I don’t know about you, but a cluttered desk makes me a little anxious. Here are some tips to keep things organised so you can focus on your tasks at hand and increase productivity.

1.Organised desk – Having constant clutter on your desk can make it hard to stay on task as you can easily get distracted. If you find it hard to stay organised, create a place to off load that paperwork that comes in (a physical inbox) and a place to put paperwork once you action it (a physical outbox). Also, keep a recycling and rubbish bin within reach. It is also a good idea to schedule a desk clean up weekly (say every Friday) to keep things clean and organised.

2. Sit / Stand desk – It is easy for us to get into a rhythm and forget to get up and move. Staying active can help our brains to stay on task. If you are anything like me, you get in the zone, have lunch at your desk, and forget to take frequent breaks. A sit / stand desk can help to keep you physically and mentally on task. It is on my wish list. There are some inexpensive options here and here.

3. Keep your calendar up to date – scheduling tasks into your calendar and setting it up to remind you, is a great idea to help stay productive. If you are in the zone, the last thing you want to have to do is keep looking at your calendar to see what is coming up. Another great option if you employer approves, is to have a Google Home Mini on your desk and link it to your calendar. It will tell you when a meeting is coming up, remind you to make that important call, and you can ask it about current traffic conditions if you are about to run out of the office to a meeting.

4. Create visual reminders – Sometimes a visual reminder is the best way for us to cross things off our list. I personally keep my work diary open with a list of the things I need to complete for the day and cross it of as I go. If you have the space, a great option is to have a small white board like this one. You can update it each morning and cross things off as you complete them, or if you have a pin board, make notes, pin them up, and pull them off as you go.

5. Background noise – while some people feel they are more productive in a quiet environment, if you have repetitive tasks to complete such as emails, filing, and making calls, a little background noise can help to keep you motivated and productive.