These harmless looking thieves can be stealing your time.
Be on the look out and handle them accordingly...
The pencil cup caddy.
Having writing utensils close a hand is a great idea. Yet how many is enough, really?
Check your pencil caddy for excessive amounts, dried out pens and pencils that have seen better days too. Weed out the undesirables and keep your best close at hand only.
Tips: Test your wares and keep your spare writing utensils in a drawer or bin with other extra supplies.
Paperclips.
Paperclips are great yet sometimes they can be a problem as when documents are stacked up they can trap papers that don't belong together.
Tip: Use staples when possible; they can always be removed later.
Peek around your office today and see if there are any other timewasters stealing your productivity one minute at a time. They could be in the form of distracting objects, defective supplies or drawers full of junk.
I have researched, purchased and used many different organizing products over the years. Over time I have discovered that indeed, not all organizing products are created equal.
Here are two of them that are tried and true for thousands of people and definitely have my stamp of approval.
Great systems like these, if used correctly can make a huge difference to getting and staying organized.
FreedomFiler:
https://freedomfiler.com/Home.cfm?CFID=643760&CFTOKEN=15904802
The Paper Tiger:
http://www.thepapertiger.com/
Please check them out today. You'll find that the on-line tutorials they offer give a very good look at how each work and how they may even work well together.
*Want to learn more about getting help to install these systems into your office or home? Call 778-866-6942 for details.
Talking about time & task management and making decisions about what needs to get done, this last month has been a challenge for me. I do understand the pressures many of my clients face from first hand experience.
That past Tidy Times article on 'Delegation' was partially inspired by my hopes to push off some tasks soon. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Believe me, I am happy to have busy times, I appreciate the business, I enjoy the exercise some projects have provided me, and I am happy to have the ability to postpone some activities so I can help others.
So, as the title of today's introduction 'Is your 'backburner' on overdrive too?' may allude to, my 'Backburner' file is pretty full. How's yours?
Maybe you're so busy you have to put off a few things as well, yet you want to make sure you keep them under the 'radar', right? That is when the 'backburner file comes in so handy. It works very nicely along side the Tickler file system too.
If you don't already have a section in your 'action files' called something like 'Backburner', 'Do Later' or even 'Ideas & Goals' I do hope you will consider it. It's a great place to keep notes, articles and documents for projects you would like to get to when things slow down.
 If you’re a small business owner like me, you likely have been to one or two talks about what to do and what not to do when starting and growing your business. One popular piece of advice is that we should not try to do everything ourselves, thus wearing too many hats. In other words ‘Don’t Fly Solo’.
When I started out in business I had an abundance of time, plenty of knowledge, great computer skills, and very little budget. As a result, I did everything myself. Yet as my business grows and my clients need more of my time and energy, I look forward to delegating some of the tasks that I either don’t care for, or that could be done faster and more efficiently by someone else. Then I can focus on what I do best - assisting my valued clients with their organizational needs both at work and at home.
Delegation is the art of enlisting the help of others and it is one of the key decisions in an organization tool I call the 4 D’s: Do it, Defer it, Delete it, and Delegate it.
Let’s look at delegation a little closer. Here are 5 key aspects to effective delegation:
1. Know what needs to get done.
Gather up the facts and make a list of all the activities that you are responsible for. Until you have this written down and can ‘sum-up’ the tasks, you will not be able to effectively delegate to others. Choose to do your best work and decide what you can let go of. 2. Pick from your list, the items you feel you can do most effectively and enjoy.
Focus on what you do best, and what you have the skills for. Let others help with the rest. 3. Choose the right people for the job.
Look for people who possess the rights skills, relevant experience, a good attitude, and the availability to do the work. 4. Follow through and evaluate progress.
