HELP!!! I need tips on how to be organised at work

[Luredbyapomegranate]

Please can share what simple systems you use to hold back the chaos. ESPECIALLY if you lean to being naturally disorganised/ADHD and have somehow cracked it. (You genius you.)

I have a professional job managing people and projects, so I’m not a total muppet, I just would get a lot more done/feel less stressed/have more time off if my shit was more together.

Thanks to anyone who answers this call..

I am also a fan of OneNote. It is such a flexible tool, plus you can copy sections to colleagues, have shared OneNote notebooks, etc.

I use OneNote to minute all meetings: one page per meeting, date is automatically printed at the top. I use two screens and take screenshots to paste into OneNote

OneNote let's you mark an item as a task with a checkbox, then you can use the search pane to find all the open tasks throughout the workbook. There are loads of other useful flags and tags.

I do also use Outlook task flagging and categories to manage emails. I'm lucky this job isnt too email heavy; on my previous job I could get well over 100 emails a day, all needing a reply, it was out of control. If things are that badly out of control then "it's not you", it's the job organisation that is the problem.

Pomodoro productivity technique is helpful, I think. There is a website and an app.
I clear and symbolically clean my desk every day- pretty helpful in lots of ways right now.

I second pomodoro technique. These suggestions are all brilliant, but if you struggle with focus and fund yourself flitting from what you’ve scheduled yourself to do, then it’s great.

Set a timer for say 15 minutes, and during that time work on whatever the task is you’ve set yourself. If you find yourself wandering or turning to your phone then remind yourself to continue until the buzzer goes off. Then you can have your ‘break’ few minutes. Then set the timer again. The freedom app can help if you need to lock down browsers or whatever during the time periods.

I forgot to add because it is so ingrained.

I write my to do list as my last task of the day - that way I am half way through my list of tasks before I get the opportunity to faff about working out what I fancy doing or should be done next. It might only help because I am an early starter - I get 2 hours of people free time each morning to get things done.

@SpringChickenSubstitute I have deleted most of the default tags and refashioned them into ones that are useful for me. I have also noticed that you can use an icon for more than one definition if you run out of check box ones (this could just be me....)

For fellow One Note users

• I am finding page templates are a huge time saver. I have ones set up for my meetings that are based on the standard agenda for that meeting, others for organisation contact sheets so I am not having to faff about remembering who works where - I fill it in once with basic info and hyperlink their emails and phone numbers.
• I have a section of pre typed replies to common queries. This saves hundreds of hours each year. It just takes a couple of minutes to personalise the reply.

I use Trello for my to-do list. You have one column each for tasks to do today, this week, later and tasks where I'm waiting on someone else to do something, plus tasks that are done (I clear this weekly). Drag and drop tasks between columns. Has functionality for due dates, checklists, notes within tasks, links to emails and files etc. Once it's set up it takes no time to maintain. But the thing that has made it most useful is getting realistic about how much I can do in a day/week - if I clear my today column I feel great and it really helps with motivation, but if the overdue dates start piling up it's hard to get a sense of what needs doing when and it becomes less useful. I don't think it's the primary use that the app was designed for but it works really well

@Ruralbliss

Haven't read entire thread so others may have suggested this.

I have ADHD and a senior challenging fast paced role

I find using Trello and now Microsoft Teams 'Planner' (their version of Trello) is a life saver.

It's virtual post it's notes that you can have infinite text, diags, to-so lists for each topic. You organise them into columns and within the columns sort the cards according to priorities or last touch etc. It's v configurable.

You can assign others and set date notifications.

When you look at the board it is tidy and organised with the detail of each 'card' hidden.

Works for me anyway.

Also playing to my strengths. I'd make a shocking project manager but have a role which projects need (consultant) so less time pressured or need for being to the minute organised.

Came here to say Trello. I’m naturally disorganised (and anxious about it) but I’m also a project manager and this is how I manage. The basic version is free.

As PP said, it’s uncluttered and info is clearly visible, but you can add loads of detail/links/pictures underneath.

I use it at work but also for life: food planning (with a load of recipes), holidays, Christmas.

