Fail to plan, plan to fail...

Organisation is a necessity in  recruitment, anyone in the industry can vouch for that. Every day is packed with a variety of tasks, challenges and expectations, all of which need to be prioritised and managed. An average day can involve dozens of calls, numerous meetings, interviews, and of course administration by the boatload. The key to ensuring the day runs smoothly and tasks are completed efficiently is a combination of excellent planning and time management.

I am proud to say I am a very organised person; I live and breathe by my diary, for both my work and personal life and I have a to-do list for just about everything. Whether it is at home or work, everything has its own place so I know exactly where to find what I need, when I need it. I'm not so proud to admit that my organisational skills have developed into somewhat of an obsession. It's not so uncommon to find myself being likened to Monica from Friends; surely it cannot harm to have your DVDs arranged alphabetically by genre, or have a small panic attack over something being filed incorrectly.

Unfortunately, I cannot boast the same level of skill in time management. As much as I have a plan for everything, sticking to timescales is somewhat challenging. I frequently arrive for appointments on the dot, and as I try to cram my entire to do list into one day, I often find that I don't account for the unexpected. Recently I attended a fantastic professional development course delivered by Landers Associates. One of the key trends which came up time and time again was time management.

Some useful tips on how to plan and stick to it:

• Use a diary - electronic or paper
• Plan a to-do list in advance
• Set aside contingency time - the unexpected is inevitable and unavoidable
• Try to be productive first thing in the morning - the time we usually use to plan, prepare and ease ourselves in can be extremely valuable
• Learn to delegate - establish if the task is your responsibility, if not don't overburden yourself

The benefits of being organised and managing time effectively can be seen not only in a professional capacity, but in a personal one too. It can free up more time to do the things we enjoy. After all, wouldn't you rather leave the office on time, knowing your day has been productive - or stay late and leave with the weight of tomorrow on your shoulders. For some lucky ones, these skills comes naturally, for others they are developed. Either way, always remember the age old saying... fail to plan, plan to fail.

I would love to hear any tips or advice that you have for being organised - please share your comments below.

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