Hello spring-like weather, sunshine and dreaded allergies!
Soon enough, we’ll be in the full swing of Spring and what better way to welcome Spring than to declutter, reduce, recycle and get some spring cleaning done in the office. Since less clutter equals less chaos, a tidy workspace can help improve your focus and provide you with all-around better work habits, increase team productivity and help you to create a fresh new start.
Let’s take a look at five ways to adopt some spring cleaning into your upcoming agenda:
Declutter your desk space
Depending on how messy your desk can get, start with a can of compressed air, boxes to organize your belongings, and a large trash bag. Prepare yourself emotionally to purge, and toss the items that you no longer need or use. Trying to get away from printing and killing trees? Focus on digital copies and fewer hard copies. Cleaning your desk will not only clear your work station, but will more importantly clear your mind.
Use your email functions wisely
Is it just me or does seeing 2,399 unread messages in our Inbox make you cringe? I shoot to make that number zero, but it’s sometimes not always possible. I’m sure we can probably all agree that the email search tool is a commonly used function, but instead of relying on this, it is important to take some time to organize your email files. Create folders and subfolders, flag or label items in your inbox, and use the task feature to prioritize assignments. (Or be like me and add it there AND write it down in an agenda book #OldSchool) By organizing your important emails now, you’ll be able to cut down lengthy searches in the future. Be sure to also delete space-consuming junk mail whenever possible.
Freshen’ Up Your Social Media
Often times we forget about the importance of social media decluttering. Whether this is persona or on social media accounts you manage at work, spend a few minutes each day to review your accounts and update your connections. Remove pages that are no longer active, and look for new brands, reporters and influencers to follow that are relevant to your accounts. It’s also a good idea to freshen up your pages every now and then with new cover photos, but continue to keep your logo and profile photo consistent across all channels.
Reconnect with old contacts
When I think of spring I think of the work fresh, as in fresh start. Do you feel like some of your accounts are stale and you’re looking for some new energy or potential new business? I have a box of business cards in my desk and two times a year I will go through to see which old contacts I haven’t connected with in a while. Schedule coffee, shoot them an email or send a LinkedIn message checking in on them personally and professionally. This may bring in some new business in 2019 or at least help you reconnect with an old colleague.
Review current PR strategies
It’s easy to settle into a routine when a strategy works, but there’s always room for improvement! Meet with your clients and your teams to revisit those initial strategies and tactics. Are the strategies still working? What can we do to grow our efforts? Even if your PR efforts are succeeding, check in with the team and think about what other tactics you could be using. Taking the time to brainstorm new ideas will show the client your passion for their brand and help the account grow.
Take these five cleaning tips and spread them out over the next three weeks. I hope they help give you a fresh and re-energized start.
