and this creates an opportunity to make friends with your neighbors.
4. Keep your desk tidy at all times
If you can separate work related items from those that are personal, this will help tremendously with the re-organization process. When returning home from work, try not to leave anything on top of your desk that is not meant for there – including vacuums or your laptop – it will clog up space quickly.
5. Plan out your work week in advance
This is the key to staying organized and on top of things. Ideally, you will allot yourself one day each week to complete all of your tasks. Leave yourself a little leeway when it comes to tasks if you are pressed for time, but be sure to not let things go too long without being completed or action plans will be in disarray.
6. Use clipboards for meeting notes
Save time by taking notes on the spot where you need them instead of typing them up later. Try not to leave yourself too much time for a meeting – just enough so that the notes can be incorporated into your day’s activities.
Your work will not suffer even if you have to work from home. There are many things you can do to improve your overall productivity and keeping organized is an important one. Use these tips to get started and remember that some of the best ideas come when you are away from the office, so take a break every now and then.