1-2-3 Sort
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" by Eve Abbott 1 - 2 - 3-SORT! Every time you start to clean up your office so you can work better instead of harder-that big backlog of information is just too overwhelming. Sorting can actually put you into a better working space in very short time! The good news is you don't have to do it all at once. Use the first cut to trash, recycle, shred, and archive leaving just the items requiring Action on your part. Now do the Action sort beginning with your desktop, desk drawers, then, wall mount shelves or cupboards at your desk. You'll have a clean Action zone to put these items back in better working order. Then, it's 1 - 2 - 3-SORT! Sort and only sort-no reading a newsletter or making one quick call. Also, work for two hours or less, take a break, then, finish it off with another two hours at the most. Otherwise, our stone age brains overload and start putting things in the wrong place. There are three essential Action domains: 1) to Do 2) to Read 3) to File. TO DO: In the to-Do domain there are some basic categories: Call, Pay, Sign, Schedule, Correspond, Read, Review, Write, Research, etc. Everyone has unique information categories in their work and lives, but, these will get you going and you can add Actions as your piles take on definition and turn into Action files. When a piece of info is sticking to your fingers, ask yourself:
Am I past the due date? Trash or if you need other info from it, file it.
Will anyone care if I do or don't do this? If not, why spend time on it? Trash Do I really need to do this? If no-trash. If yes, into an Action file and calendar it. TO READ: Set up magazine files to sort your reading material as it arrives. Label these by topic, project or subscription. Do not read anything yet! This the time to decide which articles are really worth your time and energy to read. First, scan the table of contents for relevant articles and ask these questions:
Is this out of date? (If older than 3 months it has to be a classic to be timely) Is this significant in my current work/life? Do I have time to read it? Or, Do I have more important stuff to read that I can't get to? Once you triage your incoming newsletters, and magazines to decide which are the keepers; cut out and staple only those articles, and discard the rest. This will shrink your reading pile from three feet to three inches! Keep the trimmed articles in a file you can take with you to read in bits of in-between time. If you decide to keep for further reference, sort them into your magazine files. TO FILE: Your first choice is to separate out your personal from your business filing. Then, it's 1 - 2 - 3-SORT in filing as well. 1) File in this year's current filing system 2) File into archive file boxes (financial/legal audit trail) 3) Scan into electronic document storage (put it all on CD!) If you don't have a filing system, check out the cost-effective Home and Small Business File Kits that I use in my own business, which makes it easy for me to guarantee your satisfaction. (www.organize.com) Current business filing domains:
People: clients, staff, teams, vendors
Things: projects, programs, products, property
Administration: the business of doing business. Current personal filing domains: Personal/Family
Household
Finances/Insurance Place only current years records into your office filing system. Archive filing can be boxed and kept out of your office in a secure dry storage place-you just need to maintain it. Now, you can manage your information more successfully at work and at home. Just do it, 1 - 2 - 3-SORT! You'll find more free time-saving tips at http://www.organize.com
Related News
Organizing Tools for Projects: Try Basecamp - MediaShift Idea Lab
Organizing Tools for Projects: Try BasecampMediaShift Idea Lab, CA -Jul 2, 2008It's called Basecamp, an online collaborative-organizing system, and it's gaining adherents all the time. Basecamp was created by the team at 37signals, ... |
Newfoundland to get its day at Vancouver's 2010 Olympic Games - Vancouver Sun
Cuba says US organizing demonstrations - The Associated Press
Organizing An Earth Systems Science Agency - Science Daily (press release)
Organizing An Earth Systems Science AgencyScience Daily (press release) -Jul 3, 2008ScienceDaily (July 3, 2008) — In an article published in the journal Science, a group of former senior federal officials call for the establishment of an ... |
Busy weekend for organizing committee - Community Press
Telecom and Information Technology expo from July 22 in Pakistan - Pakistan Daily
Summer organizing fun - Petaluma Argus-Courier
Summer organizing funPetaluma Argus-Courier, CA -Jul 3, 2008By SUSAN PRICE Summertime is a wonderful time of the year … think sandy beaches, seashells, blue skies and palm trees. Sure, we have beaches nearby, ... |
New contact numbers for media to cover Beijing Olympics - Xinhua
Meeting of the organizing committee of Expo Pakistan 2008 held - Online - International News Network
Find out what it takes to put on today's parades - Nashua Telegraph
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life
Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life
Technology...The Culprit and the Tool
Technology has given us the tools to reduce routine tasking, yet we are all too aware that technology is seen as the culprit as much as the solution. We only need to look around us to see the developments of the past 20 years. American Demographics magazine tells us we receive a staggering 189 messages a day. They come to us through mobile phones, cell phones, faxes, pagers, emails and voicemails. 'You've got mail' has taken on a whole new meaning. But 15-20 years ago the majority of these vehicles either didn't exist or were not being widely used. In our day-to-day lives, it is the conscious act of using technology that helps organize ourselves and see it as a useful tool.
