As an office manager professional, you are responsible for your duties and the work of others in your company. Time is in short supply with the many things you need to accomplish in a single day. It can seem daunting even for the most experienced office managers, especially on those stressful days when you feel like you are running in many different directions. With a few simple tricks, you can begin to feel some relief and be able to take a breath between tasks.
Keep Your Workspace Organized
Before organizing your office, take the time to get your workspace in order. It may seem like a minimal task, but once you have all your items in place at your desk, you will notice that everything else is much more manageable. It may take some time, so be sure to do some nutritional research on how to maintain the breakfast you ate before work. In addition, it will be beneficial for you to clean up your computer desktop. You can organize your file folders, documents and photos for easier reference later.
Get Control of Your Email
It will help you get your emails sorted in a way that makes sense. You can create labels and subfolders and organize your contacts. It is a good idea to delete old messages that are insignificant. Unsubscribing to unnecessary emails that may come through inadvertently is also an excellent idea. Once you have applied the groundwork, you can navigate your inbox and have time to answer emails much more efficiently.
Reduce Distractions with Efficient Reminders
Everyone in the office needs a reminder at times to keep things organized. However, you can have too many. If you look at your workspace and see twenty-five post-it notes, the only reminder is that you have too many messages on your desk. According to Udemy, seventy percent of workers sometimes feel distracted in the office, while 16% say they are constantly distracted. The trick is to use reminders sparingly so that when you look at them, you pay attention to them instead of tuning them out.
Increase Communication
Clear communication with your staff is essential to being a great office manager. Now that you have a clean inbox, remind your coworkers how they can reach you. You can opt to use private communication software or encourage some face-to-face meetings at your desk. It will benefit you to check in with everyone individually, or you may schedule a group meeting with your team to discuss your new communication tools. You may not be able to help with every issue immediately, but a more efficient communication structure will be beneficial down the line.
Schedule Your Time
While it may seem that no two days are alike in your busy office, you can count on some things to be consistent. For instance, you know that there are specific tasks you need to complete each day that requires the same amount of time. Place these in your schedule so you can use other times to catch up on work left unattended. For instance, you know that emails take 30 minutes to complete each day, and you have an hour for lunch. It will be helpful to put these tasks into a schedule so that the rest of your time is free to accomplish other duties.
Evaluate Your Office
One of the most challenging things to master in office management is taking a complete evaluation of your work environment, from meetings to lunch breaks to communication systems. Take a step back and evaluate. Do you need four sessions a day with a particular group, or can you accomplish it in three? Find ways to shave time and increase productivity.
Many office managers underestimate how much time managing an office takes. Knowing the best way to keep a productive office running is crucial, including learning to keep things organized and efficient. When you master these simple tools, your office will run like a well-oiled machine.
