Maximize whatever space you have.
Winston
Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.” How
true, not just for buildings but for our offices as well.
Studies
have found that the physical space in which we work affects satisfaction,
productivity, and even learning. Yet few of us take time to strategize and
organize our workplaces or our homes. Business consulting is more than creating strategies, it starts with building a foundation with the right space.
Imagine
an office where you show up every day and feel excited each day to get started
because your desk is inviting you to sit down. Your chair is ergonomically
correct, you have all the latest technology, and you have comfortable seats for
your guests. When your office is right, you will feel comfortable and
energized. When you check into your office each morning, you will have the
right keys for being organized.
Here are a few keys and a few
simple steps, ranging from the right workspace system to ergonomic-friendly
products that can help businesses boost employee productivity and ease.
1. Be ergonomically correct
Keep a massage ball handy to free
your hands from stress. People performing repetitive activities on a keyboard
or an adding machine can injure their hands. A stress ball will help you or
your staff exercise your hands in new ways, rather than just typing.
Arrange your office room in such a way as to maintain
appropriate air circulation. Position yourself away from air conditioning vents
that push air right on top of you.
Position
your computer monitor twenty-four to thirty-seven inches away from you with the
screen at or below eye level to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders.
If
you are on the phone a lot, use a Bluetooth device, headset or a quality speakerphone so that you
can listen and write notes at the same time.
2. Create
an at-home workspace
Designate
a spot in your home to do your business and money activities such as Internet
research, writing thank-you notes, managing your schedule, and paying bills.
Always
do work activities in that space
and only that space. Then you’ll always know where everything is.
3. Arrange
your main office
Arrange
your office furniture for maximum use of the space.
Create
a specific location for specific things, such as client files, supplies, books,
calendar, briefcase, and appointment book.
Place
your most frequently accessed files nearest your work desk.
Place
peripherals and hardware where you can reach them without crossing the room.
Secure cables off the floor.
Label them, so you always know what they are and to which equipment they
connect.
4. Work
anywhere
Wherever
you are, keep your work flowing.
5. Create
a portable office
Have
an “on the go” system ready to roll whenever and wherever you go. Even at a
moment’s notice, you can always have your schedule, work plan, and appointments
list handy—in the car or however you travel.
6. Get
set up for mobility
Keep
your critical information at hand by using a SmartPhone. These
devices have the functionality of a computer but are compact enough to throw in
a briefcase, handbag, or pocket (e.g., iPhone, Droid). This mobility can
also be done with a laptop, which can be set up so you can work offline on your
email, and once you hook up to the Internet it will synch, send, and reconcile
your email.
Through
Microsoft Outlook, you can synchronize your task list, calendar, and address book
to your home computer using Microsoft Exchange or Google Apps for Business. However, assess your true needs before you
purchase. Keep it simple.
7. Use
the same organizing methods
Wherever
you work—at the office or at home—consistency simplifies your thought process. Use the same system.
Unclutter
your brain. Let organizing do the work for you…so you do not have to try to
remember what you were doing or where you put something.
