Okay - this organizing business doesn't always have to be serious, does it?
As this video shows, some folks do have a sense of fun about it. Enjoy!
Organizing the Bookshelf
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Goals & Planning
Every so often I take the time to review and update my goals. Things have been somewhat up in the air for us of late and I was starting to feel rather ... well. like I didn't really know where I was going or why.
So the other day I took several hours and did a goals review and update. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you get clear about where you want to go and why.
You can find ideas from lots of sources, but when it comes to goals most programs will suggest taking a look at a number of life categories. Here's a list of some to consider.
Then in each of those areas think about what it is you really want. Write that down. Once you've completed that, choose the top 3-5 at most - the ones that are most important to you at this time in your life. Now go into deeper detail about what you want in those areas.
From there, turn those wants and desires into specific goals.
So the other day I took several hours and did a goals review and update. It's amazing how much of a difference it makes when you get clear about where you want to go and why.
You can find ideas from lots of sources, but when it comes to goals most programs will suggest taking a look at a number of life categories. Here's a list of some to consider.
- work/career/business/professional
- social/community
- marriage/family
- spiritual
- financial
- recreation/rest/fun
- environment
- health
- education/intellectual
Then in each of those areas think about what it is you really want. Write that down. Once you've completed that, choose the top 3-5 at most - the ones that are most important to you at this time in your life. Now go into deeper detail about what you want in those areas.
From there, turn those wants and desires into specific goals.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Organizing Products – Desk Accessories
Okay, I admit it – I picked this set just because I like it. But there are variations of these items in all kinds of styles – from antique to modern, from metal to mesh to paper to wood to leather and more. Choose items that give you visual pleasure and that work effectively for you.
Organizing Products – Rotating 31 Day Bill Organizer
This looked like a good idea – a place to put all your bills on the days they come due (or on the days you schedule to pay them). Probably not efficient for larger businesses, but could be a great idea for the small or home business.
Organizing Products – Clip-it Strip
These nifty strips can be attached to the wall, to a bulletin board, or on top of a blackboard or whiteboard. The smaller ones work well by the desk for those smaller notes that you just want to put somewhere quickly. The longer ones (up to 36”) can be used above black or white boards to mount flip chart size pages – great for classroom or boardroom settings.
All you have to do is slide your paper in and it stays there until you pull it out.
Organizing Products - Printer Stand
A similar idea to the monitor riser – this stand raises your printer and without taking any extra desk space, it gives you extra storage.
I did something similar to this by stacking my printer on top of a desk tray. Works just as well for me.
Organizing Products – Monitor Riser
Most times we could see our monitors better if they were a bit higher.
Well, this is one way to do something about it. What I like about this particular one is the drawers, so it actually becomes extra storage space for items you use frequently – and it does it without taking up extra space on your desk.
Organizing Products - Portable File Tote
This week I wanted to feature some organizing products for the office. The items I am showing can be found online – links will be included. But it’s more the ideas that I want to share with you. You can probably find similar products elsewhere or even use the idea to come up with a version of your own.
So let’s get to it.
First on the list is a Portable File Tote.
I’ve seen a number of variations on this one, but what a great idea if you have files that you need to take with you. This keeps them nicely organized and makes you look quite professional. It also makes it very easy to just grab the hanging files from your file cabinet and away you go!
This one is on my wish list!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Top 10 Signs of Being Cluttered
Ever wondered if you have a problem with clutter? Here’s some signs you might want to check out - from “The Get Organized Answer Book” by Jamie Novak.
Top 10 signs of a Cluttered Life
- unexpected guests send you into scoop & dump mode
- misplace things daily
- living out of a laundry basket
- important papers are scattered throughout your home
- stuff is stashed in one or several spaces in your home for later
- late fees
- spaces can’t be used for their intended purpose
- areas are too cluttered to even clean properly
- disorganization causes conflicts in relationships
- you keep running out of space
While these are talking about clutter in the home, we can probably come up with something similar for our offices and workspaces.
Throwing Out Stuff
Another book I read recently was called “Throw Out Fifty Things – Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life” by Gail Blanke.
Part of getting organized is getting rid of stuff. This is sometimes harder than actually organizing what you have. I liked what Gail called the …
Rules of Disengagement
- If it - the thing, belief, conviction, memory, job, person – weighs you down, clogs you up, or just plain makes you feel bad about yourself, throw it out, give it away, sell it, let it go, move on.
- If it (see above!) just sits there, taking up room and contributing nothing positive to your life, throw it out, give it away, sell it, let it go, move on. If you’re not moving for ward, you’re moving backward. Throwing out what’s negative helps you rediscover what’s positive.
- Don’t make the decision – whether to toss it or keep it – a hard one. If you have to weigh the pros and cons for too long or agonize about the right thing to do, throw it out.
- Don’t be afraid. This is your life we’re talking about. The only one you’ve got for sure. You don’t have the time, energy or room for physical or psychic waste.
Also thought-provoking was her list of things to let go of:
- feeling inadequate, irrelevant, and just plain not good enough
- the type of person you think you are – or aren’t
- the regrets and mistakes of the past
- being right about how wrong everybody and everyone is
- the need to have Everyone like you
- thinking the worst
- waiting for the right moment
- needing to feel secure
- thinking that you have to do everything yourself
Organizing for Achievement Goals
I’ve been reading a lot of organizing books lately to see what ideas others have come up with. It’s interesting to find some neat tidbit of organizing that I can put to use (and that I suspect some of you may find useful as well).
One book I read recently is called "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield. While this book deals primarily with home and household stuff, she had some good ideas for any kind of organizing.
She noted that it is important to not just do daily maintenance items – whether that is at home or at work – but to also include what she called achievement goals as well.
Looking at this from a work perspective, these are the important, but often not urgent goals that we should work on because they will give us results in the longer term. They’re also the goals we most frequently set aside because of all the urgent daily stuff that we deal with.
So as you are planning your Daily List, consider these questions from her book:
- What (achievement) goal can I work on today?
- What dates, deadlines or appointments to I have to meet or advance today?
- Is there anything on my running to-do list (master list) that I can or should do today?
- What needs to be done around the house (office)?
(Note: Parentheses are mine)
Organizing Your Computer and Computer Files
First of all, my apologies for not getting out a newsletter the past two weeks. Due to a power outage, my computer crashed. I’m finally getting things back in order, minus a few programs and such!
So that brings me to today’s post on organizing your computer.
What would you do if your computer crashed?
Here are some tips from my experience.
A previous computer tech had installed a second hard drive in my computer. I had fairly regularly backed up my files to that second drive. It’s a good thing I did, as those files were all okay.
But this did make me aware of how easy it can be to lose your files and information, so now I am also looking at some other options.
One of those is to get an external hard drive as an additional back up system. Easier than trying to burn a whole bunch of DVD’s – although that would be better than nothing.
Another is to use a service called Dropbox. This is an online file storage system that sets up on your computer, but syncs your files to an external storage system. You can sign up and get 2 GB of file space for free (or more if you want to pay a fee) and whatever you place on Dropbox you can also access from any other computer. That way if your computer goes down, you can still access all the files you have on that system. Check it out here at Dropbox.
Something else to consider. When you install programs on your computer, make sure you keep the original discs or files. If you’re downloading software and programs from the internet, when the window comes up that asks if you want to Run or Save this file, first Save it to a Programs folder of your own, then open that file and Run it. That way you have the backup file to reinstall it if needed. I’d been doing that with some of my recent programs, but I lost a fair number of earlier ones. Thankfully most of them aren’t that serious, but still, it is a loss that I could have done without. So from now on I will be making sure I have a copy of any installation files I need.
It is rather nice that most companies nowadays will allow you to get program files as downloads from their websites. Program downloads are available for printers, scanners and so on.
Do make sure that you are using a battery backup for all your computer stuff. My backup battery died and I hadn’t gotten around to getting another one – and when the power went out this time, it crashed my computer. Not sure why this time, because it had done it before and nothing had happened, but this time I got caught. Won’t do that again!
One thing this episode has also done is to give me a chance to do some cleaning out and reorganizing of my own files. I have to admit that with the extra backup space on that second hard drive, I’d been rather slack about filing them properly – I just dumped them there to make sure I had them. So I’ve now cleaned that out and organized it more usefully.
So here’s to being prepared and hoping you never have your computer crash!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Organizing Your Desk
For example, let's say you think your desk needs to get organized. What would you do?
As you go through the Use Box, consider how frequently you use the item. Remember to put the things you use most often closest to you, so that they are easy to access. Things like:
First, create a collection zone to collect stuff - a table, a space on the floor, etc. Set up your 4 Boxes as mentioned in the previous post.
Now clear everything off of your desk (except your computer or any stuff that is wired up or hard to move). If you're going to organize the whole desk, clear out all the drawers too.
As you clear off the desk, place each item you remove from the desk into one of the 4 boxes you set up.
Keep the Trash and Recycle boxes handy as you may want to add to them as you go through the other boxes.
In fact, you may want to use two Recycle boxes - one for paper and stuff to go to recycling and one for things you want to donate or give away.
Now, take a look at your Store Box. What might you find in it?
- outdated files - do you really need them? If not, trash them. If yes, file them in a storage space that you don't need to regularly acess.
