My Tricks for Staying Organized & Efficient

It’s taken about six months for my friends and family to understand that 5pm by no means signals the end of my workday. Far from it. As many PR professionals will attest, this is not a “9 to 5” industry.

Working on short timelines, last-minute requests and crisis situations doesn’t lend itself to consistent hours. However, being a bit of an adrenalin junkie, I thrive on the inconsistency!

To mitigate my appetite for adventure with the organizational requirements of an office job, I rely on a few tricks. Hopefully, they will help you too.

• First, pack EVERYTHING the night before – this will keep you from scrambling in the morning or forgetting important things at home. Pack food, lay out/iron clothing, etc. Backtracking to retrieve a forgotten wallet is not fun.
• Second, keep a weekly and daily ‘to do’ list, crossing items off as they are completed–I am completely reliant on my Outlook calendar because I can schedule appointments and receive notifications prior to the meeting time. What I might lack in spontaneity, I make up for in reliability!
• Third, pack lunches and snack – This keeps me from running out to buy food, especially on days when there’s little time to take a lunch. On this note, think about using Sunday afternoons to prep food (chop veggies, make a soup) and keep in the fridge for the week ahead.
• Fourth, answer non-urgent calls and emails at designated intervals – responding to emails, texts and calls once per hour (unless urgent) will keep you focused.
• Fifth, don’t over-schedule – I’m constantly re-learning this lesson. Allow for some breathing room to do something you love. Going to the gym, taking a bath, blogging, etc. Restore the balance.

Does anyone use additional tips to increase organization or efficiency?