Five Steps to Kick Chaos Out of Your Office

If your personal business space needs attention, Kaizen (continuous improvement) can reduce the chaos for office dwellers, travelers, and telecommuters, alike.

1. Reduce the Clutter (Sort): Take a look at the paper that’s weighing you down. Shred the obsolete*, finish or delegate what you can and create files for in-process and necessary records.  I resolve to shred it, do it, delegate it, or file it.
2. Stop the Searching (Set in Order): Create electronic files with clear names and a taxonomy that will make sense for others looking for documents stored within.
3. Ready in a Moment (Shine): When back in the office, reload whatever is needed for the next trip and clean things up.  The client notices everything.
4. Document the Procedure (Standardize): Clear and simple instructions are the key to effective delegation.
5. Make it a Habit (Sustain): Let’s practice the Five S’s once a week to keep a clean desk and a lightened load for that travel bag.

Getting personal space in order can be daunting, so start with me Monday on a ‘go forward’ plan.  Each week, make it a point to employ some S’s for new items coming in and address just a small piece of the legacy material that we’ve been staring at or carrying for too many miles.

*Before disposing of obsolete business records, review your organization’s records management policy and retention schedule.