- office supplies - extra packages of paper or enevelopes, for example, could be stored in a closet or file cabinet.
- Odds & sorts - consider how necessary these are. Can any be added to your Trash or Recycle boxes? For the things you really do need or want to keep, assign them a Storage "home" and put them there now.
- your computer & keyboard
- phone
- pens
- papers
- current files
We'll take a look at filing in a future post, as it has a number of things to consider on its own.
But this should already give your desk a much cleaner appearance - and should make working there much easier for you.
Starting an Organizing Project
Okay, you've decided which of your organizing projects to start with. Now what?
Step One
Find yourself four boxes or containers to work with. Then label the boxes as follows:
Next, remove everything from the area that you want to organize. As you do that, make a choice about each item you remove - is it garbage, something to recycle or give away, something that you want to store somewhere or is it something you need access to now and/or frequently? Then place it in the appropriate box.
Step Three
Now deal with each of the boxes.
Step One
Find yourself four boxes or containers to work with. Then label the boxes as follows:
- Trash - to throw away
- Recycle - to give away
- Store - to put away
- Use - anything you currently need or use
Next, remove everything from the area that you want to organize. As you do that, make a choice about each item you remove - is it garbage, something to recycle or give away, something that you want to store somewhere or is it something you need access to now and/or frequently? Then place it in the appropriate box.
Step Three
Now deal with each of the boxes.
- Send the Trash Box stuff to the trash.
- For the Recycle Box, decide where or how to recycle this. Do you want to donate it somewhere? Are there certain items that you want to give to someone specific? Label or mark the boxes or items accordingly and leave them by the door to take with you when you leave.
- With the items in the Store Box, first take any items that already have a storage place in your office or home and put them away there. For any reamining items, decide on a place for them. If needed, find appropriate boxes or containers for them and then place them in their storage "home".
- Finally, with the Use Box, place the items in the place you are most likely to use them. Remember that the items you use most frequently should be placed as close as possible to where they can be easily accessed.
Getting Started With Your Organizing
In a recent survey I did with business owners one of the reasons they gave for thinking that organizing was a problem for them was that they didn't know where to start.
So let's take a look at that.
The first thing to do is to organize your organizing! :)
Schedule a 10-15 minute time chunk to do some thinking and planning about your organizing project.
Now, grab a sheet of paper and list what needs to get organized.
Then think about which of those things need to get done first. Number your list in order of priority.
Next, think about what kind of time you can give to this. Could you set aside a couple of hours? Or is it something you will have to fit in as you can during the day or week?
If you can give a large chunk of time to this, then go ahead with your list as you have prioritized it.
If you can only do this in smaller time chunks, then you may need to go through your list and either break it down into smaller jobs or assign yourself a certain amount of time to work on a project at a time.
Try not to stop in the middle of an organizing project where you have lots of stuff laying around cluttering up your work space. That could just add stress and we don't want that. So think about which parts of the project you can do in the time you have available to you and work with that.
So let's take a look at that.
The first thing to do is to organize your organizing! :)
Schedule a 10-15 minute time chunk to do some thinking and planning about your organizing project.
Now, grab a sheet of paper and list what needs to get organized.
Then think about which of those things need to get done first. Number your list in order of priority.
Next, think about what kind of time you can give to this. Could you set aside a couple of hours? Or is it something you will have to fit in as you can during the day or week?
If you can give a large chunk of time to this, then go ahead with your list as you have prioritized it.
If you can only do this in smaller time chunks, then you may need to go through your list and either break it down into smaller jobs or assign yourself a certain amount of time to work on a project at a time.
Try not to stop in the middle of an organizing project where you have lots of stuff laying around cluttering up your work space. That could just add stress and we don't want that. So think about which parts of the project you can do in the time you have available to you and work with that.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Picture Perfect vs Effective
I was talking with a friend today about organizing and she told me about a comment someone had made about her home space.
She said when the person left, she took a good look at her space. She realized that while it may not have met with this other person's approval, it was actually a very organized space. She knew where everything was - when she needed something she knew exactly where to go to get it.
Which brings up a good thought about organizing. Being well organized is not about having a picture-perfect space. It is about living effectively and without a lot of stress.
As my friend commented, this is her personal and creative space (and she is definitely a very creative person). For her, having things laying around is part of her creative process. The way she has things organized might not win any home beauty contests, but it serves her well - and that's what counts.
So, as you think about organizing your home or office space, yes, it can be nice to have a neat and nicely decorated space. But if that interferes with being able to live and work comfortably and productively in that space, then maybe that's not the best goal to aim for.
She said when the person left, she took a good look at her space. She realized that while it may not have met with this other person's approval, it was actually a very organized space. She knew where everything was - when she needed something she knew exactly where to go to get it.
Which brings up a good thought about organizing. Being well organized is not about having a picture-perfect space. It is about living effectively and without a lot of stress.
As my friend commented, this is her personal and creative space (and she is definitely a very creative person). For her, having things laying around is part of her creative process. The way she has things organized might not win any home beauty contests, but it serves her well - and that's what counts.
So, as you think about organizing your home or office space, yes, it can be nice to have a neat and nicely decorated space. But if that interferes with being able to live and work comfortably and productively in that space, then maybe that's not the best goal to aim for.
Each Project is Unique
One of things I really enjoy about helping others get organized is that each project and each person is unique.
Yes, there are some things that are fairly standard - like using lists and daily to-do's and so on. But even then, there are lots of variations to that too. Some like to use pen and paper, some use notebooks or daily journals, others use online systems.
But where it gets fun for me is sitting down with someone and listening to what it is that they do, what it is that they need, and what is unique or special about their situation. Then I get to come up with ideas that are custom created just for that person and that situation.
For example, I met with someone recently who gets lots of prospects from trade shows and so on. This means lots of ballot entries with names of potential clients and things they might be interested in learning more about.
The only problem was what to do with all those slips of paper. So I created a sheet for her that gave a place to attach the ballot slip, plus places for all the details she needed to know and work with. I'm hoping it will simplify her life considerably by having all that information in one place and giving her a system for doing effective follow-up.
So what is unique about you and your situation? Where do you need help getting organized?
Of course you are welcome to contact me for help and ideas, but sometimes just asking around to see what other business owners or professionals do might net you some good ideas to try out.
Yes, there are some things that are fairly standard - like using lists and daily to-do's and so on. But even then, there are lots of variations to that too. Some like to use pen and paper, some use notebooks or daily journals, others use online systems.
But where it gets fun for me is sitting down with someone and listening to what it is that they do, what it is that they need, and what is unique or special about their situation. Then I get to come up with ideas that are custom created just for that person and that situation.
For example, I met with someone recently who gets lots of prospects from trade shows and so on. This means lots of ballot entries with names of potential clients and things they might be interested in learning more about.
The only problem was what to do with all those slips of paper. So I created a sheet for her that gave a place to attach the ballot slip, plus places for all the details she needed to know and work with. I'm hoping it will simplify her life considerably by having all that information in one place and giving her a system for doing effective follow-up.
So what is unique about you and your situation? Where do you need help getting organized?
Of course you are welcome to contact me for help and ideas, but sometimes just asking around to see what other business owners or professionals do might net you some good ideas to try out.
Rabbit Trail Organizing
Do you find yourself doing this when you try to organize?
You start with one thing, then it prompts a reminder about something else. So you head off to do that thing.
On the way to do that, you go past something else and think, oh, I'll just quickly do this.
Except that it gets you thinking of this other thing that you really should do and so you go and start on that thing.
And before you know it, hours or even the whole day has gone by and it seems like nothing much got accomplished.
I call this Rabiit Trail Organizing because it looks like a meandering path of half-done jobs.
So how do you deal with that?
Actually, there is a simple answer.
Remember the post I did recently on using a Master List? Here's a really good use for that.
Say you start on the first item on your list of things to do. Suddenly you remember this other thing that needs to get done.
Now - instead of jumping up to go do that thing, just grab your Master List and write it down. Then finish the first job you started with.
Now, if, and only if, this other item is really urgent, then go and do it next. Otherwise, leave it on your Master List and the next time you go through the list to plan your Daily List, then decide how important it really is and when to schedule a time to do it.
Get into the habit of writing all these "Oh-I-need-to-do-this" ideas on your Master List and then taking the time to think through when it would best suit you to do them. You will find yourself accomplishing much more and feeling a lot better about yourself at the end of the day too.
Tickle File Labels - A Gift for You
Thought today I would give you a gift.
In an earlier post on creating a Tickle File, I mentioned that it consists of files for 31 days, for the 12 months, and for future years.
I recently created a set of labels for myself, which I have also shared with some of my clients. So I thought, why not share them with you as well?
Please feel free to download and use the following Label documents:
These fit on the 1" x 2 13/16" labels that come 30 per sheet.
Since they are documents, you can go in and change the fonts and font colors to suit yourself. If you do change the font, you may have to change some of the font sizes as well.
Enjoy!
In an earlier post on creating a Tickle File, I mentioned that it consists of files for 31 days, for the 12 months, and for future years.
I recently created a set of labels for myself, which I have also shared with some of my clients. So I thought, why not share them with you as well?
Please feel free to download and use the following Label documents:
These fit on the 1" x 2 13/16" labels that come 30 per sheet.
