As an accountant, lawyer or consultants, how can you make the best out of your time? Here are 8 productivity hacks that you can use to your best.
Productivity Hacks for Better Time Management
With accountants, lawyers, and consultants having so much to do in what forever seems like so little time, it’s no wonder that they are always looking for ways to be more productive. What many don’t look at, however, is how their environment can affect their productivity. One of the key ways to increase productivity is to organise and de-clutter your office space, so here are 8 productivity hacks to do just that.
Set aside enough time to organise properly
The first in the list of these productivity hacks is to set aside time for organisation. When you organise a drawer here or some files there, it can feel like the clutter is never-ending. However, if you set aside ample time to plough through it all in one fell swoop, however, you will save yourself a lot of time and stress in the long run. Not to mention an immediate increase in focus and productivity!
Aim for minimalism
A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind so the less clutter that you have hanging around your office, the better. Aim for minimalism when you organise, starting with removing any unnecessary objects and rehoming them and keeping only the items that you use every day out in the open.
Clear then clean surfaces
Once you have only the essential and everyday items that you will keep out, clean all of your surfaces before putting them in their designated places. A clean slate is a powerful thing for the mind and it makes this space look a lot more open too.
Organise your desk with functionality in mind
While an empty desk may look inviting, it’s not practical. Instead, make function the goal of your organisation. What do you use every day? Keep only these items out in the open and stash the rest in a drawer. You’ll soon find that you’re more productive just from spending much less time rifling through drawers to find what you need.
Create a system to file paperwork
Even with a lot of systems becoming paperless such as invoicing, we can all still benefit from organising the paperwork that we do have before it swallows us whole and eats into our productivity. By organising your files into a simple system and actually using this system going forward, you won’t be wasting time with struggling to find papers again.
Prioritise sorting if it gets to be too much
If you have a lot of clutter or a lot of paperwork and you simply can’t do it all in one hit, prioritise. What needs to be done now and what can be left to do later? Once you have done the necessities, you can get back to work and start working productively. Just remember to set aside an afternoon or sometime soon after to finish the rest, otherwise, new clutter will start to build up.
Use your walls for motivation and inspiration
Sticky notes can make a desk look cluttered which increases stress and notes in a diary can be forgotten, so consider hanging up a whiteboard. On this, you can make a colour-coded to-do list and jot down important reminders without it distracting you when you’re trying to focus on the task at hand. What’s more, is that you can also highlight your favourite inspirational quote or your future goals. That way, every time you may need a boost, it will immediately make you feel more productive.
Make organising a part of your routine
It’s a waste of time sorting and organising if you are not going to maintain it, so make sure to use your new systems and keep on top of the building clutter regularly. The best way to do this is to make organising a regular part of your routine. Whether it’s 5-10 minutes at the end of each day or dedicating a block of time every week to a certain task (such as filing Friday), any effort you make to do this will have a big impact on your productivity.
Always de-clutter and organise your office space first
If, like many accountants, lawyers, and consultants, you’re looking for that magic solution that will boost your productivity, make sure to look at your environment first. It might just be affecting your focus and motivation in a negative way.
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