Summary:
- What do you mean by organisation skills?
- Importance of organisational skills
- Ways to improve organisation skills
Being organised is not an inherent quality. It is a quality that has to be acquired, developed and implemented. So, what are organisation skills?
Though there is no specific definition for it, we can refer to it as the ability to act in an orderly manner such that these orderly actions result in effective processes.
In other words, organisation skills can be defined as that behavioural process that results in effective outcomes.
Organisation skills are also very important from a students point of view. Organisational skills for students may seem insignificant when compared to the other skills that are required by students.
However, always remember that organisational skills form a package with all other skills. Other skills required to be honed and developed by students are incomplete without the skills of organization.
Let’s Look at Some of The Strong Organisational Skills Required to Be Learnt and Developed by Students
For the sake of convenience, we can divide the types of organisational skills into two types:
Personal organisational skills and General organisational skills.
Personal organisational skills are those skills that are required for the upkeep of oneself. Examples of organisational skills that are personal are, keeping your desk organised and clutter free, or having an organised time table to complete work and tasks.
General organisational skills are those skills that are required for the greater picture. For example, while working in a group, assigning work for team members, prioritising tasks among other things.
Notice the difference between the two. One deals with individuals while the other has a greater number of people involved.
Based on this broad classification, organisation skills are of many types. We can make a long list of organizational skills for students, however the list is not. Exhaustive.
As mentioned earlier, organisation skills are a part and parcel of every skill required by students. The five essential skill requirements for success can be summed up as
- Concentration
- Innovation
- Organisation
- Communication and
- Time management
7 Amazing & Effective Organisational Skills
1. Coordination
One of the most important strong organisational skills required is that of coordination. The working of the human body is the best example of coordination.
Notice how all organs of the body work in coordination with each other to provide the desired results. Every human body is able to function because of the coordinated efforts of all organs of the body.
The failure or inability of one organ to coordinate with other organs may have adverse consequences.
Similarly, any organisation requires the coordination of various departments in order to work. A sales department works in collaboration and coordination with the marketing, manufacturing and finance department.
In the same way coordination in a student’s life is one of the foremost requirements. For a student, coordination can mean coordination with other team members, coordination with faculty or coordination with various departments in the college.
2. Time Management
In order to be organised, every student must possess time management skills. Time management refers to being able to do the maximum work within the shortest period of time.
With effective time management, organising your day becomes a cake walk. However, while some may be good at time management, others may not possess the qualities to effectively manage time.
Having said that, it is not impossible to develop time management skills through prioritisation, goal setting and delegation.
3. Planning
One of the strong organisational skills is planning. Planning is the process of pre-arranging or forethought. Planning before time always allows you to stay ahead.
It gives you ample time to tackle problems that may arise. Therefore planning is one of the most effective organisational skills.
4. Time Table
Time tables are on the same lines of planning. Making a time table can go a long way in organisational skill development.
Time tables are a written schedule of tasks required to be completed within a specific period of time. Time tables aid in creating an organised work environment.
5. Focus
One of the most effective organisational skills is maintaining focus. For a student, life can be hectic, and tiring. Maintaining focus during these tough times can prove to be challenging.
In order to be organised, one has to remain focussed, looking only at the end goal. Focusing only on the goal, will naturally improve organisational skills.
One can achieve focus with a self disciplined life. The number one key to being organised is self discipline.
6. Clutter Free Space
Keeping a clean and neat work environment will have positive effects on the mind and body, thereby leading to an increased work efficiency.
An article published in the huff post in 2017 detailed out the negative effects of clutter.
An excerpt from the article reads
- Clutter increases stress
- Wrecks your diet
- Triggers respiratory issues
- Threatens safety
- Prevent promotions
- Decreases productivity.
Being organised is one of the best ways to achieve a clutter free life. Having a clear mind and a clear space always allows you to think and act with purpose.
Also organisation skills allow you to multitask at work.
7. Communication
As mentioned above, coordination is one of the most effective organisational skills. Coordination is not possible without effective communication skills.
Transferring information and knowledge among peers, listening to lectures, coordinating with different departments of the college all require effective communication skills.
