Get organized and in control

For the professional, organization skills are an absolute necessity.

This is especially true when dealing with sensitive documents or accounting paperwork.

An image of professionalism and ability is conveyed by a organized, well kept work area.

Unorganized offices are a breeding ground for all sorts of problems.

An IRS auditor who has to dig through piles is more likely to find a problem just because he had to look.

A manager who continually can't place her fingers on last month's financial statements is not a happy one.

Additionally, fraud is much easier to hide in a paper jungle.

Does this mean you have to alphabetize your incoming mail? Not necessarily, but by following these tips you can have a more organized and more productive work space.

* Start with an in/out box.

This seems fairly simple, but many people don't use these correctly.

"In" is anything you haven't dealt with yet.

"Out" is finished work, ready for distribution, or items which you received but need to be re-routed others.

These boxes should sit right on top of your desk within easy reach and clear view.

These should be cleaned out daily.

* Sort everything else by priority.

Use color-coded priority files and label them priority 1, 2, 3 and so on.

If you have a lot of paperwork, use stacking trays.Work on priority 1 throughout the week, however, don't forget priority 2 and 3.Review these files daily to see what needs to be moved into the next level or what can wait.

* File regularly.

The "file pile" can grow uncontrollably.

Daily filing is ideal, but if you can't, make every Friday file day, before you go home for the weekend.

A common practice is to stack the file pile on the desk top.

However, staring at the huge pile of paper is distracting and overwhelming.

The trick is to keep the pile where you'll see it as a reminder, but not where you will stare at it daily.

* Follow up.

If you send a lot of correspondence or items which you are waiting for a response on, use a 1-31 "tickler" file.

Leave this on top of your desk and check it daily.

This is also a very effective system to use for paying bills.

* Handle paper only once.

The amount of requests, memos, and other paperwork that we have to deal with daily can be weighty.

But for simple items which will take under a half hour to complete, deal with paper the minute it hits your desk.

If you receive something that you have to respond with a phone call, take a few minutes to make the call and resolve the issue.

Try to avoid placing the item in another pile to look at again later.

* Clean out desk drawers.

Sure you're always the one who has the goods when the supply cabinet is out of staples, but do you really need all six boxes in your desk? Stop hoarding the supplies and leave some room in your desk.

Your boss will thank you for saving money on office supplies that the company didn't really need to order.

* Clean off the desk top.

If you aren't working on a particular project right now, put it away.

If you hardly ever use a calculator, put it away.

File away reports, memos, publications after you've read them.

Leave plenty of work area on your desk.

(This means you should be able to see the top of it.) * Use only one Calendar.

Conflicting appointments, deadlines missed, among a myriad of other problems will plague you if you try to use more than one.

Keep it on top of your desk and review it daily.

* Customize.

Customize your work space to fit your needs.

You may have a lot of paper transactions of the same type which don't fit any of the above categories.

For example: you process invoices and once they hit your desk, are immediately separated from everything else you have to do.

Use stacking trays, and other organizational tools to create your productive work environment.

* Don't over categorize.

Too many categories, trays and files are overwhelming.

If there's a file for absolutely everything, you'll end up spending searching through files.

Don't wallpaper with memos and lists.

Tacking every company memo or tax table to your walls looks tacky.

Place phone lists, charts, tables, and other important information in a reference binder and keep it close by for ease of use.

Once you organize, you will see a dramatic difference in the way you are perceived.

People will not assume that your office is a black hole any more.

You'll be given more important projects and more responsibility.

You and your boss will see an increase in your productivity and your stress level will decrease as well.

Best of all, you'll feel in control.

Then when you leave for the day, you'll look back at your desk and ask yourself, "Where are the mice are going to live now?" Tirena Jones owns Commercial Bookkeeping Services, LLC in Reno which provides tax, bookkeeping and bookkeeping organization services to small businesses the Truckee Meadows.