How to Organize Your Office and Boost Your Productivity

One of the biggest challenges professionals face in keeping their offices organized is the ongoing, onslaught of paper, says Delap. Despite e-mail, iPads and electronic services like online bill payment, “Paper is coming at them so fast; they don’t have time to deal with it.”

That’s why Delap recommends having a space for “unprocessed paper,” where you can keep bills, receipts, memos, etc. that you can’t immediately address. This space could be a bin at the corner of your desk, says Delap. Of course, you’ll have to deal with that paper eventually. The next slide explains how to stay on top of it.

This desk is so cluttered that there isn’t a place for its owner to work aside from in front of the laptop. Having a neat desk top with space where you can work aside from in front of your computer helps you think clearly, says Delap, so always keep a portion of your desk clutter-free. She says a blotter can serve as a boundary marking the space on your desk where you read or write. Vertical and incline sorters can prevent paper and files from piling across your desk. Delap also recommends minimizing the number of knick-knacks and picture frames you keep on your desk. Any more than two or three and they take over, she says.