My father taught me about workspace efficiency. When I was a young girl, he had his “workbench area” in our basement. He affixed a large pegboard on the wall where he hung his tools. He deposited specific types of small screws in baby food jars and secured them under a shelf by the lids, which were glued to the underside.

Everything was very neat and orderly. And if I or my brother borrowed a hammer or other item, we knew we had to return it to its rightful place. Otherwise, we would get in big trouble.

My love for organization, orderliness, and neatness came from him. I grew up with the mantra “Everything in its place and a place for everything.” As I became older, I was grateful for his example. I realized that I could achieve more with my time just by being organized.

You likely are also interested in being organized because you’re here. You want to be more productive, more efficient, and let’s be honest—make more money. But here’s a truth most people overlook: the key to unlocking that next level of productivity isn’t some magic formula. It’s as simple as this—get organized.

When your workspace—both physical and digital—looks like a disaster zone, guess what? Your business runs like a disaster too. You spend time looking for files, shuffling through papers, and drowning in endless to-do lists. That time could be spent bringing in new clients or keeping the ones you have happy.

So, I’m on a mission. I’m going to walk you through three key areas to get your workspace in order. We’ll talk about:

• How to de-clutter both physical and digital workspaces
• How to develop and implement a money-making filing system for client documents
• How to streamline your digital assets with productivity tools like Microsoft OneNote and Google Drive

When you do this right, your business starts running like a well-oiled machine, and your clients? They’ll notice. Ready? Let’s do this.

Why You Need to Organize Your Workspace

Before we jump into the how, let’s take a minute to talk about the why. I’m not here to waste your time on “organizing for the sake of organizing.” This is about workspace efficiency, professionalism, and profit.

Here’s what happens when you get your workspace in order:

• You find things faster. Time spent looking for files is time wasted. And time wasted is money lost.
• You look like a pro. No one wants to work with a financial advisor who can’t keep track of their own stuff, let alone someone else’s money. Get your act together, and you project trust and competence.
• You free up mental energy. A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind. And a cluttered mind makes mistakes.
• You make more money. You can’t focus on bringing in new clients if you’re buried under a pile of paperwork. Get organized, and you’ll have more time for what matters—growing your business.

Now that we’ve established the stakes, let’s break down the steps.

De-cluttering Your Physical and Digital Workspaces

De-cluttering Your Physical Workspace

Let’s start with the obvious—the pile of papers, random sticky notes, pens, and who-knows-what that’s all over your desk right now. A cluttered desk is a productivity killer. Here’s how to fix it:

Purge… for the Win

Look around. If you haven’t used something in the last six months, guess what? You don’t need it. That stack of outdated brochures or those half-filled notebooks? Gone. Throw them out or store them somewhere you don’t have to look at every day. That kind of clutter kills workspace efficiency.

Be ruthless. I once threw out a whole box from my office closet that I hadn’t opened in three years. Did my business collapse? Of course not. Lighten your load.

Make Your Desk Items Earn Their Keep

Your desk is prime real estate. Only things you use every single day deserve a spot on it. We’re talking about your computer, phone, notepad, calculator, and maybe a client file or two. Everything else? Stash it away.

End Your Day With a Clean Sweep

Make it a habit to clear off your desk before you leave the office each day. Trust me—walking into a clean, organized space in the morning sets the tone for a productive day. No distractions, no mess—just focus.

De-cluttering Your Digital Workspace

Your digital clutter is just as bad as the physical stuff. Files scattered everywhere, emails you’ve “read” but haven’t responded to—it’s all dead weight. Here’s how to whip your digital workspace into shape:

Clean Up Your Desktop

Your computer’s desktop is not a catch-all. Limit what’s on there to shortcuts and files you actually use regularly. Everything else goes into properly labeled folders. Keep it clean and functional.

Tame Your Inbox and Digital Files

Emails piling up in your inbox? Create folders like “Clients,” “Leads,” “Compliance,” and “Operations,” and start sorting them immediately. For digital files, use a similar system. Avoid dumping everything into “Documents.” That’s how files get lost.

Keep the Momentum Going

Set a reminder to purge and organize weekly. Delete unnecessary files, archive what you don’t need right now, and keep that inbox under control. This isn’t a “one and done” situation. This is an ongoing commitment.

