Organized Personality Traits in the Workplace

An individual's level of organization can affect their productivity and results at work. If you have an organized personality, you might be more likely to stay focused, manage your time well and meet deadlines and goals. You can also take steps to improve how you organize your time, tasks and workspace.

In this article, we describe organized personality traits and tips for improvement.

What is an organized personality?

An organized personality is a person who is naturally neat, punctual and detailed. Their habits and behaviors in life and at work are ordered, planned and efficient. They have natural organizational skills that other personality types might have to work to develop. Many employers value employees with organized personalities because they are often reliable, effective and productive at work.

Related: Guide: 16 Personality Types

Types of organized personality traits

A highly organized person tends to have common organized personality traits that allow them to complete tasks quickly and stay focused at work. Here are 11 characteristics of organized people:

They make lists

Writing things down makes them easier to remember. An organized person makes lists of important information such as:

• Daily tasks

• Dates

• Contact information

• Ideas or observations

• Requests from coworkers

• Goals

They might organize the items on their list by importance so that they'll remember to complete the most urgent ones first. They also update their lists throughout the day, removing completed tasks and adding new ones.

They use organizational tools

A very organized person typically has a system for managing information. They might use tools such as:

• Spreadsheets

• Calendars

• Daily, weekly and monthly planners

• Apps

• Project management software

• Note-taking programs

These tools help them manage work tasks and perform at a high level.

They have a routine

People with organized personalities tend to follow predictable patterns. They might do the same things—check email, respond to meeting requests and report to their manager, for instance—in the same order at the beginning of each workday. Routines help them complete tasks faster and make them reliable colleagues.

Their office is tidy

A well-organized person's desk or work area is often clean, neat and free of clutter. They store items in logical spaces, such as drawers, shelves and storage containers, where they can find them quickly and easily. They might use labels to remember where things are located.

Organized personalities keep only the items they need to avoid papers and folders piling up on their desks. A tidy space allows these individuals to work more efficiently and avoid losing or forgetting important files or documents.

They are punctual

Organized personalities usually arrive at work or meetings on time or slightly early. They also consistently complete projects on time and meet deadlines. They might set up calendar reminders or phone alerts to stay on schedule throughout the day. Managers can rely on them to do their work efficiently and without reminders.

They do things immediately

Organized personalities get things done right away rather than procrastinating. They start answering emails and completing items on their daily task list as soon as they get to work. If a customer has a problem or a coworker needs help, an organized person addresses it immediately. This trait helps them finish projects on time and avoid forgetting things.

Related: 20 Time Management Tips for Professionals

They ask for help

Organized people know their strengths and weaknesses. They understand that their time is valuable and know how best to use it. Therefore, they are comfortable delegating tasks they need help completing or asking for help to make sure they finish a project on time.

They're optimistic

Someone with an organized personality typically has a positive attitude and an optimistic outlook. They believe that they can accomplish tasks and produce quality work. People often enjoy working with organized people because of their positive energy.

They set goals

Well-organized people enjoy setting and achieving goals. Their high level of order and organization allows them to focus on that goal without getting distracted. They can easily prioritize tasks and set aside those that do not help them reach their immediate or long-term ambitions. Realizing a goal or milestone gives organized personalities a sense of satisfaction.

Related: Setting Goals at Work: Benefits and Tips

They plan ahead

Organized personalities like to be prepared for anything they might encounter at work, from meetings and presentations to potential problems. They plan ahead so that they have enough time to complete projects and can take steps to prevent conflicts before they happen.

They know when to relax

People who are highly organized at work typically have the ability to separate their professional and personal lives. They disconnect from work at the end of the day so that they can relax and focus on other commitments. This trait helps prevent organized personalities from becoming stressed and allows them to return to work the next day focused and refreshed.

Related: What Are Organizational Skills? (With Examples)

Tips for becoming organized

Whether you have an organized personality or want to develop better organizational skills, here are some tips for improvement:

• Have a plan at the start of each workday, and set a goal for what you want to accomplish that day.

• Every Friday, make a basic plan that lists a couple of tasks you want to get done each day of the next week.

• Create daily, weekly and monthly lists of things you need to do in order of importance so that you can prioritize them properly.

• Use tools such as calendars, scheduling software and planners to organize tasks, projects and meetings.

• Delegate tasks to coworkers if you need help completing a project.

• Use your email service's sorting feature to automatically catalog incoming messages by topic, type or priority.

• Try to keep the number of new messages in your inbox at zero by deleting junk or unnecessary emails and filing the others.

• Once a week, clean your desk by storing items in drawers and cabinets and throwing away supplies and materials you no longer need.

• Focus on one task at a time rather than multitasking in order to give it your full attention before moving on to the next task.

• Take short breaks throughout the day to refresh and regain focus between tasks on your to-do list.

• Put your cell phone on silent and turn off notifications to prevent them from distracting you from important tasks.

• Try to work with digital documents rather than paper to avoid clutter and keep your desk clean and organized.

• Unsubscribe from spam and mailing lists in your email that you no longer need.

• Keep the supplies, manuals and other items you use most throughout the day closest to you, and store those you use less frequently in a drawer.

Taking these steps can help you manage your time well, stay focused and prioritize tasks at work.

Related: 14 Ways To Get Organized at Work

Best jobs for organized personalities

Organized personalities often succeed in jobs that involve deadlines, data, complex systems and attention to detail. Some of the best jobs for organized personalities include:

• Captioner or transcriptionist

• Data entry clerk

• Proofreader or editor

• Museum archivist

• Real estate agent

• Interior designer

• Accountant

• Lawyer

• Project manager

• Travel consultant

• Personal assistant

• Event planner

• Grocery store bagger

• Housekeeper

• Inventory specialist

• Data analyst

• Professional organizer

• Librarian