Since they are documents, you can go in and change the fonts and font colors to suit yourself. If you do change the font, you may have to change some of the font sizes as well.
Enjoy!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Discipline - the Freedom to Fly
I may from time to time give you links to articles written by others when I feel they are appropriate. This is one of them.
As a final post this week to this series on Master Lists, Daily Lists, Priorities and Goals, I want to share the following article by Harvey Mackay on Discipline.
No matter how many books we read, courses we take, knowledge we gain, etc, unless we discipline ourselves to do what needs to be done, we miss out.
I admit that like many others that he mentions, I have tended to think of discipline as a dreary chore.
However after reading this quote by Julie Andrews, I think I am going to revise my opinion of discipline:
What do you think? Worth reconsidering?
Read the rest of Harvey's article here: Discipline is the order of the day.
As a final post this week to this series on Master Lists, Daily Lists, Priorities and Goals, I want to share the following article by Harvey Mackay on Discipline.
No matter how many books we read, courses we take, knowledge we gain, etc, unless we discipline ourselves to do what needs to be done, we miss out.
I admit that like many others that he mentions, I have tended to think of discipline as a dreary chore.
However after reading this quote by Julie Andrews, I think I am going to revise my opinion of discipline:
"Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly."
What do you think? Worth reconsidering?
Read the rest of Harvey's article here: Discipline is the order of the day.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Goals, Dreams and Purpose
How do you most effectively plan your Daily things-to-do?
We've talked in the past several posts about Master Lists, Daily Lists, and Priorities. Those are all important steps in the process of planning your daily tasks.
But what criteria do you use for choosing your priorities?
I think one key component of that is to have a clear sense of your own dreams and goals. What do you want to accomplish with your life? What is your purpose in life?
I've sometimes heard the phrase "you can do anything you want". No, I don't think so. We all have a finite amount of time to work with. I've sometimes said to people that if there were twenty of me, there still wouldn't be enough to do all the things I would like to do.
So it becomes important to get clear about what you do really want for your life. What matters most to you? What do you really value? What do you want to leave as your legacy?
I won't get into the how-to's of figuring those things out here, but once you are clear about your purpose, your dreams and your goals, then it becomes much easier to plan your days.
Then part of what will end up on your Master List will be the projects and goals that will lead you toward your dreams.
The thing is that sometimes these things won't be the "urgent" things that can so easily fill up your time and your days. But if you are clear about what you really want, then you will find ways to include those steps and actions in your daily planning too.
Knowing what you want also makes it easier to say no to the things that don't fit for you. You don't have to make excuses or explain to others who have their own agendas for your time and energy. Sometimes you just need to politely and firmly say No, I already have something else scheduled for that time.
If you don't already have a written statement of your life purpose and your dreams and goals, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to do that soon. Even if it's just to get started thinking about it. It can be amazing what a difference that can make to your productivity, effectiveness and to your life in general.
We've talked in the past several posts about Master Lists, Daily Lists, and Priorities. Those are all important steps in the process of planning your daily tasks.
But what criteria do you use for choosing your priorities?
I think one key component of that is to have a clear sense of your own dreams and goals. What do you want to accomplish with your life? What is your purpose in life?
I've sometimes heard the phrase "you can do anything you want". No, I don't think so. We all have a finite amount of time to work with. I've sometimes said to people that if there were twenty of me, there still wouldn't be enough to do all the things I would like to do.
So it becomes important to get clear about what you do really want for your life. What matters most to you? What do you really value? What do you want to leave as your legacy?
I won't get into the how-to's of figuring those things out here, but once you are clear about your purpose, your dreams and your goals, then it becomes much easier to plan your days.
Then part of what will end up on your Master List will be the projects and goals that will lead you toward your dreams.
The thing is that sometimes these things won't be the "urgent" things that can so easily fill up your time and your days. But if you are clear about what you really want, then you will find ways to include those steps and actions in your daily planning too.
Knowing what you want also makes it easier to say no to the things that don't fit for you. You don't have to make excuses or explain to others who have their own agendas for your time and energy. Sometimes you just need to politely and firmly say No, I already have something else scheduled for that time.
If you don't already have a written statement of your life purpose and your dreams and goals, I'd like to encourage you to take the time to do that soon. Even if it's just to get started thinking about it. It can be amazing what a difference that can make to your productivity, effectiveness and to your life in general.
Choosing Your Priorites
Part of what makes people successful is the ability to choose their priorities.
In the last two posts we've looked at creating Master and Daily Lists as a way of helping one to become more productive with their time.
Part of that process includes choosing which items to make your priorities for the day.
Some things will need to be on those lists because they just need to be done that day. Certain projects with deadlines, appointments that have been scheduled, and so on.
But it can be very easy to fill up a day with things that seem to be important when perhaps they're really not. Sometimes it's worth the time now and again to take a good look at what you are doing and why. Are all these things really necessary? Do they help to move you forward to the goals and dreams you have for your life?
Sometimes there are things that need to be deleted from your lists. Sometimes you need to learn to say NO to yourself and to others.
The best way to plan your Daily List is by being clear about your own Goals & Dreams (see next post).
In the last two posts we've looked at creating Master and Daily Lists as a way of helping one to become more productive with their time.
Part of that process includes choosing which items to make your priorities for the day.
Some things will need to be on those lists because they just need to be done that day. Certain projects with deadlines, appointments that have been scheduled, and so on.
But it can be very easy to fill up a day with things that seem to be important when perhaps they're really not. Sometimes it's worth the time now and again to take a good look at what you are doing and why. Are all these things really necessary? Do they help to move you forward to the goals and dreams you have for your life?
Sometimes there are things that need to be deleted from your lists. Sometimes you need to learn to say NO to yourself and to others.
The best way to plan your Daily List is by being clear about your own Goals & Dreams (see next post).
The Daily List
In the last post we looked at creating a weekly Master List. So now what do you do with this Master List?
From your Master List you now create your Daily Lists.
Daily lists can take whatever form best suits you. I happen to like a physical list, so I have a daily planner I write in. It could be a notebook or a computer program or app or whatever works best for you.
Doing your Daily List is usually best done at the end of the day (or work day) before. That way you still have the day fresh in your mind and know what needs to be done the next day.
So at the end of the day, check through your master list and choose 2-3 high priority items to schedule in for the next day. Then choose several other items that would be good to get done as well. Don't overfill your Daily List so that you just get yourself frustrated because you can never get it all done.
If you get a project done in less time than you had scheduled for it, you can always get out your Master List and choose some item that you could do in the extra time you now have available.
From your Master List you now create your Daily Lists.
Daily lists can take whatever form best suits you. I happen to like a physical list, so I have a daily planner I write in. It could be a notebook or a computer program or app or whatever works best for you.
Doing your Daily List is usually best done at the end of the day (or work day) before. That way you still have the day fresh in your mind and know what needs to be done the next day.
So at the end of the day, check through your master list and choose 2-3 high priority items to schedule in for the next day. Then choose several other items that would be good to get done as well. Don't overfill your Daily List so that you just get yourself frustrated because you can never get it all done.
If you get a project done in less time than you had scheduled for it, you can always get out your Master List and choose some item that you could do in the extra time you now have available.
The Master List
One way to become better organized and more effective in your time management is to use a Master List.
What is a Master List?
It is a weekly list of all your things to do or to remember. It can be as simple as a lined page or notebook, or some computer program or electronic device, or you can make up a list of your own. Following is one I designed for myself after a sample from the book "Organized for Success" by Kenneth Zeigler.
What is a Master List?
It is a weekly list of all your things to do or to remember. It can be as simple as a lined page or notebook, or some computer program or electronic device, or you can make up a list of your own. Following is one I designed for myself after a sample from the book "Organized for Success" by Kenneth Zeigler.
Make the list something simple enough so that you can easily use it or take it with you.
Then use your Master List to record everything you need or want to do, from appointments to working on projects, from reminders to do the laundry or getting groceries to making calls, writing e-mails, fillling out applications, wish items like where you want to go on vacation, and everything and anything else.
The benefit of using a Master List is that it clears out your mind. When you try to rely on your mind to keep all your stuff "in mind", it keeps your mind subconsciously busy when it doesn't really need to be. In fact, for most of us these days, it probably keeps your subconscious mind overbusy - which may well be why we feel tired and overwhelmed.
But, if you get all that "stuff" down on a Master List, your mind can start to relax, knowing that those items are now "remembered".
It's best to keep this as a weekly list. Longer than that and it becomes too long and complicated.
It's also a good idea to make your list from Friday to Friday. That way you can finish off the week's list on Friday, transfer anything you want to move forward to the next list, and review and plan for the coming week. WIth that done, you are freer to relax and enjoy your weekend.
Okay. So now you have this long list of all these items. What do you do from there?
Now you bring in your Daily List - see the next post for that.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Organizing Books IV - Where to Put Them
What can you do with your books?
One of the most obvious things is to store them in bookcases or bookshelves. Those can range from the formal and elegant to something as basic as boards and bricks.
They can be as stand alone units or built ins. Bookshelves framing a window or a fireplace are welcoming.