Do You Have A To-Do list?
I have a huge white board in my home office, about 4ft x 3ft..my friends laugh when they come over due to the size of it. Here is where I plan my days. I'll be honest, my memory is not as great as it used to be as I tend to forget things that would never slip me before. Along with my huge white board I also have about 4 dry erase markers..blue - red - green and black. here's how I used my board ..
The True Definition of an Organization
The true definition of an organization is one that is organized. Organized in all areas of fundamental business best practices. A business that is not organized should instead be known as a chaoticization.
Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home
Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks as you do of the spices they contain. Spice racks are wonderful kitchen home organization gadgets. And a spice rack is a wonderful gift too for a cook. In our household, my husband is the chef. But I'm the shopper. And we own three functional and handsome spice racks that are in use every day. Before you buy your next spice rack for yourself or as a gift consider these factors:
Mental Clutter- Is It Taking Over Your Life?
Chances are, most of you have a lot you need to get done.
How Much Is Your Time Worth?
Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?
Organize Your Children & Save Your Sanity
It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization but the two terms really go hand in hand. If you are able to organize right down to the smallest detail, then not only will you save yourself countless panic headaches, but you will have more time on your hands allowing yourself to be more productive and get more accomplished.
Spring Cleaning: Mission Garage Organization
Spring is here and the garage door is open. This is a scary thought for Cindy. Her garage is so stuffed that she can't even park her cars in there. But the kids are wanting to get their spring toys out now that the weather is nice. As she begins moving piles of clutter from one place to another to unearth Nicole's bike, 3 year old Megan is having a hey-day in the piles of stuff on the garage floor. Eager to get on her old bike, Nicole starts digging through piles trying to find her bike helmet. Her search is unsuccessul and she begins whining about riding without it. Overwhelmed with the chaos and frustrated with the whining, Cindy loads all 3 kids
in the car to go purchase a new helmet for Nicole.
Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk
I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my boss requested a certain document from the co-worker. The actual surface of the co-workers desk was not visible because it was covered with a cluttered pile of papers, catalogs, booklets, and other paraphernalia. I was prepared to see my co-worker embarass himself by not being able to locate the requested document in that messy pile.
Spruce Your Environment, Spruce Your Spirit
After a long winter, this is the time of year to spruce up your environment with a good Spring Cleaning. It's amazing what doing this can do for one's state of mind.
Organizing Tips to Help You Conquer the Laundry Monster
Laundry. You sort, you wash, you fold, you blink ? and the pile of dirty clothes has grown all over again. Laundry is a fact of life, but approaching the task in an organized way can make it more manageable.
