Here are some of our major tips for saving your valuable...
TIME
1. Make an appointment with yourself, treat it as you would any
other business commitment. It gives you the sense of being in
control of where you are going, and that you are taking the
positive steps to get there. When circumstances arise that infringe
on your quiet time, and they will, reschedule for later in the day.
You will soon realize the importance of having this quiet time.
2. Start your day with a "to do" list, which identifies the tasks
required to meet your goals. Prioritize your list then do the most
important first. Take 5-10 minutes at the end of each day to plan
for tomorrow (this same time can be taken at the beginning of each
day). Identify and prioritize tasks necessary to reach your goals
on a daily "to do" list. Be careful not to commit every minute,
allow flexibility for unexpected and urgent tasks.
3. Whenever something will take less than five minutes do it now!
4. Find the right time management tool. This tool will include a
calendar, a living To Do list and a contacts section.
5. How to prioritize - Make or keep a running To Do List and
prioritize it (A-D) and number it order of their urgency then move
on to the B's and use the same process. As you set task/values
lists, ask yourself whether you can eliminate or delegate any of
them.
6. Learn how to manage yourself within time. In learning how to
prioritize you allow yourself more freedom and peace of mind. Do
the most important items first then the next ones, any items left
may be re-evaluated for urgency for the following day.
7. Organize your life using one or more of . . . your address
book, your calendar, your scheduler, your task list commonly called
the "To Do" list.
8. Record all notes and messages in your day planner or electronic
organizer. Knowing they are always in the same place makes
retrieving the information easy and quick, and nothing gets lost.
9. Efficient way to name hanging files and interior files, keep it
simple! Always stick with the first identifying word that comes
to mind for that group of papers. Attempts at making it overly
sophisticated ensure you won't remember what you called it and you
do need to find what you have decided to save. Name the interior
file with an identifying word and write the name on the tab. On
the front cover of the interior file, write the name of the group
within the hanging file where you are going to place it. For
example: a hanging file for all information for a particular
subject. The hanging file is labeled with the "subject name".
Within that hanging file are several file folders. The topics are
different, therefore each interior file not only has its" folder
labeled appropriately -- it contains the "subject name" on the
front cover: This way anyone using the file system that retrieves
an interior file knows exactly where it gets returned to without
having to understand the logic of the file system.
10. Balance the time you spend on your business matters, family,
friends, relaxing and playing. This is so important!
11. Confirm appointments the day prior to your visit. You may
remember the date, so be sure the person you are visiting does
also. This saves time and it builds good relationships.
12. Schedule your priorities and prioritize your schedule. A TO DO
list is a great way to start this process.
13. Avoid procrastination as early as possible. Tell a friend what
projects you have going on...someone who will care enough to know
about your progress.
14. Schedule a specific time of day to do all of your return phone
calls. The best time of day to return and/or make telephone calls
is 30 minutes before lunch, and 30 minutes before quitting time.
15. Time invested in planning IS productivity. Take some time each
day to plan your goals, this will give you a productive action plan
for the day.
HOME
1. Categorize your items, keep things in each category together.
2. Discard any periodicals you can do without. Most periodicals are
out of date after 6 months. You can get it again. Someone else will
write about the same thing again in the near future.
3. Discarding your extra stuff. It's the first step to getting rid
of clutter.
4. Find the empty and unused spaces throughout your home, garage,
office, etc. Make things efficient, convenient and accessible by
storing items where they belong. Rearrange what you already have to
make better use of your space. You may even decide to add or move
shelves, use storage containers, organizing caddies, etc.
5. Give away or toss those you haven't worn in a couple of years,
go through your shoes and clothes regularly.
6. Have only one junk drawer and every once in a while go through
it. Trash what you don't want and put what's left where it belongs.
Then you can start throwing more junk into it.
7. Keep clothes that need mending or ironing in a basket in your
laundry room or your closet not on a chair in the bedroom.
8. Sorting and Storing Jewelry - Use ice cube trays to sort and
store your jewelry.
9. Use a highlighter when reading business journals, magazines and
reports. Remove the article from the publication and place a note
in the upper right corner with the category or a memory jogger. You
may choose not to remove the article and just flag the important
page with a sticky note, jotting down a one-word description of the
content on the sticky note, for quick retrieval at a later date.
10. Utilize a magazine organizer of your choice to segregate
materials such as business journals and periodicals that are often
saved as reference material for a later date.
11. Save time in your clothes closet, inventorying and categorizing
clothes helps you plan your outfits in advance to save time later.
12. Your closet is prime real estate. So you paid a lot of money
for something, don't let it guilt you into keeping items you just
won't wear. The items you decide to keep should make you feel good
wearing
them, fit, be in style, and not need alterations or repairs.
13. A great thing to do with clothes that don't make you feel good
wearing them, fit, or are out of style is to take them to a
consignment shop. Consignment shops will pay commission for the
items they sell for you. You may also choose to donate them and get
the tax deduction.
OFFICE
1. 80% of what we file is never even looked at again!
Think about whether you really need to keep those documents.