Make a bookcase along a whole wall for a nice effect. It's rather nice to leave some breathing room in your bookshelves so you can display some other things as well. Or just leave some empty space. (Unless you're like me with books piled two deep, on top, or wherever they will fit. Not that I should ever admit to that, being an organizer and all, eh?)
Books can also be used as part of your home decor.
Find a lovely bookrack like this one to display your books. I use this one in my office to hold the books that I'm using for any current projects that I am working on.
Stacks of larger sized books can be used as side tables. A piece of glass on top to protect them might be a good idea.
I've used stacks of books at times as bases for lamps to raise them to the height I want them - by my bedside table for example. Or as part of the decor on a coffee table with a candle, decorative box or other display piece set on top of them.
One of the most obvious things is to store them in bookcases or bookshelves. Those can range from the formal and elegant to something as basic as boards and bricks.
They can be as stand alone units or built ins. Bookshelves framing a window or a fireplace are welcoming.
Make a bookcase along a whole wall for a nice effect. It's rather nice to leave some breathing room in your bookshelves so you can display some other things as well. Or just leave some empty space. (Unless you're like me with books piled two deep, on top, or wherever they will fit. Not that I should ever admit to that, being an organizer and all, eh?)
Books can also be used as part of your home decor.
Find a lovely bookrack like this one to display your books. I use this one in my office to hold the books that I'm using for any current projects that I am working on.
Stacks of larger sized books can be used as side tables. A piece of glass on top to protect them might be a good idea.
I've used stacks of books at times as bases for lamps to raise them to the height I want them - by my bedside table for example. Or as part of the decor on a coffee table with a candle, decorative box or other display piece set on top of them.
Organizing Books III - Donating or Selling
Once you're sorted through your books, you may end up with some that you don't want to keep anymore.
So what do you do with them?
One suggestion is to donate them.
Where? There could be a number of options.
You could donate them to a local thrift or second hand shop. We have one in Cochrane that funds local programs, so it's a good choice. MCC or Value Village in Calgary are also options to consider.
You could donate them to your local library. I just donated at least a half a dozen boxes of books. Some will go into the library system and others will find their way into one of the library book sales.
You could also consider donating them to schools, prisons, hospitals or senior's centres.
Sometimes local groups or charities use book sales to raise funds. Our local animal shelter, the Cochrane Humane Society, does that.
You may want to sell the books. Check out local bookstores or second hand bookshops to see if they will buy them or take them in trade. Bentley's Books in Cochrane has new and used books. I recently checked with a bookstore in Calgary called Fair's Fair and they gave me cash - or I could have taken double that amount as a fund to buy books from them. Not a bad deal.
If you have the time and ambition, you could try selling your books online too. E-bay and Amazon are two places you can check out.
Organizing Books II - What to do with them
How do you go about organizing or sorting through books?
If you only have a bookcase or several shelves worth, you can probably just do it by going through the shelves.
If you have a table that you can set close to the shelves, then it's easier to take the books out of the shelves (good excuse to give the shelves a cleaning while you're at it).
Check through the books. It might help to put them in piles or groups. Here are some choices you might want to consider for what to do with them.
- ones to keep
- ones to gift to someone else
- ones to donate or give away
- ones to sell
- ones to recycle
- ones to throw away
Organizing Books I - Categorizing
I've been doing a major sorting through of my books over the past month or so.
Anyone who knows me at all knows I love books. My favorite places to hang out are the library, bookstores, thrift shops, second hand bookstores or even the bookroom at our local recyclers.
I did a rough count before I started and I have a library of several thousand books. Mind you, I have put a dent of several hundred in that with the sorting I've done lately.
So, how do you organize books?
That turns out to be a pretty personal kind of thing.
Some get very detailed about it and set up systems like libraries with codes and all.
Some organize alphabetically.
Some even get creative and organize them by color! Might look interesting, but with all my books I'd be hopelessly lost trying to find what I want.
My choice? I organize them by categories. Some of my categories include business, arts, calligraphy, writing, financial, self-help, Christian, health and novels. I may organize within those categories as well. So for example, business books may be further organized into business planning, marketng, copywriting and so on.
With the categories, if I need a certain book, at least I have a good idea which bookcase and/or bookshelf to check out.
You can also choose to keep all your books more or less in one area or in several areas of your home or office.
My main library is in one room, but I have a couple of bookshelves in my office with books that are primarily business-related. Choose what works best for you.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Keep Your Filing Simple
Files. Oh joy and delight! They can be that or they can be a real headache.
So here's a couple of ideas to think about.
First of all, in your office space, have any files you work with regularly within easy reach of where you work.
For example, put your filing cabinet beside or behind your desk, where you can swivel to get at it quickly. Or put your major files in one of your desk drawers.
Keep your tickler file close at hand, and perhaps a desktop file holder for any current projects you are working on.
What about the filing system you use? Is it easy or does it give you grief?
Part of the problem with filing is just deciding in the first place what to file something under. And really, only you can do that because it needs to be something that makes sense to you.
Do try to keep that as simple as possible. Think of the first name or title that you would probably look under if you need to find this file later. For example, would you file your insurance papers under "Insurance" or under the company name "ABC Insurance"? If I'm really not sure, I might do both - pick one to put the information in and then add the other one that simply has a note in it that says to check in the other file. But only do that as a last resort if you really think you need to.
First, as much as possible, file everything in one alphabetical system. If you have a home office, then you may want to separate them into business and personal files, but then keep each of those to a simple alphabetical system.
Some organizers also suggest just using file folders. Personally, I like using hanging files for the file folders, but just going with the file folders costs less, and some find it easier to manage. So do what works best for you.
So here's a couple of ideas to think about.
First of all, in your office space, have any files you work with regularly within easy reach of where you work.
For example, put your filing cabinet beside or behind your desk, where you can swivel to get at it quickly. Or put your major files in one of your desk drawers.
Keep your tickler file close at hand, and perhaps a desktop file holder for any current projects you are working on.
What about the filing system you use? Is it easy or does it give you grief?
Part of the problem with filing is just deciding in the first place what to file something under. And really, only you can do that because it needs to be something that makes sense to you.
Do try to keep that as simple as possible. Think of the first name or title that you would probably look under if you need to find this file later. For example, would you file your insurance papers under "Insurance" or under the company name "ABC Insurance"? If I'm really not sure, I might do both - pick one to put the information in and then add the other one that simply has a note in it that says to check in the other file. But only do that as a last resort if you really think you need to.
First, as much as possible, file everything in one alphabetical system. If you have a home office, then you may want to separate them into business and personal files, but then keep each of those to a simple alphabetical system.
Some organizers also suggest just using file folders. Personally, I like using hanging files for the file folders, but just going with the file folders costs less, and some find it easier to manage. So do what works best for you.
Cost of Organizing
In a quick survey I took this week, one of the reasons people gave for hesitating to bring in an organizer to help them was the cost.
Costs for organizers can run anywhere from $50-$200 per hour. That may seem like a lot at first glance, but it really depends on how you look at it.
I did a previous post on the Cost of Disorganization that looked at how much disorganization can cost you in wasted time - even an hour a day if you make $50/hr can cost you in the neighborhood of $12,500 per year. So even if you need a couple of days with an organizer, what's a couple of hundred dollars or even a few thousand if you really need it, if it can save you that several or perhaps many times over in just a year?
There are other costs as well if you don't get organized. Too much to do and not being organized about it can make life very stressful. That impacts a lot of things in our lives. Studies have shown that when you get too busy and too stressed your productivity diminishes - you don't have the energy to do the job quickly and well. Relationships suffer, and stress just piles upon more stress.
Part of the cost of bringing in an organizer might be an emotional one - having to admit to yourself that you need help with this. That can feel embarrassing because this is one of those things that we think we should be able to do ourselves.
But why should we think that? We don't hesitate to bring in help for our bookkeeping or technical stuff, or all kinds of other things, do we? So why not this?
Besides, any good organizer will understand that there are all kinds of reasons why we get disorganized and they will work with you. And most organizers really enjoy what they do, so why not let them do for you what you're not enjoying or getting done yourself?
Costs for organizers can run anywhere from $50-$200 per hour. That may seem like a lot at first glance, but it really depends on how you look at it.
I did a previous post on the Cost of Disorganization that looked at how much disorganization can cost you in wasted time - even an hour a day if you make $50/hr can cost you in the neighborhood of $12,500 per year. So even if you need a couple of days with an organizer, what's a couple of hundred dollars or even a few thousand if you really need it, if it can save you that several or perhaps many times over in just a year?
There are other costs as well if you don't get organized. Too much to do and not being organized about it can make life very stressful. That impacts a lot of things in our lives. Studies have shown that when you get too busy and too stressed your productivity diminishes - you don't have the energy to do the job quickly and well. Relationships suffer, and stress just piles upon more stress.
Part of the cost of bringing in an organizer might be an emotional one - having to admit to yourself that you need help with this. That can feel embarrassing because this is one of those things that we think we should be able to do ourselves.
But why should we think that? We don't hesitate to bring in help for our bookkeeping or technical stuff, or all kinds of other things, do we? So why not this?
Besides, any good organizer will understand that there are all kinds of reasons why we get disorganized and they will work with you. And most organizers really enjoy what they do, so why not let them do for you what you're not enjoying or getting done yourself?
Dealing With Your E-mail
Oh yikes!
