Are you a natural multitasker? Are you able to (or required to) work on multiple projects at once? Are you the go-to person to get stuff done? Do you worry about having too much work, only to realize you actually can get it all done? If this sounds like you, well, honestly, this sounds like a recipe for stress, but it also sounds like you’re a natural multitasker. And multitasking done well can increase efficiency, but it can also be draining so its benefits start to diminish. This is especially true if your organization isn’t up to snuff.

So how can you get organized to get better at multitasking?

• Clean up your work space. Clean (no empty coffee cups, no donut crumbs in your keyboard) and organized (no pens strewn everywhere, no random piles of papers) are two different things that don’t necessarily go hand in hand. So let’s tidy up! Organize your desk—everything in a particular place, in a way that makes the most sense to your process. Then you won’t have to slow down to find anything.
• Organize your storage areas. Keeping two thousand emails in your inbox is not organization. So get in there and organize your digital files, both in your email system and on your computer, as well as your physical files. Keep what you need and toss or delete what you don’t (just remember any records retention rules). Make folders and labels that streamline your processes, so you’ll know where to look for what, every time.
• Build momentum with related tasks. The mind rides a fine line between “multitasker” and “scatterbrained.” So remember, your brain has to stop and switch gears every time you switch tasks. You can minimize this by grouping together like tasks: go through all your email in the morning; tackle all your physical paperwork at one time; update your daily spreadsheets in one sitting. Your brain won’t have to make so many abrupt shifts, and you’ll lose less time.
• Keep a to-do list. Need help grouping tasks? A to-do list can help you visualize and move through the day’s work with the greatest efficiency. Plus it helps you remember all those projects you’re juggling!
• Step away from your desk. We know, we know—you’re super busy and you don’t have time to walk around the building or eat lunch in the break room. But we also know this constant go-go-go will burn you out eventually. Is pushing through the pain helping or hurting your productivity? Rest breaks can refresh both body and mind, to improve your focus when you get back to your desk. Give it a try!

Multitasking can be a worthwhile solution when your schedule is chock-full of work. Just be sure you have the organization skills and the renewed focus to back up your efforts with efficiency!