Are Your Office Organizing Systems Working For You?
July 27, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Each year getting organized and being more productive top the lists of New Year’s Resolutions. It’s exciting to imagine your life without paper piles and clutter consuming your office. And it certainly would feel great to accomplish your goals each day. Time after time I hear the same complaint. You started off great then something happened and the system fell apart. Often people give up at this point calling their systems and themselves failures.
They key to getting organized is first and foremost not to give up after the first little mishap. We all get overwhelmed, have a big project, or life circumstance that causes us to get off track. Rather than give up just start again! It’s really that easy.
Sometimes the systems that we try don’t really work for us and it’s important to be able to identify what went wrong. Starting over with a system gives you the opportunity to really observe what the problem is and to make adjustments as necessary. You may find that you really don’t like the folders you used to set up your action system. Or maybe your desk isn’t set up in a functional way. Look at your system with a critical eye rather than just throwing your hands up and declaring it a disaster!
Here are some things to look for when evaluating your system:
1) Do I have all the tools I need?
2) Do I like the tools I am using?
3) Can I find the documents and files I need when I need them?
4) Are things I use often readily available and accessible?
5) Can I easily reset the system when needed?
Remember, systems only work when you use them! Very few organizing systems work without some effort on the user’s part. Set up maintenance routines to be sure that you are keeping up with filing and other similar tasks.
What challenges do you face when trying to get organized or trying to keep up with your systems? I’d love to hear from you.
Happy Organizing!
Is Your Electronic Information Out of Control?
July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Searching your computer for a proposal you wrote three months ago? Or maybe you are looking for an email that you just know you sent to a client in June. If your email and computer files aren’t organized, you could be losing a lot of precious time searching for your electronic information.
Think of electronic files just the same as ordinary paper files in a file cabinet. A computer file system can be set up in the same way as paper files are set up. Create folders and subfolders for the files and be consistent in your naming scheme.
When saving documents be sure to click “Save As” and then navigate your way to the appropriate folder for that document. This will keep the document from going to that mysterious place that computers sometimes send our documents when we don’t specify exactly where we want them saved.
Put thought into naming your files and be descriptive. Take advantage of the 255 character limit on file names. Use descriptive words that will ensure you know what the file contains. Think about the different ways that you might think of the file the same as you would for physical files. If you are saving a budget form, when you are looking for it again, what will you look for?
Think of all of the possibilities and name your file accordingly. Taking this much time to think about it on the front end will also help to trigger your memory when looking for the file later.
If you don’t have time to create folders and move files around, your computer’s search tool can help. Search features in newer versions of Windows are much more efficient than they have been in the past. Tools like Google Desktop can also make finding documents on your computer faster and easier.
Happy Organizing!
Getting Organized: It’s Not About the Stuff
July 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
My phone rings. It’s a potential client who would like help being more productive in her office. I ask what’s going on in her office, and she tells me there is paper everywhere. She is looking at stacks of paper, binders, magazines, and other things that are visually cluttering her space.
Obviously, all this stuff is certainly a problem, but what’s really going on here? When I probe about her work habits and daily routines, the real issues begin to arise. She has no plan for the day. She routinely allows phone calls and email coming in to distract her from her priorities. The real issue here is not the stuff. It’s her behavior.
The clutter in her office is a product of a lack of systems and routines. Now that the clutter has taken over it certainly is a problem, but if we just clear up the paper, it’s highly likely that it will be back in short order. The key to getting organized is changing the behavior that has gotten you into the situation in the first place.
So, how do we change behavior? There is no easy answer to this question, but here are some ideas to help you get started:
- Create self awareness. While coaching my clients, I help them to begin noticing phrases they are using or things they are doing that could be contributing to the problem. You can do this by simply noticing some of your thought patterns as you work. Do you think things like “I’ll just put this here for now” or ??? Do you do things like answer the phone every single time it rings or check email each time a notification comes in? Once you begin to notice some patterns that are causing the clutter and lack of productivity you can begin to develop new habits that will help you to break the cycle of your past behaviors.
- Work with your natural tendencies. As you are noticing your behavior, it’s also a good idea to pay attention to what is going on when you’re at your best. What I mean is that all of us are different. We all have different times of day that we are most productive. We have different work styles and personalities. The idea behind getting organized and being more productive is to find what works best for you and incorporate that into all you do. For example, if you discover that the best time for writing is early morning, your new routine may be to begin hard scheduled appointments a little later in the day. This will allow you the time in the morning to be creative and get that writing done.
- Identify your motivation. Why do you want to be more organized and productive? Do you want to be able to find documents when you need them? Do you want to grow your business? Is someone else pressuring you to change? Answering the question “Why do I really want to be more organized and productive” is one of the most important first steps in the organizing process. Without that ultimate goal, or vision, you have no motivation for real change.
There are so many factors that can influence your success. If you truly want to get organized so that you can have a better life, at home or in the office, you can do it! Just remember that you must be willing to change both your environment and, most importantly, your habits. Have an ultimate goal in mind and go for it!
Happy Organizing!