That's probably the response a lot of us have to our e-mail inboxes, right?
So what can you do about it?
Here's some suggestions, particularly for business and office e-mails.
First, what can you do about sending e-mails in the first place? (Get everyone in the office to follow this)
That's probably the response a lot of us have to our e-mail inboxes, right?
So what can you do about it?
Here's some suggestions, particularly for business and office e-mails.
First, what can you do about sending e-mails in the first place? (Get everyone in the office to follow this)
- keep them short and sweet - so that the main point of the e-mail can be read in 15 seconds or less
- fit as much of the message into the subject line as possible (ie, meeting dates, times and locations)
- when responding to e-mails, change the subject line to reflect the main content of the e-mail (it's frustrating to try and find a particular e-mail when there are 10 of them in your inbox with the same subject line)
- if you need a longer e-mail - send the information as an attachment or summarize the main points at the top of the e-mail.
- first of all, shut off the e-mail reminder that pops up whenever you get an e-mail - that is distracting and a great way to waste time
- schedule only a few times a day to deal with e-mails and then do it all at once
- if it's junk, delete it immediately
- do I need to do anything about this e-mail right now?
- if no, either delete it, put it in an action file, or in a reference file.
- if yes, and it takes less than 2 minutes, do it right away
- if it will take more than two minutes, decide what your next action step is and file it accordingly - put it in your calendar, delegate it, or add it to an action list for later.
Maintaining After You've Organized
It's all great and wonderful to clean up and declutter your office or home - in fact it can feel pretty darn good - but how long does it last... unless...?
Yes, part of the process of organizing is to maintain it afterwards.
Don't make a big issue of this in your mind - just find a way to create some time for maintenance in your regular schedule. The good news is that if you do it regularly, it usually doesn't take that much time.
Some things you may need to do daily. Filing paperwork and cleaning off your desk surface would probably be good ones for that. Emptying your e-mail box is another.
Other things might only need to be done weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. You'll need to decide which things fall into which category.
What might help is to create areas or containers where you can quickly dump things that need to be organized or put back where they belong.
The best way to go is to put the things you use most frequently within arm's reach of where you do most of your work. Then make it a habit to put stuff back where it belongs as soon as you are finished with it.
If you've been a clutter person in the past, you may need to make a new habit. Make a notation in your daily journal or to-do list for the next month to make some time once or twice a day to clean up your space and put everything back where it belongs. Once you've done it for a month it will be much easier to keep on with that as a habit.
Yes, part of the process of organizing is to maintain it afterwards.
Don't make a big issue of this in your mind - just find a way to create some time for maintenance in your regular schedule. The good news is that if you do it regularly, it usually doesn't take that much time.
Some things you may need to do daily. Filing paperwork and cleaning off your desk surface would probably be good ones for that. Emptying your e-mail box is another.
Other things might only need to be done weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. You'll need to decide which things fall into which category.
What might help is to create areas or containers where you can quickly dump things that need to be organized or put back where they belong.
The best way to go is to put the things you use most frequently within arm's reach of where you do most of your work. Then make it a habit to put stuff back where it belongs as soon as you are finished with it.
If you've been a clutter person in the past, you may need to make a new habit. Make a notation in your daily journal or to-do list for the next month to make some time once or twice a day to clean up your space and put everything back where it belongs. Once you've done it for a month it will be much easier to keep on with that as a habit.
Eat That Frog
I recently read an interesting book by Brian Tracy called "Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time".
Thought I would share a couple of ideas from the book that might be a help with your organizing.
One of the first steps to becoming more productive is to create Clarity.
Thought I would share a couple of ideas from the book that might be a help with your organizing.
One of the first steps to becoming more productive is to create Clarity.
Clarity means that you need to decide exactly what you want to achieve in each area of your life. If you are fuzzy-minded about what you want, you will struggle with procrastinating, feeling confused, and generally not being very motivated.
Something to think about - he commented that only 3% of adults have clear written goals - but yet they achieve 5-10 times as much as those who don’t. Kind of makes you rethink this goals thing, doesn't it?
Want a formula for setting and achieving goals? Here's what he suggests:
- decide exactly what you want
- write it down – think on paper
- set a deadline on your goal (with sub-deadlines if needed)
- make a list of everything you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal
- organize the list into a plan
- take action on your plan immediately
- resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your m
aj or goals
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Organize Those Drawers
A simple way to organize your drawers is to use dividers of some kind.
You don't have to go out and buy something fancy. Get creative and look for things you already have.
In my desk drawers I've used boxes and lids from card sets to create general areas. Then inside those areas I've used small glasses to hold an assortment of items. Looks nice and makes it easy to find things.
Just find something simple to create a divider system that works for the items in your drawers.
How to Plan Your Day
How do you plan your day?
What tools do you use?
Nowadays there is everything from daily journals of all kinds to all the latest gadgets and computer programs you could want.
The important thing is to find a tool that works for you and that you enjoy using.
I know of a multi-millionaire who uses a simple paper pad to make a daily list where he prioritizes his items and schedules in his times. SImple, but hugely effective, based on his results.
I love writing and I still love using pen and paper. So for me a daily journal works well.
I recently discovered a way to make it even more useful. I set up a lovely antique brass easel on my desk right beside my computer screen. My daily journal is one that folds open and back on itself, so I can set my journal on the easel with today's page facing me. That way I can see at a glance what is on my list to do and what I should be doing next.
It also makes it very handy to grab when I want to add any ideas or to-do items that come along as I am working.
I check off my items as I do them through the day. Any that don't get done get added to the next appropriate day, get deleted or get delegated.
How do you plan your day? Do the tools you use work well for you? Or would it perhaps help to try something different?
What tools do you use?
Nowadays there is everything from daily journals of all kinds to all the latest gadgets and computer programs you could want.
The important thing is to find a tool that works for you and that you enjoy using.
I know of a multi-millionaire who uses a simple paper pad to make a daily list where he prioritizes his items and schedules in his times. SImple, but hugely effective, based on his results.
I love writing and I still love using pen and paper. So for me a daily journal works well.
I recently discovered a way to make it even more useful. I set up a lovely antique brass easel on my desk right beside my computer screen. My daily journal is one that folds open and back on itself, so I can set my journal on the easel with today's page facing me. That way I can see at a glance what is on my list to do and what I should be doing next.
It also makes it very handy to grab when I want to add any ideas or to-do items that come along as I am working.
I check off my items as I do them through the day. Any that don't get done get added to the next appropriate day, get deleted or get delegated.
How do you plan your day? Do the tools you use work well for you? Or would it perhaps help to try something different?
Start the Night Before
When do you plan your day?
Are you doing it at the best time?
When is that, you ask?
The day or the evening before.
Why is that?
When you plan your next day the day before - at the end of your day or at the end of your work day - you are fresh from having done the day's work. You know what needs to be done next and you can list it all then and there. And you can decide what is most important to get done and prioritize accordingly.
That way you can start the next day by getting right at what needs to be done.
If you try to do your planning first thing in the morning, you have to think through what you did the day before, and chances are you'll miss things or your brain will still be foggy from sleep.
Besides, if you do it the day or night before, you'll probably not take nearly as much time because you're ready to head home or get on with other things. You have more incentive to get it done and get going.
Are you doing it at the best time?
When is that, you ask?
The day or the evening before.
Why is that?
When you plan your next day the day before - at the end of your day or at the end of your work day - you are fresh from having done the day's work. You know what needs to be done next and you can list it all then and there. And you can decide what is most important to get done and prioritize accordingly.
That way you can start the next day by getting right at what needs to be done.
If you try to do your planning first thing in the morning, you have to think through what you did the day before, and chances are you'll miss things or your brain will still be foggy from sleep.
Besides, if you do it the day or night before, you'll probably not take nearly as much time because you're ready to head home or get on with other things. You have more incentive to get it done and get going.
The Important Things First
Do you want to accompllish something of significance in your life and work?
See, it isn't just about getting a lot done. It's about getting the important things done that matters.
That reminds me of the old object lesson where you are given some rocks, some stones, some gravel, some sand and some water. You are told to put them into a glass jar. If you start with the small stuff first - the water, the sand and the gravel, you'll be lucky if there is much room at all for the stones, and likely none for the rocks.
However, if you put the rocks in first, tuck the stones in between them, shake the gravel down in amongst the stones and rocks, then let the sand filter down, you'll have room enough left for the water too - and it will all fit in.
The secret of course, is to put the largest items in first, then the progressively smaller items.
If we do the same with our plans for the day - put in the most important items first, then all the other stuff will fit in as well. But if we try to start with all the minor, but often easiest things to do, we usually find that we don't have time for the things that really should come first.
Next time you plan your day, take a few minutes to think about what is most important for you to do. Prioritize your list and do the most important things first if at all possible.
See, it isn't just about getting a lot done. It's about getting the important things done that matters.
That reminds me of the old object lesson where you are given some rocks, some stones, some gravel, some sand and some water. You are told to put them into a glass jar. If you start with the small stuff first - the water, the sand and the gravel, you'll be lucky if there is much room at all for the stones, and likely none for the rocks.
However, if you put the rocks in first, tuck the stones in between them, shake the gravel down in amongst the stones and rocks, then let the sand filter down, you'll have room enough left for the water too - and it will all fit in.
