How do you stay organized at work?

xyrius

Hi All,

I was just curious how different people stay organized at work.  Personally, I am truly unorganized, and looking for a solution.  I have a combination of post-it notes, wall calendar, and I've tried a few different online and offline software programs... all to no avail.  Mostly - I just rely on my brain (I know X is due by date Y every month, so I do it).  What system works for you?

I need a way to track:

Recurring tasks
Recurring projects (multiple tasks make up a project)
Day to day minor tasks
Bigger, more complex issues that need to be tackled at some point - just not sure when
Also a way to sort these tasks by categories would be great (or company)

Some background, I do the bookkeeping for 3 companies, and our busy season is starting again.  I'm finding myself a bit overwhelmed, and need to find a better solution.

Denise91980

Do have Microsoft Outlook for your work e-mail? I find it easier to put appointments and meetings on that so my computer constantly reminds me. Also keeping phone numbers and stuff like that on Excel spreadsheets typically helps me better. I am quite disorganized, but these help a little for me anyway.

xyrius

I do have outlook e-mail, never really played with the task list in there.

I need some sort of recurring functionality - because a lot of my tasks repeat (i.e. tax payments) and I hate typing it out over and over.  I'll have to check if outlook has that.

I don't have too many appointments or customer interaction with my job (thank God, I'm really not a people person).  lol

eta:  Thank you for the suggestion! 

RailWayWife

I have a day planner that I write EVERYTHING in. I love it.

shaydenise

I create recurring "appointments" for specific tasks.  For example, I send a newsletter out every Friday.  So I have a standing "appointment" in my calendar at noon on Fridays to remember to send the newsletter.  I also have a huge dry erase board next to my desk that I write notes on.

Plus my work email synchs to my iphone and now ipad, so my work calendar is with me all the time.

xyrius

So you all use the calendar for tasks as well, not just appointments?

I notice outlook has a "tasks" function as well (I'm using Outlook 2010). 

What do you do when a task is completed, do you just delete it?

I really like the idea of colour coding.

Railwaywife, I was really tempted to get an agenda, but it's hard to sort tasks when everything is handwritten.

LP11509

I tried online programs at my old job too.  But honestly, I found that what works best for me was a file drawer, a 3 subject notebook and a schedule/appointment book.

I put all of my meetings in my appointment book, along with important due dates.  The notebook I had divided into 3 to-do lists:  A daily one, a weekly one and a monthly one.  I checked each list every morning to prioritize what I needed to do that day and cross-checked the weekly/monthly lists with the due date in my appointment book to make sure I was on track.  I updated each list before leaving for the day.

Having a file drawer with labels helped me stay organized.  It was hard to get over the habit of just piling things on my desk.  But once I started forcing myself to put everything back in the appropriate file when I was done with it, it became second nature.  And I felt so much better because I didn't have to look at the piles all day long. (this was for non-confidential stuff only, since all of the confidential information was locked in the file room of course). 

If you think about it, a notebook is really the same as post it notes, except harder to lose.  You just have to get into the habit of looking at the notebook everyday instead of searching the wall for post-its.  

Also, this may not apply to you, but I had an excel sheet with a tab for each of my clients.  Each tab had a list of important contact people for that client (family members, doctors, probation officers, lawyers, etc).  I also used it to keep track of who I had an ROI for and who I didn't so that if someone called, I wouldn't have to go run and check the file room to see if I had one every time. I also had another excel sheet with phone numbers for places like Social Security, local hospitals, Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid/food stamps, homeless shelters, etc.  

xyrius

Thank you LP.  I really like your idea of the notebook with daily, weekly, monthly.

I think I could use a combination of notebook - like you suggested, and instead of a hardcopy agenda, I could use Outlook - and figure out how to sync it to my iPad.

LP - you also touched on another problem I have, with paperwork.  My desktop (real desk) is a disaster area.  I like the idea of filing my to-do items, maybe I'll have separate files for daily, weekly, monthly as well.

This has been really, really helpful guys!!  Thank you!!

LP11509

Happy to help! That hardest part is forming new habits to STAY organized.  But once you get into a good routine, it'll be like second nature and you'll feel so much better

J&K10910

Mine's probably a little different than yours given the nature of my work, but...

I have a planner that has 15 minute time slots through every day.  It also has a spot for notes on each week.  It has a monthly calendar as well.  I write all my appointments, drive time, meetings, paperwork time, etc on the daily part by 15 minute chunk.  I also keep track of my tentative hours there so I can make sure I'm meeting quota.  I use the space for notes for a list of weekly tasks or immediate things I need to do that week. 

I use the monthly part to keep track of my upcoming, recurring projects, like treatment plan reviews (every three months), updated assessments (every 6), and anything else. 

Anything I want to make sure I have with me and make sure I see, I stick via post it note on top of the day it needs to be done/I need to see it.  I set alarms via my email or phone if I need to.

xyrius

Hi Edie! 

LP - I think it'll stick this time, I'm tired of feeling so stressed due to disorganization.  It's all self-inflicted really.

ronik77

xyrius

We made a list of the reoccuring tasks in excel that we print each monday and then made the Mon-Fri across the top. Then you can "blackout" the days that task is not required and as you look down the list for say Tuesday you see I need this, this and this and you can physically check it off. I like everyone else also rely heavly on outlook since I can print the calendars out and have them in my hand. That helps me check off new non-daily items that come up and I can write my one off's that come up on it as well.

cheeseandrice

Our school uses Google now, so everything is on there between my emails and calendar. There's also a task option that syncs between email and calendar. Like others, I make 'appointments' (or 'events' in Google) for random tasks/reminders too. Then I can look at my phone in the morning and be reminded of everything I need to do.

I personally LOVE the color-coding option, too,and it carries over to my email labels as well. (So all tech-related stuff- meetings and emails- are labeled blue, for example.)

xyrius

Thank you for the add'l suggestions!

I was using google calendar for a while, but only the calendar - so if I didn't do a task that day/week/etc - it wouldn't carry forward unless I manually did it.  I did however like the online, recurring functionality of it.

Steph - I had no clue there was a task part of google calendar, but I can see that now.  It might be something to look into.  If the notebook/outlook thing doesn't work for me I'll probably be going back to google calendar.