Your 2 o'clock meeting doesn't start till 4, which actually comes as a relief seeing as it's taken you half the afternoon just to locate the file you need. Outlook keeps popping up to remind you of those 321 new email messages you haven't opened yet. Before you know it, it's 5.29 and you realise you haven't even made a start on today's work. The boss is on the prowl and oh dear God, you should have finished that job 3 days ago...

If this sounds familiar, it would be fair to say you're not the most organised of people. 

Instead of resigning yourself to being scatterbrained for life because it's just the way you are (and having to work overtime to get everything done), try these organisation basics. You don't have to turn into Little Miss Perfect to manage your time and energy better. 


See our 8 ways to be more effective in the office:  

Optimise your time
Anticipate and plan ahead
Use your off days wisely
Sort your diary out
Label like a pro
Get rid of clutter
Work when you're at your best
Have shorter meetings

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