Getting Organized –  tips for effectiveness

My office was in disorder. What can I do?

It being in this state was causing me to procrastinate. A clean room allows a person to better concentrate. I had to do something great. So I would not hand things in late. I didn’t want to be relegated to fate. So I had to start with a clean slate. (and desk for that matter)

Ever wonder where the quote of “cleanliness is next to godliness.”

In Mesilat Yesharim  / the Path of the Righteous – Rabbi Moshe Haim Luzatto teaches the path of how to achieve “cleanliness is next to godliness.” Here is the quote:

When i go to study in the Beit Midrash / House of study – the first thing I try to do is to clean and clear the desk. This way i can concentrate better.

Here are some tips to run a cleaner office or home.

One-time rule

Encountering things you don’t need constantly? Use the one time rule – deal with it and file it away or discard it.

Remove everything rule.

Decide on a corner or area to clean. Remove everything from one corner put it in a box and then put the things you need back. it’s easier than deciding whether to keep or throw away everything when everything is on your desk.

Remove distractions

Put a cap on internet, email, whatsapp, face book etc.

Get an online Dropbox account

Dropbox allows your files to be synchronized on all your computers, phone and/or tablets. it saves time from you updating every file every time.

Connect or un-connect

Should you have an attached (with cable) mouse or keyboard or unattached (bluetooth). it depends. are you someone who tends to lose things. it is better to have a cable. or several mice (in case one is lost)

Use things for their purpose.

I have a filing cabinet. For many years i used it to store tools. Then I figured it out. Perhaps it is better to use it to file folders. I had much paper lying around. I filed them away and made things less cluttered.

Don’t fall back into messiness

Make procedures that your clean desk does not become a mess again. Each thing should have its place. also clean desk once a day or week.

Electric notes.

Tons of little paper notes? File them on a note system – like Evernote or another cloud note system

Light.

Light can make you more efficient. One because you become more cheerful. Secondly you see things better. Add light to a room or desk.

Bigger monitor.

Get a bigger monitor if you work on a computer. You use a laptop? Get a monitor to attach it to when you are at home office or work.

Frequency of access

A common sense rule is – what you need frequently keep close and easily accessible. That you use infrequently can be put away farther.

Get shelves and plastic storage boxes – label each box

Delegate
Delegate to others the task of filing papers

Once you determined the categories of your files by putting initial clean-up files in your filing cabinet.

Label it

It is good to have a quick label printer to label things quickly. Make address labels or label folders or places where you put things. You might want to purchase a dymo 450 turbo label printer.

Definitely Keep – Definitely Throw – Definitely Give

Once you put everything in your drop box – take out the things that you definitely want to keep, throw or give. Make those three piles.

There will be little stuff left. Small things put in a ziplock bag to deal with later

Put ideas and other random notes on notepad program

Type them there – it might be easier to copy and paste to other programs afterward than to be distracted by other features of programs.