Advertisement

firehouse pizza banner

Patty Craig: A Slice of Time

Recently, I purchased a rolling file cart for under-desk storage. I try to keep my workspace uncluttered and needed this additional tool (the file cart for hanging pocket folders) to organize my workspace. This caused me to think about how important organizational skills are to success at school and at work. 

Bryan Cohen, an eHow contributor, listed four organizational skills: planning, focus, removing clutter, and time management (http://www.ehow.com/list_6554421_list-organizational-skills.html). These skills are certainly critical for getting work done in a timely manner. Most of us aren’t born with organizational skills – we learn them. 

Silas Reed, author of “Why Organization Skills Are Important” (http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Organization-Skills-Are-Important&id=5270715), discussed how to help children learn organizational skills and be successful. Reed suggested that at an early age children need to learn how to pack school bags and to choose clothing. He explained that “if your child manages to develop abilities to plan and strategize then you can expect a leader to emerge.” Reed encouraged adults to evaluate whether the child’s organizational skills allow him or her to set goals or plan activities which are attainable. 

On the Academic Achievers website, an article stated: “Studies show there is a direct correlation between academic achievement and organizational skills. Yet organization and planning ahead are learned skills. Therefore, for your child to become more organized, your student must develop a plan and practice it” (http://academicachievers.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/organizational-skills-...). Millie Hansen, M.Ed., suggested that adults get input from the child when developing a system for organizing/studying, ensuring that the child feels a sense of ownership in the process. The organizational system may be as simple as using different colored folders for each subject, dedicating “one side for homework to do and the other side for homework completed to turn in.” Also, students need a storage place in the home for returned homework and quizzes so they can retrieve and review for the next test. Hansen warned adults not to put the returned work in the storage place for the child, but to teach children to do this task. When an adult takes this responsibility, the child learns dependence rather than self-reliance. Teach the child a system – a clear routine, and let the child do it.

Organization continues to be important throughout life. Adult organizational skills can be developed or improved. Rahul Pandita discussed three such skills: (1) prioritize tasks, (2) project management, and (3) workspace organization   (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-are-organizational-skills-important-i...). Prioritizing tasks is essential in the workplace or at home. Pandita recommended making a task list and organizing the tasks in order of time, allocating effort and resources in such a way that projects are completed in the desired timeframe. Pandita said that project management requires effective communication. A leader must communicate with team members on a regular basis (daily, weekly, monthly), tracking progress. Finally, Pandita explained that workspace organization is important to productivity. Workspace clutter can lead to misplaced documents (I can relate to misplacing something of importance – most often my phone.). He suggested using organizational tools in the workspace such as desk trays and folders for current documents and a filing system for documents of less immediate importance.

Organizational skills enable us to become more efficient. Tom Landry, American football player and coach, said, “Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.” Perhaps my new rolling file cart will help me develop a routine of organization.

Tags: 


Bookmark and Share

Advertisements