The secret of course, is to put the largest items in first, then the progressively smaller items.
If we do the same with our plans for the day - put in the most important items first, then all the other stuff will fit in as well. But if we try to start with all the minor, but often easiest things to do, we usually find that we don't have time for the things that really should come first.
Next time you plan your day, take a few minutes to think about what is most important for you to do. Prioritize your list and do the most important things first if at all possible.
Those Amazing File Boxes
I don't remember when I first discovered file boxes, but boy do I like them! I think at one point I may have had about 50 of them.
They can be used for a wide variety of things - files, of course, but also books, magazines, extra office supplies, craft supplies, hobby supplies, glassware, clothing, bedding, and a thousand and one other things.
In fact, one of my collections is a Christmas Village I use for raising funds for charity and just to give people pleasure at Christmas. It takes up a whole closet in one of my spare bedrooms, but what makes it manageable is that it all gets packed away in filing boxes - houses, accessories, lights, electrical cords and all.
Because the boxes are all the same size, and usually fairly sturdy as well, it's easy to stack them in piles or rows without taking up a whole lot of extra space.
It helps to add labels to one side and one front of the boxes and then to make sure at least one of the labels is facing out when you stack them. Makes it easy to find what you are looking for.
Do you use filing boxes? If not, why not consider getting some. They can be purchased quite inexpensively at times from stationery supply stores such as Staples.
They can be used for a wide variety of things - files, of course, but also books, magazines, extra office supplies, craft supplies, hobby supplies, glassware, clothing, bedding, and a thousand and one other things.
In fact, one of my collections is a Christmas Village I use for raising funds for charity and just to give people pleasure at Christmas. It takes up a whole closet in one of my spare bedrooms, but what makes it manageable is that it all gets packed away in filing boxes - houses, accessories, lights, electrical cords and all.
Because the boxes are all the same size, and usually fairly sturdy as well, it's easy to stack them in piles or rows without taking up a whole lot of extra space.
It helps to add labels to one side and one front of the boxes and then to make sure at least one of the labels is facing out when you stack them. Makes it easy to find what you are looking for.
Do you use filing boxes? If not, why not consider getting some. They can be purchased quite inexpensively at times from stationery supply stores such as Staples.
One Secret to Getting More Done
Do you ever find yourself so busy that you don't know which way you're going anymore?
There's actually quite a simple answer to that - although not necessarly an easy one. It' s a tiny little two-letter word.
"No."
When life or business gets so busy that you are feeling overwhelmed, something needs to give. Unfortunately, all too often it's the important things in life that we give up on first - time for our health and sanity, time for our important relationships, time for our dreams, and so on.
Sometimes it really does come down to learning to say no.
That's a lesson I learned the hard way - by burning out, as they say. Trying to do too much, trying to please everybody else, not listening to my own heart.
Nowadays, even when I am tempted, as I was this week, to get involved again in a group that I would love to be part of, I said no. Because I know that I can't do it all.
In some ways, since I've learned to say no, I have a saner life, I am happier and more content. And oddly enough, I still get a lot done. Partly because I don't stretch myself so thin and partly because I am far more focused in what I do.
I recently read that the number three reason for procrastination (which certainly keeps you from getting where you want to go) is being overwhelmed - trying to do too much. They also commented that when you are overwhelmed, you actually slow down and become less productive.
So how is your schedule? Doing too much? Feeling overwhelmed?
Maybe it's time to take a good look at just what all you are trying to do. Do you really, really need to be doing all of what's on your list? Maybe it's time to start saying "No."
Like I said earlier, it's a simple solution, but not exactly an easy one.
There's actually quite a simple answer to that - although not necessarly an easy one. It' s a tiny little two-letter word.
"No."
When life or business gets so busy that you are feeling overwhelmed, something needs to give. Unfortunately, all too often it's the important things in life that we give up on first - time for our health and sanity, time for our important relationships, time for our dreams, and so on.
Sometimes it really does come down to learning to say no.
That's a lesson I learned the hard way - by burning out, as they say. Trying to do too much, trying to please everybody else, not listening to my own heart.
Nowadays, even when I am tempted, as I was this week, to get involved again in a group that I would love to be part of, I said no. Because I know that I can't do it all.
In some ways, since I've learned to say no, I have a saner life, I am happier and more content. And oddly enough, I still get a lot done. Partly because I don't stretch myself so thin and partly because I am far more focused in what I do.
I recently read that the number three reason for procrastination (which certainly keeps you from getting where you want to go) is being overwhelmed - trying to do too much. They also commented that when you are overwhelmed, you actually slow down and become less productive.
So how is your schedule? Doing too much? Feeling overwhelmed?
Maybe it's time to take a good look at just what all you are trying to do. Do you really, really need to be doing all of what's on your list? Maybe it's time to start saying "No."
Like I said earlier, it's a simple solution, but not exactly an easy one.
The Value of Intergrity
There is an old saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson that goes something along the lines of, "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
Could it be that one of things that clutters up our lives and our business relationships is a lack of truth and integrity?
I got to thinking about that this past week after an experience with a business that had great sounding words about integrity - man, it really made you want to be part of a business like that.
Unfortunately, the experience proved to be something different than the words and I lost faith in that business.
Thinking that over made me take a new look at how I do things. Do I always keep my word? Can others trust me when I tell them something?
Not only does a lack of truth and integrity destroy trust in others toward you, but it also destroys trust in you toward yourself. And that comes out in our actions in all kinds of ways that we are often unaware of.
I don't know about you, but I want to be a person of integrity. So I decided to add a little item to my daily to-do list for awhile. I call it an Intergrity Check.
At the end of the day, I simply take a few minutes to think back over the day and question whether there was anything I said or did that wasn't in integrity. Try it - you may surprise yourself at what you discover.
This may not be something you would normally think of when it comes to organizing, but think about how much untruth and dishonesty - even those little white lies - can clutter up your mind and heart and affect your life. Might be worth adding an Integrity Check to your daily list for a few weeks to see what comes up for you.
Could it be that one of things that clutters up our lives and our business relationships is a lack of truth and integrity?
I got to thinking about that this past week after an experience with a business that had great sounding words about integrity - man, it really made you want to be part of a business like that.
Unfortunately, the experience proved to be something different than the words and I lost faith in that business.
Thinking that over made me take a new look at how I do things. Do I always keep my word? Can others trust me when I tell them something?
Not only does a lack of truth and integrity destroy trust in others toward you, but it also destroys trust in you toward yourself. And that comes out in our actions in all kinds of ways that we are often unaware of.
I don't know about you, but I want to be a person of integrity. So I decided to add a little item to my daily to-do list for awhile. I call it an Intergrity Check.
At the end of the day, I simply take a few minutes to think back over the day and question whether there was anything I said or did that wasn't in integrity. Try it - you may surprise yourself at what you discover.
This may not be something you would normally think of when it comes to organizing, but think about how much untruth and dishonesty - even those little white lies - can clutter up your mind and heart and affect your life. Might be worth adding an Integrity Check to your daily list for a few weeks to see what comes up for you.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Clutter Collectors
Do you have places in your home or workspace where clutter seems to collect?
Why not find some "Clutter Collectors" to put in those areas?
For example, put a large decorative bowl or basket by the door to collect keys and mail and the other odds and sorts that you dump when you come in.
What about in your office? What collects and where in your workspace?
In my office it's paper. I am an avid ideas collector, so I'm forever scribbling down the latest find on a piece of notepaper (actually, I use a paper cutter to recycle used 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper that I cut into six pieces). I have a container especially for those notepapers, and then I have a container with a series of sections in it to collect these ideas in several main categories.
I'm also an avid reader, so there are always piles of books around. I now have a lovely wooden book rack in my office that keeps most of the book piles under control. (Sheepish grin - as there are always a few that manage to escape!)
There's always plenty of paper to recycle, so I keep a box handy under or near my desk where the recycled paper goes right away. Sure makes it easier to deal with.
What collects on your desk or in your office? And what interesting container can you use to collect it?
Why not find some "Clutter Collectors" to put in those areas?
For example, put a large decorative bowl or basket by the door to collect keys and mail and the other odds and sorts that you dump when you come in.
What about in your office? What collects and where in your workspace?
In my office it's paper. I am an avid ideas collector, so I'm forever scribbling down the latest find on a piece of notepaper (actually, I use a paper cutter to recycle used 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper that I cut into six pieces). I have a container especially for those notepapers, and then I have a container with a series of sections in it to collect these ideas in several main categories.
I'm also an avid reader, so there are always piles of books around. I now have a lovely wooden book rack in my office that keeps most of the book piles under control. (Sheepish grin - as there are always a few that manage to escape!)
There's always plenty of paper to recycle, so I keep a box handy under or near my desk where the recycled paper goes right away. Sure makes it easier to deal with.
What collects on your desk or in your office? And what interesting container can you use to collect it?
Who Switched Off My Brain?
I was recently introduced to a very interesting book called "Who Switched Off My Brain" by Dr. Caroline Leaf.
It's a short book, but a fascinating read about how our amazing brains work.
You may wonder what this has to do with organizing, but what it said about dealing with our memories and emotional clutter was right on the money.
