(BPT) – Sponsored by Office Depot
Did you know that, according to recent findings published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the length of the average workday has actually increased by 48.5 minutes?
If your workday is lasting longer, maybe it’s time to look at how your space — and everything in it — is organized. Do you waste time hunting for things? Are you moving stuff around to cope with clutter?
With companies extending their work-from-home policies into the foreseeable future or moving to hybrid models, now’s a great opportunity to examine how your home office is currently organized and reflect on whether your current system or structure is working for you, your lifestyle and your work ethic. After all, an organized area can have a positive effect on your productivity and efficiency, and may even enhance your mood and disposition, to help you accomplish more throughout the workday.
To help optimize your workspace, ask yourself these questions:
1. When do you need it?
Supplies and other daily work essentials you need most frequently should be highly visible and easily accessible. Review what’s near your workstation. Do you use everything in arm’s reach every day? If so, keep it there and organize by category. If not, place it elsewhere.
- For items you use throughout the day, keep them well organized so you know just where to find them. Use drawer sorters to help organize drawers better. For desks/tables without drawers, a cart with wheels is a great workaround.
- Use transparent bins or containers, and affix clear labels in bright colors so you know where everything is.
- A bookshelf nearby can hold labeled trays for items you like to have handy.
- For documents you need to store but infrequently access, a filing cabinet, labeled banker’s boxes or bins can be kept in a closet or even another room.
Office Depot has organization supplies and office storage solutions to help remote workers organize and optimize workspaces, including file cabinets, book cases, boxes, folders and more.
2. Where do you need it?
Consider how conveniently everything is placed. Are you keeping items near their closest point of use? For example, it makes sense to store computer paper and replacement ink cartridges close to your printer. If you don’t have shelf space for nearby placement, a rolling cart of bins or trays works well.
3. Do you need it at all?
Once you start sorting, you may notice papers that are gathering dust. Unless they’re required records that need to be stored, or if they only need to be stored for a limited time, consider a paper shredder to safely dispose of documents. If you’re a business owner, consider a shredding service to make the job easier.
4. How is your time organized?
Time management is essential for staying on task and working smarter, not harder. While many rely on digital calendars, there are advantages to keeping a large paper calendar or a planner. A large visual reminder of due dates and project deadlines can help keep you on task, and being able to jot notes during meetings or calls can help you capture pertinent details on the spot.
Putting it all together
As everyone continues to work in new ways and in new places, consider maintaining an organized environment, cutting down clutter and streamlining supplies as a top priority — you may even find that your office area turns into a more enjoyable, relaxing and productive space. Office Depot offers a wide assortment of storage and organization solutions with fast, easy fulfillment options including free 1-hour store pickup and contactless curbside pickup at most Office Depot and OfficeMax stores, same-day delivery and next-business day delivery on qualifying orders.
To learn more about how Office Depot can help businesses empower their remote workforce with the tools and technology to help stay productive, visit officedepot.com or business.officedepot.com.