@Unescorted these are great ideas (about customised tags and templates to reply to commonly-asked questions). The thing I love about OneNote is how versatile and convenient it is to work with. I've tried all sorts of things over the years - paper lists, Excel workbooks, Outlook tasks, screen-based post-it notes (very handy actually, for a quick note on the fly when you're interrupted and need to make a note to return to a task/follow up later within a few hours, say).

But OneNote seems to have it all.

The only annoying thing is that i struggle to persuade other people how useful OneNote is, even when I'm ALWAYS everyone's go-to person who will have notes and information at her fingertips when someone needs it.

I have some serious OneNote-resisters on my team, which is fine if they are organised and on top of their work but they are NOT and then complain about how out of control things are. And I say (for the umpteenth time), "shall I show you how this could work in OneNote?" And they just can't be arsed to actually give it a try.

@hivemindneeded

Do It Now. If you can, answer emails etc immediately. If they need time or second opinions, set up a To Do list with an actionable by date/time against it. If you can delegate, do.

I lie to myself about deadlines. If I have a work project due in for Friday 19th I'll put it in my diary as Wednesday 17th, so I have a bit of wiggle room but won't go over the true deadline. same with promising work by a date. I always say two days longer than I think it will take. Better to under promise and over deliver than Vvce versa.

I lie to myself about deadlines All. The. Time.

It has saved my skin so many times.

So I agree with this.

One other thing I do, which is very very dependent on your job, company and personal life, is on the two days a week I work from the office I do 8-16:30.
I started this as it was better for me to get back earlier and be around for DD’s dinner but another bonus is that hour from 8-9 where (almost) no one is sending me emails or asking me things is a perfect time to get through some little tasks and plan the rest of the day.

Obviously I know there are plenty of people who wouldn’t be able to do this for a variety of reasons.

I directly manage 10-15 people who are running 20-30 projects between them, and I mange to look organised.

As well as the email tricks above and eating a frog a day, I have 2 spreadsheets, one people, one projects. Each has absolutely everything I might need to know on it. If there's something I have to go and find out I make it a new column then fill in for everyone/thing else. That way if I get asked a random question in a meeting (regularly) I can put my finger on it. I have these spreadsheets open all day and update them every time I get new info. It has saved my bacon a few times. Also means I can usually send requested info very quickly without having to go looking for it.

We're not using trello yet. I think we should be. That may be tomorrow's frog.

Interesting. I am Uber organised but don't use lots of these.

Another one for me is phonecalls - We use teams and unless I know who the caller is / what it will be about (internal usually) I won't answer. They can leave me a voicemail and I'll prioritise and call back when convenient for me. Before this I would be constantly interrupted and struggle to complete a task as I'd get sidetracked with a call and then go off and deal with that. Now I can decide how urgent the call is and if it isn't urgent it gets scheduled after lunch in my phonecall callback hour.

I have switched off outlook notifications on my desktop and phone and that has helped. I have also changed teams notifications so that I no longer have the preview showing, means I'm less likely to be distracted and read the full message.

I use to do list in outlook but need to have a look at one note, I tried in the past but failed when trying to link my emails through and gave up

People who turn off email notifications - doesn’t it stress you out? I’d be worrying I was ignoring something urgent because I didn’t know it was there.

I used to block out time on a Monday morning to catch up on emails & stuff first thing so that I had caught up with everything that had happened on Thusday & Friday when I was off, it was usually only about an hour before I could get on with work.

@Ruralbliss

Haven't read entire thread so others may have suggested this.

I have ADHD and a senior challenging fast paced role

I find using Trello and now Microsoft Teams 'Planner' (their version of Trello) is a life saver.

It's virtual post it's notes that you can have infinite text, diags, to-so lists for each topic. You organise them into columns and within the columns sort the cards according to priorities or last touch etc. It's v configurable.

You can assign others and set date notifications.

When you look at the board it is tidy and organised with the detail of each 'card' hidden.

Works for me anyway.

Also playing to my strengths. I'd make a shocking project manager but have a role which projects need (consultant) so less time pressured or need for being to the minute organised.

I use trello too. My jobshare and I find it invaluable for keeping tabs on the projects we share. Love it.

There are some fabulous suggestions here thank you.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to do an internal company course along these lines. It made me realise how many distractions we have during the day wether you're at home or in the office and how much they can derail productivity. (Says she currently checking mumsnet). If you're in the office and need to get something urgent done, close a door, put on headphones or go somewhere out of sight so people get the message not to distract you.