When we have emotional stuff that we aren't dealing with in good ways, that affects the mind in a variety of ways. First of all, it releases toxic chemicals into our blood stream and that affects everything in our bodies negatively. It can go so far as to actually shut down parts of our brain so that we don't function well. Instead of making wise choices and decisions, we end up responding emotionally - usually negatively. That seldom does much to help us.
So taking the time to deal with feelings of anger, bitterness, guilt, regret and other negative emtions like that is very important to our mental health. Learning to forgive others and to come from a place of love is far better for your brain - and all the rest of you too.
One way to deal with emotional clutter is to journal. Simply write about what is going on in your life - and most importantly, how you feel about that. It is very healthy to get your emotions out so you can face and deal with them. But it is far wiser to write about them in a journal than to stuff them inside and then blow the lid at some inopportune time.
I can attest to the wisdom of this. I grew up in a family where there were things that you just didn't talk about. I know first hand how crippling that can be and how freeing it was for me when I learned that I could acknowledge that I was feeling angry or hurt or some other negative emotion. I came to see that those emotions were there for a reason - they were telling me that there was something I needed to deal with. It's been a journey learning how to do that, but one I am immensely grateful for.
Getting back to the organizing. If the purpose of getting organized is to be able to do more or to do it better, getting the emotional clutter cleaned up goes a long way to making it easier to do that.
It's a short book, but a fascinating read about how our amazing brains work.
You may wonder what this has to do with organizing, but what it said about dealing with our memories and emotional clutter was right on the money.
When we have emotional stuff that we aren't dealing with in good ways, that affects the mind in a variety of ways. First of all, it releases toxic chemicals into our blood stream and that affects everything in our bodies negatively. It can go so far as to actually shut down parts of our brain so that we don't function well. Instead of making wise choices and decisions, we end up responding emotionally - usually negatively. That seldom does much to help us.
So taking the time to deal with feelings of anger, bitterness, guilt, regret and other negative emtions like that is very important to our mental health. Learning to forgive others and to come from a place of love is far better for your brain - and all the rest of you too.
One way to deal with emotional clutter is to journal. Simply write about what is going on in your life - and most importantly, how you feel about that. It is very healthy to get your emotions out so you can face and deal with them. But it is far wiser to write about them in a journal than to stuff them inside and then blow the lid at some inopportune time.
I can attest to the wisdom of this. I grew up in a family where there were things that you just didn't talk about. I know first hand how crippling that can be and how freeing it was for me when I learned that I could acknowledge that I was feeling angry or hurt or some other negative emotion. I came to see that those emotions were there for a reason - they were telling me that there was something I needed to deal with. It's been a journey learning how to do that, but one I am immensely grateful for.
Getting back to the organizing. If the purpose of getting organized is to be able to do more or to do it better, getting the emotional clutter cleaned up goes a long way to making it easier to do that.
Mental Clutter
Clutter isn't just the stuff laying around the house or work space. Clutter is also about what goes on in your mind.
Think about it. Your mind is a fantastic thing, but even it needs help. If you aren't organized in your space, your time and your to-do lists, guess who is going to try to remember all that?
Yup - your poor over-worked brain. The thing is, you may not even be aware of a lot of that because it is going on at a subconscious level. But you wonder why you're feeling tired and stressed, and why it's hard to work well even when it seems you have time.
How do you help your mind?
By creating a series of systems that you learn to trust. For example, if you have a tickler file where you keep all the items that need to be done on a certain day, and you have yourself trained into the habit of using it daily, then your mind heaves a sigh of relief because it knows it doesn't have to remember that anymore.
Think about it. Your mind is a fantastic thing, but even it needs help. If you aren't organized in your space, your time and your to-do lists, guess who is going to try to remember all that?
Yup - your poor over-worked brain. The thing is, you may not even be aware of a lot of that because it is going on at a subconscious level. But you wonder why you're feeling tired and stressed, and why it's hard to work well even when it seems you have time.
How do you help your mind?
By creating a series of systems that you learn to trust. For example, if you have a tickler file where you keep all the items that need to be done on a certain day, and you have yourself trained into the habit of using it daily, then your mind heaves a sigh of relief because it knows it doesn't have to remember that anymore.
Use What You Love & Enjoy
When you are looking for containers and items to get yourself organized, choose things that you enjoy and that give you pleasure.
For example, I collect glassware because it's something I enjoy. So I created a personal desk organizer from a square glass baking dish, a smaller square baking dish which works perfectly for post-it pads, and several crystal glasses that make great pencil holders for all the odds and sorts that I use frequently.
Remember the Tickle File I told you about in a previous post? Mine sits in this lovely ornamental lidded box on the edge of my desk where all the today items are right at the front where I can see them and easily reach them.
So what gives you pleasure? What would you enjoy using on a daily basis?
After all, if you are going to be using and looking at something everyday, why not make it something that gives you pleasure?
For example, I collect glassware because it's something I enjoy. So I created a personal desk organizer from a square glass baking dish, a smaller square baking dish which works perfectly for post-it pads, and several crystal glasses that make great pencil holders for all the odds and sorts that I use frequently.
So what gives you pleasure? What would you enjoy using on a daily basis?
After all, if you are going to be using and looking at something everyday, why not make it something that gives you pleasure?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Use a Tickle File
Okay, you say, what on earth is a "tickle file"? It's a reminder system that "tickles" your memory and makes it easy to remember what to do when.
What you will need for this system is a set of tabbed dividers or file folders from 1-31 for the days of the month, and a set of tabbed dividers or file folders for the months of the year. Here's the ones I use. (I've added an extra set of 8 tabs at the back for current projects.)
You can put these in a binder or in a desktop file holder or whatever works best for you. If you want to buy a tickle file already created for you, here's some options to check out.
Anything that needs to be done next month or some month later in the year, simply put into the appropriate month's section.
When the end of the month comes along, all your day sections should be empty. Now take all the items from the next month and put them into the appropriate days for the new current month.
Some people rotate the day and month files so that the current date or month is always at the front. That way they just need to grab the current date folder, put all those items in their inbox and away they go.
So what should or could you put in a tickle file?
Set a regular time of day to check your tickle file. Maybe first thing in the morning, or last thing at night when you are preparing for the next day's schedule. If you do that faithfully, then you can trust your tickle file to remind you and your mind can relax because it knows now that it doesn't have to keep all of those things in its active file.
What you will need for this system is a set of tabbed dividers or file folders from 1-31 for the days of the month, and a set of tabbed dividers or file folders for the months of the year. Here's the ones I use. (I've added an extra set of 8 tabs at the back for current projects.)
You can put these in a binder or in a desktop file holder or whatever works best for you. If you want to buy a tickle file already created for you, here's some options to check out.
- http://www.smead.com/Director.asp?NodeID=141&group=0&item=89235
- http://www.onlineorganizing.com/ProductsPage.asp?name=Accordion_Tickler_File_Sorter
Anything that needs to be done next month or some month later in the year, simply put into the appropriate month's section.
When the end of the month comes along, all your day sections should be empty. Now take all the items from the next month and put them into the appropriate days for the new current month.
Some people rotate the day and month files so that the current date or month is always at the front. That way they just need to grab the current date folder, put all those items in their inbox and away they go.
So what should or could you put in a tickle file?
- bills and invoices to pay
- birthday and anniversary cards (you might want to keep a monthly list of birthdays in your files too - keep each month's list in the previous month's file so you can prepare for the following month)
- tickets or reminders for events, shows or concerts
- reminders for any things that need to be done on certain days (for regular things like watering your plants - make a note on an index card and each time you use it, move the card to the next date that you need to do that item)
- travel documents
- checkbook for bill-paying dates
- warranties
- library book reminders
- home maintenance dates
- etc
Set a regular time of day to check your tickle file. Maybe first thing in the morning, or last thing at night when you are preparing for the next day's schedule. If you do that faithfully, then you can trust your tickle file to remind you and your mind can relax because it knows now that it doesn't have to keep all of those things in its active file.
Give It A Home Base
How do you find something? There's an easy way to take care of that. Just give everything a home base.
What do I mean by that?
Assign everything a place of its own. For example, phone books go by the phone. Keys go in a basket or container by the door where you usually come in. Shoes go on the mat in the entry closet. Files go into the filing cabinet or your desktop file holder. Pens and pencils go in the pencil holder. Tape and envelopes could go in a desk drawer. And so on.
While others can make suggestions for where to put things, the most important thing is that you put them where it makes sense to you and where you will remember it.
Some things may need more than one home base. It's a good idea to have a holder with pens, scissors, paper, etc in several areas - your desk, by the phone, next to your bed, by your easy chair, etc.
The idea is that everything has a place. Then when you need that something, you know where to find it.
Of course, there is a caveat to that - you'll find it providing you have obeyed one of the cardinal rules of organizing, which is, when you've finished using it, put it back in its place!
What do I mean by that?
Assign everything a place of its own. For example, phone books go by the phone. Keys go in a basket or container by the door where you usually come in. Shoes go on the mat in the entry closet. Files go into the filing cabinet or your desktop file holder. Pens and pencils go in the pencil holder. Tape and envelopes could go in a desk drawer. And so on.
While others can make suggestions for where to put things, the most important thing is that you put them where it makes sense to you and where you will remember it.
