I’ve seen T-shirts and posters that say, An organized desk is the work of a sick mind.  In some ways I agree, but being organized can actually make you ultra-efficient and able to complete tasks in record time.  So here are some Easy, Breezy Organization Tips to help you organize your time and workspace.

About time . . .

It’s important that you organize your time at work.  If you are the sort of person who isn’t productive until after the second cup of coffee at 11:12 a.m., then you need to complete projects ahead of schedule so that you aren’t unprepared.  In other words – DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

If your title is paralegal, you may or may not have secretarial assistance.  If you do have a secretary assigned to you, please be courteous about dropping off your work to be completed.  While any professional legal secretary would be glad to help you no matter what (it’s all about getting the job done after all), they won’t take too kindly if you constantly wait until 4:45 p.m. to bring out work that must be completed that day.

The nature of the legal industry breeds constant interruptions.  Because of this, it is in your best interests to complete your work before deadlines.  DON’T PROCRASTINATE! In fact, consider coming in about 20 minutes early to organize the day’s deadlines to focus your work schedule for the day.

Minimize inner office interruptions from coworkers wanting to shoot the breeze about the latest couple voted off DWTS.  Either close the door to your office or politely indicate that you’ll meet them for lunch to go over the juicy details.

If you’re waiting for feedback on submitted work, go ahead and work on the next step anyway.  Prepare as many details as possible ahead of time.  By being proactive, you’ll save yourself buckets of time (especially when you get the revisions late and you’re under deadline).

Your office calendar system is your ticket to organizing your time.  Immediately docket court and other deadlines and set up calendar reminders well in advance to provide plenty of time to meet all deadlines.  Again, be proactive!

Your workspace . . .

Quickly learn the office filing system and organize your personal work space by project, file, or client.  Law offices are notoriously paper driven.  In fact, sometimes I think the legal industry will be the last industry to go completely paperless.  Keep work in neat piles or in clearly marked expandable folders.  You never know when an attorney will need to find something in your work space when you aren’t around.

When using the office document management system, profile documents in such a way that five years from now, someone who knows nothing about the case will be able to find what they are looking for without recalling boxes and boxes of closed files from storage.  Make sure you always use the proper client file number when profiling documents.  If you need help with managing your filing, ask a legal secretary or the records clerk to give you pointers on how to tame the filing beast and keep it manageable.

Divide your workspace into “zones” or areas with a specific purpose.  Keep all computer supplies next to the computer; all letterhead and envelopes near the printer; all office supplies in one location.  AND (perhaps most important) return everything back to its “home” where it lives on your desk.  In that way, the next time you reach for your stapler, it will be exactly where it should be….”