26 Jul Organizational tips for busy literacy organizations

Nobody said running a non-profit literacy organization would be easy – but there is one thing that can make it more manageable: strong organizational skills. When there’s a lot to do alongside ongoing funding and resource challenges, staying organized can be difficult. The important thing to remember is that it’s necessary if you want to be effective.

From how to increase productivity to better project management methods, here are four of the best organizational tips for busy literacy organizations.

Use the right systems

Your organization needs an effective way to keep everyone in the loop while outlining tasks, meetings and project deadlines.

There are many systems available to help make this happen. Some literacy organizations thrive on online list-making applications such as Trello or Monday, whereas others use a traditional email calendar systems such as Gmail and MS Outlook.

Whichever ones you choose to implement, keep it simple. Create one master to-do list for organizational goals that includes all project-related information. This helps keep your whole team on track avoiding multiple emails or leaving sticky notes on desks.

Plan ahead

How often do you begin your workday feeling stressed about everything that needs to be done? Proper planning helps you prioritize your primary goals and upcoming deadlines. When you arrive at work, you’ll know exactly where to start instead of spending those first crucial moments figuring out what to do.

Get into the habit of scheduling your workday in advance. At the end of each day, review your upcoming day’s appointments and calls as well as your master to-do list. You’ll leave the office feeling good about accomplishing what you set out to do today and knowing what’s coming up tomorrow.

Schedule, schedule, schedule

When you get busy, it’s easy to forget about appointments, client calls, or even taking breaks. Time blocking is a time management method that has you dedicate specific time blocks for certain tasks and responsibilities. The system helps improve your focus while guarding against distractions such as social media, chats with staff and countless meetings.

Many of us regularly split our attention across multiple tasks, which actually creates less productivity. With time blocking, there are dedicated long periods for focused work and other times scheduled for checking email or following up with clients.

Avoid inbox overwhelm

When you hear a ping or see a notification each time you receive an email, it’s common to start feeling overwhelmed. You may find it hard to remain focused on your current task and want to address the new email immediately.

Instead of opening and closing your email all day long, choose two or three set times to do so. Opt out of unnecessary emails and remind your team to call you for anything urgent.

Key takeaway

Once you commit to getting more organized, positive results will follow. You may notice an improvement in your stress levels and the ability to accomplish more goals for your non-profit.

If some of those goals involve offering more literacy programs, we can help. Check out our free literacy resources and contact us for more information.