Developing a Filing System for Client Documents

Now let’s talk about your filing system. And no, separate piles around the room aren’t a system. You need something efficient, logical, and compliant with regulations. This is at the heart of a good workplace efficiency strategy. Here’s how to get there:

Step 1: Define Categories for Your Files

You’ve got a lot of client information to manage, so you need a system that makes it easy to find everything. Break it down like this:

• Client Information: Personal details, contracts, onboarding forms.
• Financial Plans: Investment strategies, performance reviews, portfolio updates.
• Compliance Documents: The stuff you need to keep you out of trouble.
• Communications: Notes from meetings, email exchanges, and follow-ups.
• Billing and Payments: Invoices, receipts, payment records.

Step 2: Set Up a Filing System That Works—Physically and Digitally

The key here is consistency. Your digital filing system should match your physical one. If you’ve got a client file named “Smith_Financial Plan_2023” in your file drawer, you should have a folder with the same name in your digital system. That way, it doesn’t matter where you look—you’ll always know where everything is.

Step 3: Digitize and Back It All Up

Minimize the paper. We live in a digital age. Scan those documents and store them digitally. But don’t just dump them into random folders—follow the system you’ve set up. And always, always back everything up to a cloud service or external hard drive. Trust me. I lost my hard drive once and my client files were in the cloud. Crisis averted.

Streamlining Digital Assets with Productivity Tools

Now that your physical and digital workspaces are under control, let’s talk about the tools that will keep you organized, efficient, and ready to crush it. I’m not talking about gimmicks. I’m talking about real productivity boosters like Microsoft OneNote and Google Drive. Consider these types of tools as rocket fuel to boost workplace efficiency.

Microsoft OneNote

OneNote is your digital brain. It’s a note-taking tool, but it’s so much more than that. Here’s how you can use it to organize client interactions, ideas, and tasks:

• Centralize Client Information: Create a notebook for each client. Inside each notebook, you can store meeting notes, action items, investment plans—everything. And get this: you can attach important documents directly to these notebooks. No more searching across a dozen different apps or folders.
• Tag Your Tasks: OneNote lets you tag notes and items with keywords like “Important” or “To-Do.” When you need to prioritize tasks, these tags will keep you on track.
• Collaborate with Your Team: Got a team? OneNote makes it easy to share notebooks and collaborate in real time. Everyone stays on the same page, and your workflow stays smooth.

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage powerhouse that can transform the way you handle client files. Here’s how it can streamline your workflow:

• Shared Client Folders: For each client, create a shared folder. Store every document in there, from financial plans to client communication. The best part? You and your team can access these files from anywhere, on any device. Flexibility like this is priceless. Learn how to password-protect those files here.
• Google Sheets for Tracking: You can use Google Sheets to track meetings, communications, and plans for each client. It’s real-time, meaning everyone on your team stays updated, and you never miss a beat.
• Automated File Organization: Google Drive’s “Priority” feature suggests frequently used folders based on your workflow. This makes accessing files faster and more intuitive, reducing the time you spend hunting down documents.

These tools are designed to cut out wasted time and help you focus on what matters—growing your practice, servicing clients, and staying ahead of the competition. Leverage them and watch your productivity soar.

Actionable Steps to Get Started on Improving Workplace Efficiency

Now it’s time to take action. Here’s how you can start organizing your workspace for maximum efficiency:

Step 1: Perform a Workspace Audit

Take a day to walk through every corner of your workspace—physical and digital. Find the clutter, identify the gaps, and take note of what needs fixing. This is the foundation.

Step 2: Establish a Daily Clean-Up Routine

At the end of every day, clean off your desk and organize your digital files. Spend 10 minutes on this, and you’ll start every morning fresh and focused.

Step 3: Monthly Maintenance

Once a month, do a deeper clean. Get rid of anything unnecessary, archive old files, and reset your systems. Regular maintenance is the key to staying ahead.

Organize Like a Pro, Win Like a Pro

Here’s the bottom line: if your workspace is a mess, your business is a mess. Don’t let clutter and inefficiency rob you of time, focus, and money. Creating workplace efficiency does take time and planning, but the benefits are well worth it.

Get your workspace in order—now. Use the tools and strategies laid out here, and you’ll not only see a boost in productivity, but you’ll project the professionalism that attracts more clients and makes you more money. It’s simple: Organize like a pro, win like a pro. The ball is in your court.