5 Reasons to Organize Your Home Today
Home organization isn't just for neat-nicks or those drawn toward organized living. Even if you don't fall into those two stereotypes, you should consider learning and implementing some home organizing techniques. Why bother? Here are five good reasons to organize your home:
How Clutter Affects Your Love Life
Clutter in any area of your home is a sign of stuck, stagnant energy. The more clutter you have, the more sluggish the energy becomes. When the areas of your home associated with romance are cluttered and untidy, your love life is affected as well. From a feng shui perspective, the three places in your home that have the strongest impact on your love life are your bedroom, the Relationship Area (I'll tell you how to find that in a moment), and the space around your front door. Here's why:
Clutter Is Natural
Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that drops from trees, washes in on the tide, or is blown by the wind into your backyard. Birds molt, animals shed, snakes slither out of their skin, and they all just leave it lying there to rot into the earth. Follow any two-year-old around for a day and you'll see that we're not much better.
Files vs Piles
I recently read an article that had some interesting but not surprising statistics. Harte-Hanks published a survey in December, 2001 which reported that 96% of businesspeople interviewed were frustrated by their companies' information management. It's no wonder. An IDC white paper published in August, 2001 told us employees can spend up to two and half hours a day looking for information.
The Clutter Factor: From Packrativity to Productivity
? Are you embarrassed when you walk into your home or office?
? Do you frequently run out of space?
? Is your desk piled high with UPO's (unidentified piled objects)?
? Are you frustrated by the amount of time you spend looking for things?
Give Up Control to Get Control
For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove by doing it all themselves. People say to me all of the time, that someone else just can't do for them, the things that are on the "to do " list. Well, that is not only a ridiculous statement, but one that can be proven wrong over and over again. We all strive to appear in control. However, you cannot be in control if you are constantly struggling to juggle events and lists. So give up some of the control. I know that is a scary thought, but do it. By having professionals handle the items on your list, you will amaze your friends and family by having more time to enjoy life and you will seem more in control than ever. Don't worry. We don't expect you to do this cold turkey. We are going to give you tips on accomplishing this daunting task after we shock you into reality.
Don't Be A Statistic!
Here are the facts......I think the expression is "read 'em and weep." I know I wanted to when I saw these numbers.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average U.S. family works between 105-115 hours per week. So let's run the numbers.
168 hours in a 7 day week x2 (if 2 people are working those hours) = 336
Less 110 hours for work
Less 112 hours for sleeping
Less 28 hours for eating
Less 15 hours for commuting
So what's left........71 HOURS!!! That is 71 hours for both workers total. Look like a big number of hours? Keep running the math. (If you are single that leaves you with 35.5 hrs - cut everything in half)
Now what do you have to do in that 71 hours? Remember, if you are doing something as a family (both workers), you have to double the hours used when you subtract from the 71.
Spend time with your family
Run/attend children's activities (i.e. soccer, music lessons)
Run errands
Visit friends/relatives for special occasions
Make purchases - clothing, gifts, daily needs
Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities
In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written by Stephen Covey with Roger and Rebecca Merrill, is a story of the man in front of his class with a pile of rocks and a jar. He puts the rocks in the jar, and then asks the class "Is it full?" "Yes," they answer in unison. "Oh?" he replies, and gets out some pebbles, which he adds to the jar. "Is it full?" he asks. Catching on, they reply, "Probably not." And then he added sand. And, finally, some water. "What does that tell you?" he asked. Answers included comments like "You can always squeeze something else in" or "Just get started." "Oh, not at all!" he said. "If you don't put the rocks in first, there won't be any room for the them.
Lightening The Load
When I tell people what a FREEING experience moving is, they usually look at me like I'm crazy. "What do you mean freeing? It's the most stressful thing I've ever been through!" While there are stresses associated with relocating, each move offers you the opportunity to lighten the load. When I was in college, I moved at least once a year, and sometimes once a semester. You had better believe that I only took the bare essentials with me - because I didn't want to spend all of my time packing boxes and hauling a lot of junk with me from residence to residence. If I didn't use it regularly, it was either sold in a garage sale, given to charity, or tossed in the trash.
|