Anyone ever been halfway through something and seen an email pop up and then skipped over to reply and before you know it you've completed neither. Turn off email pop ups.

For those using outlook rearrange the view so you can read the email content in the reading pain rather than having to click and open it. It will help you get through them more quickly.

I also block out time to plan, respond to emails, work on projects, 1:1's with each of my team as well as weekly meetings. I create tasks in my calendar saving the email and details in the meeting so I can efficiently tackle both adhoc and regular requests and encourage my team to do similar.

I made a to do list before I finished work yesterday. This morning it was so much easier to get straight into it and as other tasks cropped up I just added to my list.
Next step is to number or colour co ordinate.

I tried the outlook suggestion from op of right click to create a task. A task window opened up and it already had tasks in! It confused me- I hadn’t done it!

@Rummikub other people can create a task for you when they send an email. Unless they are in the group of people who get to tell what my priorities are it is a sure way of getting to the bottom of my list.

@SickAndTiredAgain I put a voice mail and Out of Office on giving a rough time when I will be finished and put a block in my Outlook diary. Internally we can see each other's diaries - so they can see if they need to get hold of me really urgently. Fortunately we have a culture that says if something is that urgent you didn't ask soon enough & I wouldn't be seen to be at fault for it not being completed on time.

@SpringChickenSubstitute we have One Note resistant people too. Having joined the One Note Cult I cannot understand how people operate without it. The one thing that increased ON usage was when we moved office and had no printers and no easy access to new day books. Our IT trainer did emergency ON training sessions. Now most people in that office use ON. There is also a correlation between train users and ON users. It is something that improves with use. My first books were glorified day books - new day new page, but as time has gone on it has evolved into being the way I organise and action my work. It has taken several years to get it to the place it is now.

That’s interesting unescorted

I’ll check to see where the emails came from.

turning off email notifications or email sounds a great idea

I'd love to know how to use One note better (or in my case start). I love tech. Love learning new things. Love a good app. So I'm the right sort of audience.

Any good ways to start?
Tips, tutorials?

One thing I've started doing is numbering email folders. I use Office 365 with the desktop element not just the web app.

I can renumber as things become important or if they drop down the importance list.

I also have loads of email rules set up to manage the amount of emails I get.

An IT manager once told me that email folders were on there way out and to just use my inbox with searches, I tried but it became unmanageable.

@SickAndTiredAgain

People who turn off email notifications - doesn’t it stress you out? I’d be worrying I was ignoring something urgent because I didn’t know it was there.

I mean if something was truly urgent (as in an emergency that needs to be answered) I presume a person would phone me. I think too many people expect their emails to be answered and actioned straight away.

I'm usually pretty electronic but for managing my administrative workload (I'm a doctor) I use a bullet journalling system.

I have a work notebook - lechturm bullet journal (my colleagues joke that if I lose it the dept is screwed). It has an index at the front and all the pages are numbered.

I write key info that I need to refer to frequently e.g meeting dates, how to pull the monthly reports off one of our clinical system as I don't do it often enough to remember off pat. These things are referenced in the index.
The rest of the book is filled with my to do list.
I generally keep the same list going for about 2 weeks.
i use a double page spread.

Left hand page is new tasks
Right hand pages is tasks that are still active but I'm waiting for input from others.
Once a task is completed I mark it done.
When I start to run out of space on my list i create a new double page spread.

I used to also record my appointments on paper but don't anymore as my employer now allows me to sync my work outlook calendar to my personal calendar.

As a work life balance thing I don't have work email on my personal devices.
I used to religiously file emails but I"ve stopped. The search function on outlook is good. I delete stuff I don't need and everything I want to keep just sits in my inbox. I do try to keep on top of my unread emails and use "mark as unread" to highlight tasks I need to do.

I need to explore scheduled sending more as I think I would also find this useful e.g I organise an education programme and using scheduled sending to send reminders to attendees about feedback etc post event could save me some time.

I second switching off email notifications, learning to use Rules to manage Outlook emails, and converting emails to Tasks.

David Allen developed the Getting Things Done method, which is great. At work we were lucky enough to go on a course which was about putting GTD into practice through the various tools available (Outlook has many features most people don't learn, OneNote and others).