12 Tips to Work More Effectively at Your Desk

1.Write down your ideas. Do not trust your memory however good it may be!

2. Set down your priorities before the start of each day’s work.

3. Use your high productivity hours for your top priority projects.

4. Tackle time-consuming projects in stages.

5. Do not over schedule. Leave some time each day free from appointments.

6. Concentrate on one item at a time.

7. Take breaks. Walk around. Stretch. Eat lunch away from your desk.

8. Establish a place for everything. Categorize, file, and store items nearby.

9. Keep paperwork moving.

10. Put limits on visits:

A. Stack stuff on any extra chairs so uninvited visitors have to stand.

B. When chatty people call, as soon as you answer the phone tell them you have only a few minutes to talk. Politely ask them the point of their call right away.

11. Remove from your desk all papers you are not working on. This prevents lost or mixed up papers.

12. Handle each piece of paper only once.