2. Categorize your items, keep things in each category together.
Discarding your extra stuff. It's the first step to getting rid of
clutter.
3. Would I grab this, if the office was on fire? If not, why save
it? Don't keep anything you can find somewhere else. Clear away as
much as possible, then clear away more. Form the habit of throwing
things out the emotional cost of being surrounded by useless paper
is higher than you realize.
4. Whenever something will take less than five minutes do it now!
5. Use our "Priority Folder System" to organize all your
incoming paperwork. You may purchase your own set by simply
visiting:
www.atozorganizingpros.com/shopping.htm
6. Designate an expiration date for as much of your filed material
as possible. Maintain consistency, use a colored pen in the upper
right-hand corner and code the expiration date on the material.
Whenever you are hesitant in assigning an expiration date, just add
3 months. The next time you are in that file and find one with an
expiration date that has passed -- toss it! Avoid taking the time
to re-read, or re-analyze your decision.
7. Discard any periodicals you can do without. Most periodicals are
out of date after 6 months. You can get it again. Someone else will
write about the same thing again in the near future.
8. Efficient way to name hanging files and interior files, keep it
simple! Always stick with the first identifying word that comes
to mind for that group of papers. Attempts at making it overly
sophisticated ensure you won't remember what you called it and you
do need to find what you have decided to save. Name the interior
file with an identifying word and write the name on the tab. On
the front cover of the interior file, write the name of the group
within the hanging file where you are going to place it. For
example: a hanging file for all information for a particular
subject. The hanging file is labeled with the "subject name".
Within that hanging file are several file folders. The topics are
different, therefore each interior file not only has its" folder
labeled appropriately -- it contains the "subject name" on the
front cover: This way anyone using the file system that retrieves
an interior file knows exactly where it gets returned to without
having to understand the logic of the file system.
9. Process "snail-mail" and e-mail using an In/Out system that
mirror one another. When processing e-mail, be prepared to have
the time to answer, forward, file, delete, place it in your
"pending" file to do later (remember to flag it for a follow-up
date and/or time).
10. Keep it simple when designing a filing system. The name on a
file should be the first thing that comes to mind, unless of course
you have a tried and true system. Stay away from elaborate color
schemes.
11. Manila folders can expand to accommodate your files. They have
several scored lines on the bottom. Fold the scored area as
necessary to expand the size of the folder.
12. Placement for tabs on hanging file folders. The fingers
normally approach a file in such a way that if the tab is in front,
the interior folder for that file is right there. If the tab is on
the back of the hanging file folder, you must first find the file,
then go back to the front of the file to find the file you are
looking for.
13. Prime Real Estate is the top of your desk. Make sure you
always have this area clear for your current project.
14. Record all notes and messages in your day planner or electronic
organizer. Knowing they are always in the same place makes
retrieving the information easy and quick, and nothing gets lost.
Make notes in your planner about what you need to take with you
when going on an appointment or business trip. Store all the
documents and materials in a file folder for each appointment.
15. Remove paper clips Remove paper clips from any to-be-filed
documents. They have a tendency to get caught on another paper that
is a different subject matter within the interior files. This will
make it simpler to access out or add in any documents. It is just a
good way to keep the file folder easy to work with at any time.
Multiple sheets of similar topics that are sharing the same
interior folder that you would like to keep together, simply remove
the clip and staple it, binder clip it, or at minimum just, remove
the clip.
16. Schedule a specific time of day to do all of your return phone
calls. The best time of day to return and/or make telephone calls
is 30 minutes before lunch, and 30 minutes before quitting time.
Return calls in batches. Leave specific messages and the time you
called if the person you're trying to reach isn't available.
17. Segregate active files from archive files. When creating or
organizing an archive file system. Use a "destroy date" on archive
boxes.
18. When storing boxes make sure the contents are labeled on all 4
sides of the box as well as the top lid. This will expedite the
retrieval process as well as ensure that the contents will be
visible from any angle.
MOBILE OFFICE
1. Portable organizer - Use a visor, seat or glove compartment
organizer to hold pens, paper, files, phone, sunglasses, and loose
change. You can even utilize more space by using pocketed
organizers that hang on the back of the car seat to hold brochures,
product literature and product samples, umbrellas and other
necessary items.
2. Be prepared - Be sure to have a notebook in your car for taking
notes. Don't forget to place a writing pen in the place where you
will be ready to write. Some basic desk drawer items to also have
available are: business cards, brochures, calculator, stapler and
staple remover, scissors, tape dispenser, letterhead and envelopes,
postage stamps, rubber bands and binder clips.
3. The waiting game - Carry a To Read folder with you so you may be
reading things that are important to you and your business while
waiting for an appointment. You'll also want to have the To File
folder to place items that need to go back to your office and that
need attention. This is part of our "Priority Folder System"
4. Files to go - Store important documents in hanging file folders
in a portable file. These come in all sizes, open or with lids.
Such as the one above. Remember to keep business and personal
records separate. My favorite is a collapsible plastic crate that
takes up very little space when not in use.