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Are you losing an HOUR or MORE a day during this recession? 7 Steps To Get It Back!
I’ve noticed during this economic challenge that many people feel out of control, myself included. So this week I’m taking 7 steps to get back into control.
In the process, I stumbled across a thought-provoking quote from Dorothy Galyean …. "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere."
Email, phone, interruptions, paper, piles, business cards, to do list, appointments … come at us daily! And where does it all end up? On the desk! On the credenza! Staring at us! The BIG Question --
Where should I start? I can’t find anything on this desk.
I’m supposed to be on top of this!”
Familiar? We all can feel absolutely overwhelmed by tasks that “I should-have-done-but-I-haven’t-yet.” There are countless systems available to help you and me – physical (alphabetical, numerical, or categorical) and electronic (scanning, indexing, email, computer files), each with pros and cons.
But we’re all looking for the magic system that gets us back on track, calm, and in control.
SYSTEM = Saves You Space, Time, Energy, and Money
The average U.S. executive wastes six weeks per year searching for information missing in messy desks and files. That translates into one hour per day!
INVEST in getting yourself organized. Yes, it is an investment in yourself, your business, and your time. Now is the best time to clear off your desk, get organized, declutter, and put your priorities in order, so you can accomplish your most important tasks most efficiently. Are YOU ready to step into control?
Set up organized SYSTEMS and procedures. Take a bit of time to get your desk and priorities in order. With orderly desk and uncluttered mind, you will start each day with refreshed energy and purpose.
1. Set a calendar appointment with yourself, this week or next. Treat it like a client’s appointment and keep it. Set it for 1 or 2 hours – you can get a lot accomplished in a couple of hours. Set an alarm to time yourself.2. Allow No Interruptions – no email checking, no answering the phone, no visitors. Close the door or hang a Do Not Disturb sign at your entrance. You don’t appreciate those counter-productive interruptions with a client or colleague. Treat yourself likewise.
3. Get a very large recycle bin or trash can. Approximately 60% - 80% of the paper on your desk can be 
shredded and/or recycled. The larger the container, the more likely you will fill it!
shredded and/or recycled. The larger the container, the more likely you will fill it!Step 4 is the “sorting” process. Do not do the task yet! Simply identify it and prioritize it.
4. Pick up each piece of paper and ask yourself:
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Did I ask for this information and does it require action?
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Is it available anywhere else and is it recent enough?
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Can I identify the specific circumstances when I would want this?
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Are there any Tax or Legal implications?
If the answer is NO, then Toss/Recycle/Shred it in the next step.
5. Take Decisive Action – FAT (File, Act, or Toss)
- File - Put papers you need to keep into your filing/retrieval system. Make the file folder, write the number or subject on the document, put it into a container for scanning, or put it in your iPEP (Interactive Productive Environment Platform.)
- Act - Set up the project file, delegate the item to another person, put it into your To Call, To Input, or To Read files, put it on your contact manager (ACT) or calendar (Outlook), or put it into your tickler file or your To Do List.
- Toss -Recycle or Shred it, etc.
7. Remember that getting organized is a process, not an event. Once you have cleared your desk by taking action (FAT), keep working your system – Steps 4-6 every 2-3 days. You’ll be in control with a working system as well as getting that hour a day back!
“Yesterday’s mail is today’s pile” is an organizing principle offered by Barbara Hemphill, a pioneer in the organizing industry. We consider our desk the command station in our office, so control and productivity, or lack thereof, starts there. Paper clutter in an office can be a serious hindrance to being productive. (If you are an effective “piler”, there are tools for you to use, also. See more in our next issue on Pilers.)
The average U.S. executive wastes six weeks per year searching for information missing in messy desks and files. That translates into one hour per day!
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7 Steps To Getting An Hour A Day Back
Are you losing an HOUR or MORE a day during this recession?7 Steps To Get It Back! I’ve noticed during this economic challenge that many...
Are you losing an HOUR or MORE a day during this recession?7 Steps To Get It Back! I’ve noticed during this economic challenge that many...
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