We all face some amount of stress in our lives. Some stress is caused by situations beyond our control, making it all the more important to do what we can to reduce stress in the circumstances we do control.
One thing within our control is our level of organization.
While on the face of it, organization may seem to have little to do with stress levels, a lack of organization will prove otherwise in a stressful situation.
If you’re under pressure to find an item in a stressful situation, imagine how much more stressed you will become when you cannot locate it.
As you shuffle through papers, folders and drawers, your frantic searching may cause further disorganization, setting the stage for a later repeat of the situation. If instead, you can quickly locate what you need when you need it, your stress levels will be lower than they might otherwise be.
Naturally, the first step is to do a thorough cleaning, eliminating clutter and organizing everything that is needed.
- Make sure you organize everything in a manner that makes sense for you, using a system you will remember and stick with.
- Once you get organized, stay organized.
- Each day, set aside a few minutes to get your work area back in order.
Ideally and when practical, follow a pattern where you handle each item only once. For example, when you get a new document or piece of mail, read it and then act on it, file it or recycle it. Eliminate the “I’ll do it later” items as much as possible. Too often, later never comes because of other more pressing needs. Additionally, you won’t suffer the stress of seeing a growing stack of “I’ll do it later” items sitting on your desk. You can better focus on the job at hand rather than being frustrated by the amount of work left to do.
Being better organized will not eliminate stress, but it can help keep it at reduced levels. Plus, it makes for a better and easier workplace, so there is no downside. Get organized and reap the benefits of increasing your productivity and reducing your stress level.
