To think a scatterbrain can become organised?

[apachepony]

I am a bit scatty, messy and disorganised. It really affects my work performance, I haven't done very well in work recently but have just landed an exciting challenging new job. But I'm scared to accept it because I'm going to fail again unless I seriously get more organised, and work harder and more efficiently. Aibu to think that if I read up on time management and organisation, pick up some tips and train myself really hard to follow them, that I can become organised and efficient? Or am I just fooling myself? Has anyone any success in transforming themselves from scatty to organised?

Oh and a 'key pot' in your hallway/ kitchen etc. be a stickler for it. Return keys to it you find in the house (Me & my DH are 'sprinklers')
Only way I ever leave the house even vaguely on time. It's great.

This thread is great.
I am a disorganised person. This is not helped by the fact that I am also messy and pretty lazy. I use lots of techniques to try to be more organised, but I find that when I'm organised with the kids and work, housework suffers etc.

I do the exact thing as above with my keys- when I use them they go back into the pocket in my handbag. I can't lose then because I out them back. If they are not there then I'm fucked because I have no way to remember where they are.
I need to be in work before 745 to start at 8. I make sure I'm always in work before 730 so I know I have time to get a cup of tea, read the diary, see what way I need to prioritise thibgs etc. I get up at 6 to leave at 655. I have time for coffee and to do my hair and make up and make sure I have everything in my bag.
When my phone is finished charging I put the charger into a ouch and out that into my handbag. I always have my charger handy then.
I have an organiser insert for my handbag. Lots of pockets so everything has a place. That way I know I always have a pen or a plaster or my diary or whatever.
I have a spare make up set in my locker and one in my handbag. I also carry a wash bag in my handbag with toothbrush, toothpaste, tampons, change of knickers, hand cream etc.
I make lists. Lots of them. Then I transfer them into my phone so alarms can go to remind me. Then I cross the things off my paper list.
It's like I have a fear of missing something, being so disorganised I can't do something or that someone will realise that I'm too disorganised for it all so I carry it all around just in case. I'm sure it's some ridiculous form of anxiety but doing these things consciously keeps me sane :)

Marking place for tips

Another vote for lists here. Also seperate bags/boxes for things you do & limited places to keep important items so things do not walk

Im dyslexic & about the exact opposite of naturally organised but have maneged to get to the points were I pass as organsised at work. Trouble is Im due to start mat leave in 4 weeks & I have The Fear that non of my systems will work when Im at home with the baby so I will slide back to chaos. So would welcome any home org trips

For work stuff I have a to-do list. Paper works best for me but lots of people like electronic. List pad has a pen that lives with it and goes to all meetings along with my general notebook but only actions & due dates go on the list pad. Direy lives on the desk and meetings, deadlines & reminders go in it only. To do list gets written each morning based on stuff left from previous day, diary tasks & any overnight emails & reviewed last thing before I leave to note anything finished, anything delegatted & anyone I am waiting on a response form to close out a task. Anything delegated gets a confirmation email includeing dates if it was agreed verbally so I have something to check back against, same with info requests & a date noted to follow up in the diary.

I used to get overload if the list gets to long and just go into kind of brain freese. Now when I feel Im getting to that point I take it to my boss or to the person that most things on that list will affect and get them to help me prioritise/delagete. If there is something that needs seroious quantitys of focus I book a meeting room & dissapear off there for an hour to work on it rather than try and do it at my desk.

Or to summarise. Lists are GREAT

Tip I learned from a former PA: if people asked her to do something, she would always say "yes, certainly - could you just pop that in an email so I can make sure to schedule it in and I don't forget it?" She did it because she was rubbish at recognising people so it was a way of getting their names along with the request but it works just as well if you find it difficult to remember verbal requests.

I ask people "can you put that in my calendar?" or "can you just drop me an IM/email for that? I don't want to forget it, and if it's not written down, I will forget it." Much easier for me to go through emails than try to rack my brains for "what was that thing X wanted so urgently earlier?"

Slightly that is a fantastic tip!
Plus it could get rid of the time wasters. If they can't be bothered sending the email then they don't really need it done, right?

Yes, on the emails! Then you always have a written record of what was agreed.

Another tip I learned from a colleague: when you need a decision from someone before you can move on, give them a deadline and a "if I don't hear from you" option.

So if someone asks you to, I don't know, produce a report, but they never told you which format they wanted it in, you could write: "I'll have the report to you by tomorrow at 4:30. Did you want the figures in A format or B format? I'll be finishing it around 3 hopefully so would be grateful if you'd let me know beforehand which format is better. If I don't hear from you otherwise I'll just use B format."

Way better than what I used to do, which was fret about the format and check my email frantically for a response for my question.