organization

Let's face it — when your workspace is cluttered, you feel unproductive and unmotivated. There's just too much stimulation around you to distract and disturb your concentration. Even if it's not about distraction, you still need a clean desk to save space and know where everything is.

So, whether you organize to relieve stress or to procrastinate other tasks, make sure you find the time within the day to clean up your workspace. Here are ten things you can do right now to organize your desk for a more productive day.

1. Maintain a permanent layout

According to Gotham Organizers, your monitor should be at eye-level and about 17 inches in front of you. You can really do this however you want but make sure your computer and frequently used items are in the same place on your desk everyday.

I put my laptop diagonally to the left of my desk and my agenda to the right — it's not the most efficient way but the layout works for me.

2. De-clutter useless things from your desk

Throw away anything that doesn't help you with productivity. Make a list of all the items on your desk and categorize them by importance. Trinkets from last Christmas? Stuffed animals from your bed? Throw them out or put them away.

It's alright to have one or two personal items like a framed picture or flowers, but too many objects will distract and overstimulate.

3. Store your supplies

Keep office supplies together either on top of your desk or in a drawer. Things you need everyday should go on top of your desk — preferably in a supplies organizer. Objects you don't need everyday can go in a drawer — maybe even in a drawer organizer.

4. Free up some free space

Not every inch of your desk needs to be covered — leave a sizeable amount of room for short term projects or important documents. This way, you won't be struggling to clear space every time a new item is introduced to your desk.

5. Organize storage containers with colors and labels

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Desk storage bins can be super helpful in organizing your life — just be sure to color code and label them as you see fit. You don't want to be rummaging around all your containers every time you need some blank paper.

Taking time to color code and label can also be a destressing and relaxing task — have fun with cute colors and shapes.

6. Prioritize your tasks

Having to deal with a lot of projects at once can overwhelm and stress you out. Use file holders to prioritize everyday tasks — have a section for urgent, important and non-urgent. This way, you can just pluck a task off the top and work your way to the bottom.

7. Divide your workspace

Does technology distract you? Do you often eat at one of your workspaces? Performing a leisurely task frequently in the same spot can lead to habits and association of that task with the corresponding space. That's why I can never work on my bed like most of my friends.

Instead, separate out your workspace. Designate one area as a technology-free zone or remember to never watch Netflix at your desk. Doing this will provide you with a sense of routine and stability.

8. Don't forget your virtual workspace

Your laptop can also be a source of distraction — organizing your virtual workspace will make you more motivated and less overwhelmed. Trash items on your desktop that you don't need. Delete old and useless files from your folders. Categorize work into different folders and utilize reminders and calendars to organize your life.

9. Put a small trash can near your workspace

A separate trash and recycling bin would work best, but beggars can't be choosers. Place a small wastebasket next to your desk — you won't have to get up every time to throw scrap paper away which can disrupt your workflow.

10. Organize your cables

I use cable clips to keep my chargers and wires in order. This can be very useful, especially if you have an extension cord under your desk. Wires are just prone to becoming tangled up with one another so you don't want to always be undoing them.

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Every working person is looking for new ways to improve productivity and organization. There's always a new app, a new planner, or a new website to try. But there is an analog system that actually works much more effectively than any of these options. It's called a bullet journal.

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Making a schedule is easy. Sticking to it is what often doesn't stick. Things come up, distractions derail you, and there's always that pesky procrastination that can turn a well-meaning planned out day into a free for all.

Creating and sticking to a schedule can not only make you feel less stressed, but you'll have the capacity to get more done with your precious time. As per The Order Expert, "Keeping to your schedule is all about maintaining balance." Be mindful of what you have to do and what you want to do, and do your best to include all you can in your schedule with realistic expectations.

There is only so much time in the day, so space out your to-dos with a little wiggle room, and don't try to cram everything in to one day. Just because there are many tasks on your schedule doesn't mean you'll be able to complete them successfully if you overload yourself. Once you "maintain balance," you'll get better and better at planning and sticking to your schedule. Here are some tips to help you abide by your schedule and get all your tasks and goals accomplished by bedtime.

