Benefits of Being Organised at Work

Not everyone has great organisational skills so if you’re a bit of a procrastinator and put off those niggling tasks, things can start to get out of hand. But it’s not just your workspace that suffers, being disorganised can impact many areas of your life. Perhaps you can’t find an important piece of work, which inevitably makes you late for a meeting or you miss a vital deadline. The moment something doesn’t go to plan, everything else can spiral out of control and over time, continuous mishaps can cause stress and anxiety.

The importance of being organised

As well as causing unwanted disruptions, a lack of organisation can play havoc with your mental and physical wellbeing. You may feel like you’re constantly rushing around which can increase your blood pressure, or maybe it’s creating tension among work colleagues which is affecting your sleep. There are many benefits of being organised:

• Increased productivity as you spend less time searching for things.
• Better communication and work relationships.
• Reduced stress levels and anxiety.
• Improved punctuality.
• You don’t miss deadlines.

Ways to become more organised

If you’re not sure where to start, there are a few simple steps you can take to being more organised:

1. De-clutter your workspace

An untidy workspace can cause frustration and stress, especially when time is of the essence and you’re unable to find what you’re looking for. Start by clearing out any paper, documents or to-do lists that you no longer need. Remove any waste or dirty cups and dishes and give the area a good clean. When you’re working in a tidy and clean space, you’ll feel some of that stress start to wash away. In a study published by Princeton University Neuroscience Institute, it was also found that the chaos of clutter prevents you from focusing, meaning you’re less able to process information properly.

2. Organise online files

If you work with computers, it’s easy for unnecessary files and emails to build up. Not only will this slow down your computer, but it also means you’ll spend more time trying to locate a specific document. When your files are organised, you will find what you need more quickly, saving you time and stress.

3. Create shared drives

When working with colleagues or management who need to regularly access files that you’re working on, creating a shared drive reduces the time it takes to send emails back and forth. It also means that everyone can work more autonomously with fewer distractions.

4. Update your calendar

When we’re busy or stressed, it’s all to easy to forget or miss important meetings. Although you might feel as though you don’t have time to keep adding things to your calendar, in the long run it can save you a lot of stress as you’re less likely to be late or completely forget an appointment. And don’t forget to set automatic reminders just in case you forget to check your calendar!

6. Sync your devices

It’s not uncommon for people these days to use many different devices at work and home, but by making sure they’re all synced together, you’re more likely to keep on top of emails and appointments.

Further information

If you feel you're a bit of a procrastinator, read our FREE booklet, "Understanding And Beating Procrastination - A Workbook And Guide" 

The power of loving your job

As we spend the majority of our week at work, it’s hugely important that we love what we do as well as the environment we work in. It goes without saying that we’ll have the occasional bad day at work but when the occasional bad days become more frequent, it can have negative implications. The awful Sunday anxiety, lack of motivation and stressful workloads will eventually take an emotional toll on your wellbeing. When employees are unhappy at work it can also have a knock-on effect on colleagues and management, creating a toxic environment and relationships.

Why it’s important to love your job

Not only will a happy work life reduce stress and anxiety in the workplace, but it will also mean a happier personal life. When you love your job, you’ll approach work with a positive mindset that will help you achieve your goals and become more successful. You’ll also be better equipped to overcome any challenges along the way. Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, believes that when you enjoy your job, you’ll have better focus and more creative ideas. Your passion and focus provide you with the fuel needed to succeed. When you do find a job that you love, you will benefit in many ways:

• Increased productivity and motivation
• Better mental and physical wellbeing
• Improved quality of work
• Stronger working and personal relationships
• Happier home life
• Increased self-confidence
• More energy 

And, of course, the company you work for will also reap benefits such as:

• Higher retention rates
• Increased productivity
• Happier work environment
• Better communication between colleagues and managers

How to fall in love with your job again

If you’ve been working within the same company for a long time, it’s likely you’ve lost your passion for what you once loved doing. But there are steps you can take to fall in love with your job all over again.

• Break up more monotonous tasks with the ones that you enjoy doing.
• Take regular breaks and drink plenty of water to help you feel motivated and energised.
• Reward yourself when you’ve accomplished something you’re proud of or do something to celebrate.
• Take up relaxation exercises such as meditation, yoga or mindfulness that can reduce stress and help you to stay calm.
• Speak to your manager if you need support and ask if you can do any other tasks that you prefer.
• Set goals that will inspire you and make a list of things that you’d like to improve.
• Create a positive workspace whether that’s bringing in a plant, putting your favourite photos on your desk or listening to uplifting music.
• Remind yourself of what you used to love about your job and make a list of all the benefits. When you start to focus on the more positive aspects, perhaps you’ll realise how much you do enjoy it after all.

Ways to Reduce Absenteeism at Work

In any company, a certain amount of absenteeism is to be expected, owing to illness and occasional unforeseen events and emergencies. However, when staff aren’t turning up for work on a more regular basis, it can become a cause for concern, not only for the company but also for other employees. According to the World Health Organisation, the average number of sick days per employee, per year in the UK is 4.4 days.

What are the main causes of absenteeism?

There’s a whole host of reasons why employees might fail to show up for work, from illness to family matters. Some of the main causes of absenteeism are:

• Minor illness
• Mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and depression
• Family issues or a bereavement
• Paternity/maternity leave
• Workplace bullying or issues with work colleagues
• Serious illness or long-term illness
• Unforeseen travel incidents such as traffic delays, bad weather or road accidents

As well as financially impacting the company, absenteeism can also have a negative effect on productivity, motivation levels and the overall culture of the business, as colleagues may need to take on extra workloads.

How to reduce absenteeism

In many cases it’s difficult to control the causes of absenteeism but there are some instances where management can help to reduce the number of absences by taking the following actions:

Improve employee engagement and motivation

By introducing wellbeing programmes into the business for personal development, organising social events inside and outside of the workplace, and ensuring the working environment is positive and inspiring, businesses can increase morale and staff engagement, which can lead to fewer sick days and a happier and healthier workforce.

Offer more flexibility

Flexible working hours and home-working opportunities can be of great benefit to parents with young children or employees who are caring for a relative, meaning they can enjoy a better work-life balance that will reduce any additional stress or anxiety.

Show concern for employees

It might seem like a trivial action but by reaching out to employees who are struggling with their mental or physical health or other personal issues, you can really make a difference. It’s important to talk regularly on a one-to-one basis to understand how the company can support them and make their role easier and more manageable.

Reward attendance

When employees are recognised and rewarded for good attendance, it not only keeps them motivated but it also incentivises others with a high level of absenteeism to improve their attendance. Perhaps organise an annual bonus, allow staff to finish work early for a day or present them with a gift.

Have procedures in place

It is common practice for management to conduct a return-to-work interview once an employee starts back at work after being absent. This is a great opportunity to discuss any significant issues with an employee and to also create a strategy for improving their attendance.