On my drive into work today I was riddled with anxiety about what I had to do today and what I’d left behind. It’s year end closing — anything missed will have an impact on systems and processes. Today, more than any other day, is about dependencies, about handing off perfection to the next person who builds on that has to hand off their own perfection to accounting and ERP.
I tried to get everything finished but some things just had to wait. Before I left on Friday, I organized.
In my reference organizer was not only my to-do’s but my how-to-do’s. My stationmate with pocketfiles, allowed me to visualize each of the tasks for today. And at the end of the day, when everything is completed, my files will be placed in color coded PortaFile File Boxes, just ready for the asking.
I am not always this organized but it’s a good start to the New Year, I think.
On any given day, how often do you find yourself telling someone on the other end of the phone, “Hold on while I find a pen”? Or asking a colleague who is about to start a meeting, “Wait a second, I need to dig out my notepad”? Or searching for some project documentation, client information, or just your to-do list or a paper clip? Bet you’ve “lost” your cell phone or keys at least once amidst the mayhem on your desk. If you could add up every minute and second you spend searching for things you need instead of actually using them, how much time do you think would be wasted in a day? And how much of that time would be better spent on productive work so you could finish what you need to do and get on with your life?
It’s a common problem but we’ve got some ideas to help you conquer the I-can’t-find-it-itis that afflicts a typical workspace. When you see how easy it is, you’ll be amazed that you’ve done it any other way for so long. So stop searching and start organizing right now. Read More
Whether you work in a corner suite or cubicle, small home office or tall office building, you’ve got to organize your desk. All those whiteboard markers and client folders, to-do lists and presentation notes, CDs and paper reams… to say nothing of phones, printers and computer monitors. Even the most Zen-like among us struggle with space and how to use it most effectively. The truth is that we need stuff. We need those supplies and all that paperwork, and getting it organized is great, until you realize you just put the meeting notes for your 3:00 call in the hanging file across the room, or all your pens are neatly stored in a box in a drawer in a cabinet so you can’t jot down your brilliant idea as quickly as you’d like. The other alternative is keeping all that stuff on your desk, so we try containers and crates, bags and boxes, only to end up with, well, a whole lot of stuff.
Want to hear about a better way to organize all that stuff, and do it so that you can always reach what you need without so much as craning your neck? Well, we’ve got a way – the Ultimate way. Read More