Holding yourself and others accountable is important. Be clear on what is expected and that progress will be monitored and evaluated. Most people enjoy challenge and showing just what they are capable of. 5. Reward yourself and others for efforts and results.Celebrate the completion of projects and acknowledge those involved. It’s not just about monetary compensation. It’s important for people to feel good about what they do. Now the list of tasks to delegate could be long and varied. Tasks that are easy to delegate could include proofreading, word processing, web development, social media networking, presentation development, and mail-merges to name a few. There are many capable personal/virtual assistants who can help with these and other administrative tasks. If your office space and budget doesn’t support or require a permanent full time employee, a qualified, experienced virtual assistant can be a god-send. I personally know of some great people to call for this and one that comes to the forefront of my mind is TBS Virtual Assistance. Truly ‘thorough, dependable and equipped’ are a few words to describe TBS and Lisa, the principal owner. With qualified professionals such as Lisa, your only thoughts should be to ‘know what needs to get done’ and ‘choose to do your best work’. When you have the ‘Right people’ that will ‘Follow through’ all that will be left is the ‘Rewards’. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and bound by clutter and it’s preventing you from finding your way through the first step of ‘knowing what needs to get done’, professional organizers like me are here for you also. Delegating the work of organizing your office should definitely be on the list.
Delegation, a ‘life-skill’ for your success!
Warmest Regards,
Michelle Panzlaff
 If you catch yourself saying
'I don't know where to start.' or
'I don't know what to do with any of this' try these 3 tips...
1. Spread things out a little so you are not stuck seeing the forest rather than the trees.
2. Start with items that you know what do with. Put them away immediately.
3. Pick items up one by one and force yourself to look at them.
Once you have put away the items you know what to do with you may see categories emerging. If items don't have a home or don't fit in current location keep gathering them up in their 'like' groups.
After you have your categories of stuff sorted out you will be in a better position to gauge what else can get tossed, donated or recycled, and where the keepers should be kept.
1. Handle paper only once.
And if that is not possible, at least try to move it one step closer to completion every time you do pick it up.
2. Make decisions now.
Don’t put things down ‘for now’. Commit yourself to decide what to do with each piece of paper immediately.
3. Clear out your in-box for 15 minutes each day.
Don’t turn your ‘in-box’, into a ‘procrastinator tray’.
4. Sort by Category.
Mail and e-mail should be sorted into categories. Try sorting ‘by Priority’, ‘by Action’ or ‘by Date’
5. Write notes in the right place.
Numerous scraps of paper and notes will only serve to frustrate you. Choose one place to keep notes, and if they pertain to a client folder or project, put the notes in the proper file as soon as possible.
6. Get real about what you can read.
Limit subscriptions, clip articles out if you want to keep it and recycle the rest of the periodical right away. Be realistic about how much you can actually read too.
7. Purge papers regularly.
Twice a year purges will do wonders to keep the volume down. Take time to thin out files that contain unimportant notes, drafts and other non-essential information.
8. Keep file systems logical and easy to use.
Creating a Dewey Decimal coded system or trying to develop some mythical ‘Perfect’ system is an urge you should resist.
 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: - 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. - 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. - 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.
"3 things every busy professional should know...
But probably doesn't"
1. There are only 4 decisions
to make with tasks and mail
Applying the 'One-Touch' rule can easily cut down on clutter as it's a fact that clutter is merely 'Postponed Decisions'. Try this: Look at each task in front of you, one-by-one, and make a decision:
Delete It: If you don't need to do it, don't! As with all 'stuff', ask yourself if it has true value.
Delegate It: Be clear about deadlines and expectations. Use delegation tools and track actions.
Defer It: Create a 'Deferred List' and review often. If it has a deadline schedule it in.
Do It: If you can do it in less than 5 min's, do it now. Imagine the immediate satisfaction!
(Visit my 'BUSINESS' page for a free copy of the 4 D's)
2. 20% of our 'To Do' lists hold 80% of the value,
Prioritizing is key
I have seen some stressed out professionals scrambling on last minute deadlines, putting out fires and struggling with no clear priorities set. Spinning wheels on the 80% of tasks that contain little or no value can eat up one's energy pretty fast.
