Take a look at your desk….  Is it helping or hindering your ability to have the most productive day possible?  Do you waste time searching for those submittals from last week that the contractor is asking about on the phone, as you are frantically searching under shop drawings and through piles of mail?  Basic organization at work is essential to maximum productivity.  At times, even the most Type A person can get a bit disorderly throughout the day, but following these 5 tips can help you get organized and stay organized, so that your productivity can remain top notch throughout the week:

1. Start with a deep clean.  Take everything off of your desktop area and start fresh.  Clean, dust and sanitize your work environment.  Then, design a quick setup of your computer and most used office supplies, so that you have them at your fingertips throughout the day.  Separate all paperwork into 3 piles: trash, items that need to be filed, and items that require action.
2. Create a box system that works for you.  You may only need an incoming and outgoing mail box, or you may need additional box trays for items on hold, a designated area for shop drawings, or current project files that need to be within reach.  Set up specific areas for each type of incoming paper, and keep up with proper redistribution of these materials as they come into your office.  Filter all of the paperwork you removed from your desk into these new designated box trays or areas.
3. Minimize personal items in your office, especially items that occupy valuable desk space.  Consider moving pictures to hang on the wall rather than sit on your desk, and eliminate any items that have collected dust, as they clearly are not everyday essentials.
4. Keep current projects in a separate file drawer close to your desk and archive projects that are complete.  Keep large scale drawings rolled and standing vertically in a box, if possible, to free up desk space.
5. Schedule time each week to maintain organization.  The time it takes to keep organized is less than the time wasted from being unorganized!  Before leaving for the day or weekend, be sure to clean up and distribute paperwork as needed, so you can start each day with a focus on maximum productivity.