1. Schedule Everything in One Place

You will have the best luck sticking to your schedule if you actually know what's on it. If you post a reminder in your smartphone, jot a meeting time onto your wall calendar, and leave a sticky note on the side of your computer, you'll have a hard time knowing what's what and when to do it.

As per Entrepreneur, "Not only will it save time to only have to check one calendar but it will also help ensure that you are not double booking or missing any meetings." And be sure you include both work-related and personal business in the same place, to be sure your professional plans jive with what you've got going on during your free time.

It doesn't matter if you prefer an old fashioned Rolodex, to store your plans in the cloud, or you like using apps. Just find one secure scheduling spot and stick with it.

2. Think Outside the 9 to 5

If you find yourself overbooked during the work day, don't limit your scheduling hours to the "conventional" ones. If you're an early bird, for example, plan some of your activities as soon as you wake up. If you are already up and at 'em, you'll be the type to see what's planned and get right on it.

Of course you won't be able to plan meetings with co-workers during these off-hours, but this extra time is ideal for working on a personal project, fitting in exercise, or studying for your Master's. You will free up more of the workday hours for your meetings, emailing, and other job-related functions.

You'll get a lot more done with your day, and you'll look forward to following your schedule again in order to keep the momentum going in the future.

3. Review the Night Before

Just like you did back in school to prep for an exam, review your schedule the night before to get your head in the game before the bustle of the next day begins. As The Order Expert notes, "This is a great way to gently introduce your schedule into your subconscious. When you review your schedule again in the morning, your appointments will seem very familiar and manageable."

Reviewing beforehand will also allow you to work out the kinks and decide if what you've got scheduled is a realistic workload and if each task is slotted in for the best time for what you need to do in order to complete it.

4. Learn to Say "No"

A major reason lots of people cannot stick to their schedule is because they fall victim to interrupters and interruptions that cause them to break from their plans. Sometimes there's simply no way around it, but in other cases, people just don't want to say "no."

If you don't feel like your attendance in a meeting is beneficial, opt out. You don't have to answer every email as it pops into your inbox. You don't have to break for an hour lunch with co-workers if you'd prefer to eat quickly at your desk. You don't have to go for drinks with friends after work if it will cut into a pre-planned activity. All the little interferences and disturbances add up and you won't get the time back. It's OK to say no if you feel it's appropriate and won't compromise your job or your personal life.

Just remember, if you do get pulled away from your schedule, don't give up if things fall off track. Get to your next assignment or finish off the job you were doing. Reorganize a bit and you will make it through. And with a schedule laid out in an organized fashion, you will be able to assess what's most important in order to revise wisely.

Are you scheduling and need to find a way to get more done with your time? Check PayPath's 7 ways to do more in less time.

Organization is not an easy skill to come by. Now that many companies are running entirely sans paper, it doesn't mean that everything is more organized. The answer that many techies look to is task management systems, though it takes insider knowledge to know which will be the most effective. After trying a bunch of them, we found one that stood out. Trello is a task management system with an easy-to-use interface that makes assigning and completing tasks so much more organized. Here's what we love about it.

1. It's not fancy

We're traditionalists. We want something that works, not something that's going to look pretty but cause us a lot of headaches. Trello has a simple interface that works on a system where you can create cards with projects, simply explained. You can then assign these projects to people, then drag them to different columns that you name to indicate their level of progress. All you have to do is add your team members and that's that.

2. It's color-coded and integrated

You can also add labels and integrate with Slack, one of our favorite workplace messaging apps. Instead of seeing a sea of sticky notes, easily find the tasks that you need to prioritize. You can add deadlines that send you notifications as well, making staying on top of your tasks super easy. The other important part of Trello is being able to see your day to day tasks versus your week's goals, month's goals, and even year's goals. You can zoom in and out to make sure that you are optimizing your organization on a micro and macro level.

3. It's completely customizable

Some task management systems are cut and dry. They're just fancy to-do lists. Trello can be pretty much anything you want it to be, and is adaptable to any kind of work that you may do. Whether you run a blog or a factory, Trello is limited only by your imagination.

Anytime is the right time to get organized. Trello takes the work out of managing tasks. And it's free!