Some things may need more than one home base. It's a good idea to have a holder with pens, scissors, paper, etc in several areas - your desk, by the phone, next to your bed, by your easy chair, etc.
The idea is that everything has a place. Then when you need that something, you know where to find it.
Of course, there is a caveat to that - you'll find it providing you have obeyed one of the cardinal rules of organizing, which is, when you've finished using it, put it back in its place!
Hot, Warm, Cold
Here's a simple way to determine where to put things. Items you use frequently need to be placed closest to where you use them. These are your "hot" items.
Items you use, but less frequently can be placed a bit further away. These are your "warm" items.
Things you only use once in a long while are your "cold" items and they can be stored anywhere.
For example, in your office, "hot" items would most likely include your phone, paper, pens, files, phonebook or rolodex, computer and so on. These should be within easy reach.
"Warm" items like extra paper for your printer, resource books, extra office supplies, etc, could be placed in a cabinet or closet across the room. Basically somewhere where you could access them within a few steps.
Outdated files that have to be kept for legal reasons could be stored in offsite storage or a basement room. Any "cold" items like this can be stored where they can be accessed if absolutely needed, but are likely not going to be needed.
Items you use, but less frequently can be placed a bit further away. These are your "warm" items.
Things you only use once in a long while are your "cold" items and they can be stored anywhere.
For example, in your office, "hot" items would most likely include your phone, paper, pens, files, phonebook or rolodex, computer and so on. These should be within easy reach.
"Warm" items like extra paper for your printer, resource books, extra office supplies, etc, could be placed in a cabinet or closet across the room. Basically somewhere where you could access them within a few steps.
Outdated files that have to be kept for legal reasons could be stored in offsite storage or a basement room. Any "cold" items like this can be stored where they can be accessed if absolutely needed, but are likely not going to be needed.
What's Your Next Action?
In his book "Getting Things Done", David Allen gives a simple question to ask of all the "stuff" you have on your lists of things to do.
The question is this, "What's the next action required?"
The answer to that is to determine the very next thing that needs to be done - an actual, physical action.
So for example, if one of your to-do items is to plan your vacation, what is the first next step to getting that done? It might be to talk to your family about where to go. If you already know that, it might be to get the latest travel guides for your destination - which might translate into steps such as visiting your nearest AMA or CAA office to get their guides. Or maybe to go online and do some research.
So for anything that comes up on your to-do list from here on, take the time to think through the next action step and write that down. Better yet, also schedule a time to do that.
This step alone can begin to move you ahead with things that have you stalled because you're not clear about what to do next.
The question is this, "What's the next action required?"
The answer to that is to determine the very next thing that needs to be done - an actual, physical action.
So for example, if one of your to-do items is to plan your vacation, what is the first next step to getting that done? It might be to talk to your family about where to go. If you already know that, it might be to get the latest travel guides for your destination - which might translate into steps such as visiting your nearest AMA or CAA office to get their guides. Or maybe to go online and do some research.
So for anything that comes up on your to-do list from here on, take the time to think through the next action step and write that down. Better yet, also schedule a time to do that.
This step alone can begin to move you ahead with things that have you stalled because you're not clear about what to do next.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The 24-Hour Rule
One area of clutter or chaos that we probably don't often think about is our mind and emotions. Yet it can be one of the most important areas to deal with.
Today I want to share a great idea I recently heard via Harvey Mackay. He tells the story of Don Shula, a professional football coach. One of the reasons for Shula's great success was something he called the 24-Hour Rule.
The basic idea of this rule was that regardless of whether his team won or lost, they had 24 hours during which they could celebrate their victory or brood over a defeat. They were encouraged to feel their emotions - of success or of failure - as deeply as they could.
But once the 24 hours was up, all of that was to be put behind them and they were now to focus all their energy on the next game coming up. It was a powerful way of keeping both victory or defeat in perspective.
So what about us? Do we have a way of clearing the decks emotionally? When things go wrong, as they always will at some point, do we brood and fret over the mistakes we or others made till it drags us down to discouragement and failure? Or do we feel what we feel, face it, deal with it and move on?
I really like this idea of giving yourself 24 hours to face whatever is going on, and then putting it behind you and moving on. What do you think?
Today I want to share a great idea I recently heard via Harvey Mackay. He tells the story of Don Shula, a professional football coach. One of the reasons for Shula's great success was something he called the 24-Hour Rule.
The basic idea of this rule was that regardless of whether his team won or lost, they had 24 hours during which they could celebrate their victory or brood over a defeat. They were encouraged to feel their emotions - of success or of failure - as deeply as they could.
But once the 24 hours was up, all of that was to be put behind them and they were now to focus all their energy on the next game coming up. It was a powerful way of keeping both victory or defeat in perspective.
So what about us? Do we have a way of clearing the decks emotionally? When things go wrong, as they always will at some point, do we brood and fret over the mistakes we or others made till it drags us down to discouragement and failure? Or do we feel what we feel, face it, deal with it and move on?
I really like this idea of giving yourself 24 hours to face whatever is going on, and then putting it behind you and moving on. What do you think?
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Cost of Disorganization
There are a number of costs to being disorganized.
First, the financial cost. Try this simple equation for starters. Estimate how much time on average you waste in a day looking for things you can’t find, being interrupted, doing work just to look busy, etc. Experts say the average is 90 minutes a day.
Multiply that by your wage per hour, then by how many days a week you work and then by the number of weeks in a year that you work. That is how much it is costing you to be disorganized.
For example - let’s say being disorganized costs you an hour a day. At a minimum of $15/hr x 5 days/week x 50 weeks/year, that is costing you $3750 per year.
If you’re a professional making $50, $75 or $100/hour, being disorganized could be costing you $12,500, $18,750 or $25,000 per year.
When you start looking at those numbers, getting organized suddenly seems to make a lot more sense.
Then there is the emotional and mental cost. How much energy do you waste on feeling discouraged, frustrated or angry when you can’t find the things you need? When bills don’t get paid on time and you have to pay overdue fees? When you lose sales or worse because your time isn’t managed well?
What about the physical cost of always being stressed and tired? Not being able to think clearly? Getting sick?
Is it worth the time and effort – or paying someone to help you if you need that – to get yourself organized? Only you can determine how much any of the above are costing you in lost income, time, health and happiness.
First, the financial cost. Try this simple equation for starters. Estimate how much time on average you waste in a day looking for things you can’t find, being interrupted, doing work just to look busy, etc. Experts say the average is 90 minutes a day.
Multiply that by your wage per hour, then by how many days a week you work and then by the number of weeks in a year that you work. That is how much it is costing you to be disorganized.
For example - let’s say being disorganized costs you an hour a day. At a minimum of $15/hr x 5 days/week x 50 weeks/year, that is costing you $3750 per year.
If you’re a professional making $50, $75 or $100/hour, being disorganized could be costing you $12,500, $18,750 or $25,000 per year.
When you start looking at those numbers, getting organized suddenly seems to make a lot more sense.
Then there is the emotional and mental cost. How much energy do you waste on feeling discouraged, frustrated or angry when you can’t find the things you need? When bills don’t get paid on time and you have to pay overdue fees? When you lose sales or worse because your time isn’t managed well?
What about the physical cost of always being stressed and tired? Not being able to think clearly? Getting sick?
Is it worth the time and effort – or paying someone to help you if you need that – to get yourself organized? Only you can determine how much any of the above are costing you in lost income, time, health and happiness.
Why Get Organized?
With all the busy lives we lead these days, why would you take time you hardly have now to get yourself organized?
If you’re a small business person, this is probably doubly true. When you’re trying to run a business as well as a life, it can get pretty crazy some days.
But that’s exactly why you need to get better organized.
Get better organized and you’ll give yourself hours of extra time that you can spend on better planning your business. Which should lead to doing more of the things that make you money and make you more productive. All of which should also enable you to spend less time working and more time doing the things that really matter to you.
When you become effectively organized, it’s easier to say no to the things you don’t need to do. You become clearer about, and more focused on, the things that you know are important to you and the life you want to live.
As the old saying goes, a person on their deathbed is highly unlikely to say they wish they had spent more time at the office. The things that really matter – relationships with family, friends and others are the things that count most.
Getting properly organized will help accomplish that much faster and better.
So take a minute or two right now and think about what you would really like to do with your life. Hopefully the ideas I share here will give you some actual things you can do to start making your life more organized and productive.
If you’re a small business person, this is probably doubly true. When you’re trying to run a business as well as a life, it can get pretty crazy some days.
But that’s exactly why you need to get better organized.
Get better organized and you’ll give yourself hours of extra time that you can spend on better planning your business. Which should lead to doing more of the things that make you money and make you more productive. All of which should also enable you to spend less time working and more time doing the things that really matter to you.
When you become effectively organized, it’s easier to say no to the things you don’t need to do. You become clearer about, and more focused on, the things that you know are important to you and the life you want to live.
As the old saying goes, a person on their deathbed is highly unlikely to say they wish they had spent more time at the office. The things that really matter – relationships with family, friends and others are the things that count most.
Getting properly organized will help accomplish that much faster and better.
So take a minute or two right now and think about what you would really like to do with your life. Hopefully the ideas I share here will give you some actual things you can do to start making your life more organized and productive.
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