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Importance of Organisational Skills
Organisation skills are important as it has several advantages. Some of the advantages of organisational skills are mentioned as follows
- Possessing organisational skills allows you to focus on achieving the goal
- Effective organisational skills help to avoid turmoil and chaos in life
- Being organised allows you to make better decisions.
- Enhanced Productivity
- Advanced Creativity
- Enthusiasm
- Improved social skills
- Effective time management skills
- Professionalism
Organisation skills are most important for all genres of people especially students and working professionals.
For students, the importance of organisational skills can be noticed while preparing for examinations, completing projects and assignments or even attending college classes.
9 Fantastic Ways to Improve Organizational Skills
Now that we are convinced that organisational skills are very important, we must also have knowledge of the ways to improve organisational skills.
1. Evaluate and Determine
Before striving to improve your organisational skills, it is important to know where you stand currently. Evaluate your current position in the organisation or institute.
You can compare yourself with your peers or colleagues and try to determine your position and equation with them and your work. Once you determine this, it will be easier to establish your goals.
2. Set Goals
One of the best ways of how to improve organisational skills is to set your goals for the future. Setting goals keeps you focused on the target.
At times your focus to achieve the goals can be so great that you do anything in your capacity to achieve it.
3. Clean Your Surroundings
Filth and clutter affect the mind and body negatively. Therefore it is important to clean the space around you. A clean environment has a positive effect on every individual.
It has lot of psychological effects on your daily life. The below researches has acts as a proof for that.
An article published in Psychology Today mentions that clutter, whether physical or mental, can interrupt your ability to move and to think.
Catherine Roster from the University of Mexico worked with the Institute for Challenging Disorder and studied the effect of clutter on a persons quality of life.
The organisation came up with a Clutter Quality of Life Scale which gave organisations and institutions a measure for the impact of the clutter on an individual’s life.
4. Pre Planning
When you pre plan you are always ready. Pre planning your tasks or schedules for the day or month can have a positive impact on your organisational skills.
Keeping all the materials required to fulfill the tasks planned for the days is also important. It avoids last minute runs to the store and wastage of time.
Pre planning reduces stress level to a great extent and allows you to problem solve with the right frame of mind.
You can plan your day ahead by:
- Listing out the tasks to be completed – listing out or making notes of the tasks for the day is an essential part of planning. Firstly, it eliminates the possibility of omission and also helps you to schedule the tasks accordingly
- Assigning a time schedule for the tasks – Time management is an important part of organisation skills. Time management and organisational skills are two sides of the same coin. They work in coordination with each other in order to achieve set targets.
- Prioritising your work – prioritising means scheduling the most important work first before completing the less important jobs on the list. It is necessary to prioritise your work in order to improve organisation skills. This way important tasks are completed without any delay.
5. Be Proactive
If you are wondering how to improve your organisational skills, being proactive is an effective method. Proactive essentially means active participation.
A proactive person does not wait for the opportunities to knock, but looks for opportunities. Being proactive is one of the best ways to improve organisational skills.
When you are proactive you usually have the keenness and awareness of events around you. It keeps you on the vigil.
6. Begin the Day Early
An organised day usually begins early. When you start off in the morning, you have time to fit in more tasks. Completing more tasks in a given period of time is the very essence of being organised.
7. Do Away with Distractions
One of the ways to improve organisational skills is to keep distractions at bay. When you strive to bring organisation into your life, the biggest obstacle or challenge that you may face is distractions.
Distraction can come in any form. It can be mobile, chats, friends, gaming, social media or any other distraction.
Organising your day or life may be affected greatly if you are distracted. In order to improve organisational skills, you must always keep distractions at bay.
8. Select the Best Time of The Day
As a student, it is best to know what time of the day that suits you best. Some students prefer studying in the day time while others study best during late hours of the night.
See what part of the day works best for you. Your optimum time will give you the best results.
9. Filing
Paperwork must be filed in an organised manner. Seeing scattered papers demotivates you at the work place. Organise papers in different coloured files to help you locate the exact papers when you need them.
Conclusion
Some of the most successful people are organised and orderly. They are able to multitask and arrive at the most favourable solutions to problems.
Organisation skills are the most essential component for every entrepreneur. For every minute spent on organising an hour is earned.
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