For a person that used to be hopelessly disorganized, I have learned a great deal. I like to share my experiences and tips so that you too can manage your work easier and faster and get better organized. Here is part 2 of my tips for organizing your work: 

Somehow it is interesting that the same issues come up again and again when the topic of work organisation arises in my coaching sessions. My suspicion: We humans are genetically not programmed for the modern work environment. But what can you do, today we work mostly like this: many tasks, lots of interruptions and an ever increasing complexity. Fortunately, there are a few rules – sometimes easier, sometimes more difficult to implement, but they help you to get through it anyway: 

1. Unloved tasks first
   Of course there are tasks you prefer to do and others you would rather not start at all, right? And the unloved ones you – like most people – will probably put off forever.My tip: Do it the other way round. Take a few ” lousy” tasks and complete them in the first hour of the day. For the rest of the day, you won’t have to worry about them anymore. If you do this consistently every day, you will achieve more, have a clear conscience and are able to concentrate on nicer things for most of the day.
2. Check e-mails only once in a while
   I know this only too well, especially when I am working on boring tasks, I check my e-mails or whatsapps all the time. The hope is that something exciting will come in, but this rarely happens. Moreover, this bad habit steals an infinite amount of time from me, because of course I still answer the boring mails that have arrived directly.It’s best to close your e-mail program for most of the day and open it only once or twice a day. An exception is, of course, if your job is to handle incoming mails, for example with trouble reports, as quickly as possible.I notice that I get a lot done in the morning when I start working and then check my mails for the first time around eleven. Until then from experience, nothing dramatic has happened. If my clients are in a hurry, they are more likely to call or write a text message anyway.
3. Don’t do the work of others
   A final topic that I’ve come across mainly through my coaching sessions is that many people take on work that they don’t necessarily have to do. A classic example: The back office does not write the offers carefully enough, so I do it myself. Others do far too much for their customers without them even appreciating it.Of course you can do that from time to time. But then, first of all, it must be perfectly clear to the other person that this is an exception. And secondly, you have to find ways to make them do it themselves in the future. Usually this requires some “educational work”. The path of least resistance is certainly not an option. But with a little persistence and clear boundaries, you will certainly manage to keep other people’ work off your back in the future.I think I’ll write my own blog post about this. Please write in the comments if you are interested in this topic.  

If you haven’t read part 1 of the tips on work organisation yet, you can do so right here.