In today's high tech, fast paced world, where we are experiencing distractions more than ever before. Our mobile phones, our email and the urges to multitask in an effort to get more done are adding up, and for many this is bringing on a feeling of overwhelm. Getting anything truly significant done in this environment is a wonder.

One trick to actually accomplishing some of the greater tasks on our plate is to give ourselves a big enough buffer. We need to accept the fact that interruptions will come, and e need to block out enough time in our day to accommodate them.

So what's a good guideline?

Well that's hard to say, as it depends on the task. A good starting guideline would be that if you had a task that you estimate will take 2 hours, try blocking 3 instead. Throw a short break in the middle of it too if needed. 

Yes, you can probably expect interruptions, just don't encourage them. When you schedule your work sessions you should turn the ringer on the phone off, shut the office door and ignore email as much as possible.

(Did you know that for every interruption you experience you automatically lose 5 minutes or more of concentration? This can add up very fast.)

If your working on task and giving your concentration to the task a good 1 or 2 hour session may be a good enough chunk of time to get some significant progress going on, and then you can break for a time to make sure no fires have broken out.

Another trick is that when you are in the middle of work and an idea or thought comes into your head that you absolutely can not forget about, just take one minute to write it out and put away to deal with at a more appropriate time. The idea is to just clear your head of the distraction by getting it in a place where you know you can find it later and then quickly get back to what you were doing.

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Poorly designed file cabinets, that when drawers are fully open, 3 inches of inaccessible file space is left behind!  

Ever wonder how much thought goes into some of the office supply and equipment on the market? 
Well I do. And recently I was reminded of just how poor some things are made and how it can lead to office clutter.

Technical error is common, and for some, this quickly resolved issue can make a world of difference.

When choosing your file cabinet please consider the following points:
  • Capacity is in line with your needs leaving 10%-20% extra space
  • That it is either Legal or Letter sized depending on your long term needs
  • The quality is good and it will last as long as you feel you will need it
  • It has security keys if needed to lock up valuable or private documents
  • The drawers allow access to very back of drawer
  • The look is acceptable with your decor
  • You have enough file holders and tabs to suit your labeling needs
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Determining what ‘needs’ to get done, what ‘should’ get done and what ‘could’ get done, and in what ‘order’ is what we call ‘Prioritizing’. 

We all know that our priorities are mainly going to be items that come directly from our goals. However, along the way there will always be priorities that come to us that we didn’t expect or plan for. We also find that during our journey towards out goals, that we find new possibilities spring up that catch our eye. 

To help us stay focused on what truly matters here are three ideas to consider:

  1. Focus on ‘Value’ over ‘Deadline’
Instead of dealing with every item on your list based on its apparent deadlines, first separate your ‘to-do’ list into ‘Valuable’ and ‘Not so Valuable’. My Tiger Tables and Copy of the Time Matrix will help you do this with greater ease, so if you haven’t tried using them, give it a try and see for yourself. Another thing to watch for here is ‘crises’ that others push on you at the last minute. Don’t let poor planning or follow through from someone else become your issue unless it is important enough.

  1. When taking on new responsibilities considering letting go of others.
Like your hallway closet has a limit to how many coats and shoes it can hold, so too does your calendar. If you are going to take on a new project, and you already have just enough time to get what you need done, decide what you are going to give up to make room. You can not continue to pile on projects and responsibilities without clearing a few items off your plate. If you can delegate or hire help to enable you to do more, than do so, yet before you commit ask yourself if you really have the time and if the project really has the value. Tip: be careful not to sweep things under the carpet ‘for now’ as this habit can lead to a mountain growing under you that you wont notice until it’s too late.

  1. Decline doing what is not of value to you.
Saying ‘no’ can be hard, I know. It is after all something that I struggle to get better at myself. As helpful, loving and creative people we want to help, support and show just how much we are capable of when it comes to new assignments and opportunities. You may have read my article ‘Don’t let others ‘Should’ on you’ and sometimes the case is that we ‘Should’ on ourselves. Learning to say ‘no’ can be difficult, yet it is a valuable skill if we want to stay focused on what is truly important. When assignments come up ask yourself if it aligns with your overall goals, or if it is too important to let go. If you answer is ‘no’ then decline to get involved.
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In my latest presentation to the Roaring Women's Group of Vancouver I shared a lot of information on common obstacles to getting and staying organized. 

What I didn't have enough time to cover was the 'Barriers' we come across when faced with the prospect of having to 'Let Go'.  
Obstacles and Barriers do cover some common ground, yet Barriers are more focused on the fears we have. Rather than going into details on the dozen of barriers that can be faced, today I will talk about one important barrier.  That barrier that involves us hanging onto unwise purchases we regret. 
 
You'll know you've hit this barrier if you say something like:
"I can't toss this, it cost me too much!"

When you catch yourself saying this, it should be a sign that you need to seriously consider letting this item go!

Why, may you ask?

Because holding onto to something only because it cost too much is like holding onto crashing stocks. We fear that if we get rid of the object which we now regret buying, that we will make this loss ‘real’. 

It is 'real' already. Hanging onto this object of ‘regret’ however does nothing more than to remind us of our mistake. 

Ask yourself. Can someone else make use of this? Can I donate it and get a tax deduction? Can a sell it? 

Make the choice to free yourself from clutter that only serves to make you feel bad and make more room for 'happy' in your world instead.
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