Ellen Martin
PS – If you are struggling with an overflowing inbox, email that just won’t stop, and unproductive days, the Conquer Chaos Strategy Session will help you get clear on why you really want to get organized and develop a plan to make it happen and stay that way. Together we’ll determine why you really want to be organized and what’s standing in your way. During our strategy session, we’ll review your assessment, quickly break down your barriers to being organized and develop a personalized organizing plan that works for you. To find out more visit http://anewleafpo.com/conquer-chaos-strategy-session/
How to Stop Wasting Time Now
July 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
“Waste Time Faster.” This is a phrase on a billboard advertising high speed internet. I laugh each time I see it, but it also makes me think about how much time we do waste on the internet. Playing around online is just one of many activities we use to avoid getting things done. Of course, the things we are avoiding are usually things that may be difficult or not so pleasant.
Avoidance behavior is a component of procrastination. Some causes of procrastination are task related anxiety, fear of failure, perfectionism, and lack of knowledge. When you think about that it’s no wonder we find such creative ways to avoid tackling those tasks. Imagine that you have agreed to take on a new project at work. You are pretty excited because you know that the success of this event will have a positive impact on your career. Once the excitement wears off a little, you realize there are some pieces of this project that you aren’t quite sure how to get complete. Each time you sit down to get started on the project, you feel overwhelmed or don’t really know where to begin. So, what do you do? Maybe you start some project related research on the internet. Then you remember that you really wanted to check out the scores from Sunday’s football games. Ladies, your example might be a little different, but I think you know where I’m going with this. As you check out the football scores, you see a link to a video of a spectacular play. You proceed to watch the video and see some other videos that look interesting. An hour later, you’ve caught up on all the football scores, watched some re-plays, and maybe a few hilarious videos of kids dancing to “booty” music. It’s time for lunch so you head out the door having accomplished nothing related to the project.
Does that sound remotely familiar to anyone? I will be the first to admit that I do this very thing when I am doing something new or something that might push me a little outside my comfort zone. But we also use these techniques to avoid everyday tasks. Here are three steps to help minimize your task avoidance time wasters.
Three steps to curbing avoidance behavior
1) Awareness is the first step in changing any behavior. If you recognized yourself in the example and you want to change this behavior, pay attention to what avoidance behaviors you are engaging. Surfing the internet is just one form of avoidance behavior. Some other examples are watching television, reading magazines, hallway conversations with colleagues, checking email. To be clear, none of things is necessarily bad, but when used to avoid other, more important tasks, they will kill your productivity. Identify your avoidance techniques.
2) Minimize distractions. Once you have identified your avoidance behaviors, it’s important that you come up with strategies to reduce the likelihood that you will engage them. My top two avoidance behaviors are checking email and internet surfing. When I need to work on important project it’s best that I am in an environment where the internet is not available. Or the connection is so slow that it’s annoying! I have also discovered that I work best away from my home office and in a place with something pleasing to look at. Those of us working from home have so many potential distractions. Laundry, dishes, kids, spouses, and pets. It’s really helpful to find a place that allows you to concentrate. So, what can you do to minimize your distractions?
3) Get things done. Finally, get it done! Sometimes tasks seem a lot more difficult that they really are. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much you will get done when you minimize your distractions and truly focus on the task at hand.
I hope this information helps you to get more done this week! Remember that the objective is not to cram your life with “things to do”, but to get things done in less time so that you can spend more time enjoying your life!
Happy Organizing!
Is Your Self-Image Sabotaging Your Success?
July 6, 2010 | Leave a Comment
While working with a client a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that she was repeatedly saying that she would never be able to do this organizing work without me. Now, I had heard this before, but this time I had some new information that made me stop to think what this really meant for her.
A couple of months ago I was introduced to a program called “The Winner’s Image” produced by Bob Proctor. In the program Bob equates our self-image to the auto pilot feature of an airplane. The auto pilot is set to a certain course and corrects should the plane veer off course. Now, think about self-image for a moment. Your behavior patterns are a direct reflection of what you believe about yourself. If you believe that you are a successful person and bring in lots of money each month, then you probably do just that. However, if you don’t truly believe that you are that successful, wealthy person, what happens when you do experience some success? You have a fabulous month bringing in more money that you ever have. Then self-doubt sets in and your self-image auto pilot begins to bring you back to your old course.
Getting and staying organized is no different from the success example. Hearing my client saying that she would never be able to do this without me and thinking back to other clients who I’d heard say the same thing, made me realize that their self-image is dictating the situation. No, they won’t be able to do this without me, if that’s what they truly believe. Their self-image is telling them that they can’t be organized or stay organized because they haven’t been able to do it before. Or because so many people have told them how messy and disorganized they are and they believe that about themselves. If you don’t truly believe that you can get and stay organized, you will not get and stay organized. If we move a little outside of our belief about ourselves, the self-image autopilot will bring us back to its original course.
So, how do we conquer this? Change your self-image. This is no easy task, but is guaranteed to get those behavior changes to stick. Create the fantasy or vision of what you want your life to be like. Are there people you can model? Write your new vision out in detail. One of the most important questions to ask in the self-image changing process is “Am I Willing.” Are you really willing to do what is necessary to make the changes you are seeking? Really think about this. If you really aren’t willing to make the changes necessary to be successful at getting and staying organized, maybe it really isn’t as important to you as you once thought it was. Once you have written out your new self-image it’s important to focus on the changes you must make and reviewing your goal regularly. As I said, this is no small or easy task, but one that is well worth the effort.
As you consider your goal to be more organized and productive, pay attention to the things you are telling yourself. Is your self-image dictating that you can’t be organized? If so, consider a self-image overhaul! It will be one of the best investments you ever make.
Happy Organizing!