The simple act of prioritizing tasks on only two criteria, 'Value' and 'Deadline', can help end this vicious cycle. The concept of the 'Time Matrix' can help save the day and give you an 'at-a-glance' look at what the top priorities and deadlines are. Stay focused and get more 'valued' tasks done and be more effective just by using this tool.
(Get your free copy of my version of the Time Matrix & my
'Tiger Tables' by signing up for TIDY TIMES on my 'Home Page')
3. Over 200 hours a year are lost by the
average business owner
Disorganization in the workplace costs on average over $3600.00 per employee in lost wages per year as employees and business owners lose time looking for things. Average losses are estimated at 1 hour per day. Times that by 5 days a week, for 48 working weeks, at a starting salary of $15/hour and you'll see for yourself how much disorganization can cost a business.
It can get worse when you consider a few other factors, starting with sick time and illness due to stress, lost customers that lose faith in the company, poor productivity from overlapping tasks, purchasing things you already own, forgotten invoicing and last minute 'overtime' created by poor planning. The costs here can be enormous depending on the nature of the business.
Some signs that a change may be due are:
· Desk cluttered with files and equipment.
· Procrastination. It's either the fear of failure or simple indecision.
· Being reactive instead of proactive.
 Sharing ideas on why 'To-Do' lists are more effective than 'Visual Reminders'.
Visual reminders can be helpful, yet when they get used for too many things they become clutter.
This clutter makes us feel overwhelmed, breaks our focus and can make us lose sight of our top priorities.
We tend to think 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind', yet let's consider the role of the 'To-Do' list to help us to remember what our priorities are instead.
Writing down our tasks and then putting away the file or project to where it belongs means we will remember to do it.
And with projects out of the way we can then focus more clearly on tasks individually, thus being even more effective.
My gift of Tiger Tables and the Time Matrix tools that I share with my newsletter readers is great for keeping priorities clear. They should be used in conjunction with your day-planner.
If you don't have a copy, please sign up on my home page now and get your free gifts today.
And remember to make sure that if a task is truly important, if it has a deadline, and if it will take more than 20 minutes, that you put it in your calendar. 'Getting the Stones Down' as they say.
If you having trouble, are overwhelmed and need help to get started in the right direction, try my 'Get Your Life Back' package which includes 2 full hands on sessions and calls and emails to follow.
Can you relate to one of these tendencies? What is getting in the way of becoming more organized? Read on for some quick tips for each category and start leading a more productive, less stressful life today.
Tips for the Procrastinator:
1. Take one task on at a time. Moving stuff around is a waste of time, try to be realistic with how long a task will take and schedule the work into your day.
2. Release guilt if there is something that you truly know you will not get to. If it's not a "must do" go ahead and cross it off your list. (Read past article "Don't let Others "Should" on You" to learn more about letting go)
3. If you "must" do it, schedule the work into your planner.
4. Enlist a friend or relative to cheer you on or nag you a bit when you need it. Try to find someone you see often so they can keep on you if you fall behind.
Tips for the Packrat:
1. Try to visualize how great you will feel if you can move around freely in your space knowing you won't step on things or run into obstacles.
2. Consider your collections and pull out the truly cherished belongings to keep and display, while weeding out what you don't need or want and putting the rest into storage.
3. Try rotating your collection each month or year to bring other pieces out and putting the current items away. That way you can still display more of your collection without having them all out at once.
4. When purging and sorting your collection, enlist the help of a professional or a friend. They can help you ask the right questions so you keep the things that are truly meaningful to you.
Tips for the Perfectionist:
1. There is no "One way" to do anything. It is better to start than to wait until you can do everything perfectly. Do what you can and you can work on improving it later.
2. Break down large tasks into small bit-sized pieces so you don't have to worry about trying to get everything completed the moment you start.
3. Don't try keeping everything in a constant state of perfection. Homes and offices you see in magazines are quite often staged. Notice how there is no pets, no kids and no activities going on in the picture. Give yourself a break and allow room to live in your space.
4. Note your priorities. If there is a specific issue that is causing you the most pain, start there.
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