The way your office is organized can affect your productivity.  You can take time to schedule your days, but if you can’t find what you need to accomplish tasks, you’re wasting time.  Take this test to figure out where you need help.

1.  Do you spend time looking for lost items every day?
2.  Are your files overflowing with papers you haven’t seen since you’ve filed them?
3.  Do you use more than one calendar?
4.  Is your desk covered with little scraps of paper?
5.  Do you have stacks of magazines older than six months in your office?
6.  Do you use a to-do list?
7.  Do you keep papers and other stuff you never use?
8.  Is your workspace free of stacks of paper?

Answers

Question 1
Yes = 1      No = 0
Store similar items together.  Keep your office supplies in one place and your reference materials in another.  When you need something, there should be only one place to look for it.

Question 2
Yes = 1      No = 0
Go through your files at least once every six months.  Purge the papers you don’t need.  Ask yourself if you’ll ever refer to that paper again, if you could replace that paper if you tossed it and whether you’d jeopardize your business if you tossed that paper. If you answered “no, yes and no” respectively, ditch (recycle) the paper.

Question 3
Yes = 1      No = 0
Use only one calendar—it’s better if you can take it with you. When you use more than one calendar, you run the risk of overbooking or missing appointments.

Question 4
Yes = 1      No = 0
Avoid writing tasks to do, notes from conversations with clients and phone numbers on scraps of paper. Instead use a computer program, your handheld or a paper-based planner to keep all of your information in one place.

Question 5
Yes = 1      No = 0
As your stacks of magazines grow, your guilt level rises in proportion, right? Keep only one year’s worth of magazines and before you renew any subscriptions, decide if you’re getting any value from each magazine. And consider switching to online subscriptions.

Question 6
Yes = 0      No = 1
A to-do list keeps you on track and focused on important tasks.
When you take the time to list your tasks to do, you’ll save time in the long run.

Question 7
Yes = 1      No = 0
It’s natural to want to hold onto something because you “may need it someday.”  What usually happens is that when you need it, you either can’t find it or you forget that you own it.  Limit what you keep to what you’ll use again.

Question 8
Yes = 0      No = 1
The only papers you should have on your desk are the ones you’re working on.  Anything else should be stored in files or a stacking bin until you’re ready to handle them. Before you file a piece of paper that you’ll work on soon, record on your to-do list, any action you need to take.

Rate Your Organizing Skills

If you scored more than 4 points, it’s time to get organized.  Start by blocking out 3 to 4 hours to organize your office and don’t take any calls during that time.  Schedule other times to get organized and eventually your entire office will be under control.

If you scored 2-3 points, you could improve your level of organization.  Start with one area of your home office, and then move on to another.

If you scored 1 point, you don’t need to drastically change what you’re doing.  Instead, fine-tune your organizing skills.

How did you do on the quiz?