How to systemize and simplify your life.
During thirty years as a time management speaker and consultant, I
Have learned and shared a lot of simple practices that help my
Audiences to increase their daily results a lot of time is wasted
Because we don't have a system in place for many of the repetitive
Tasks we do so that we have to pay over and over again, with our
Time, for the same results
So here's one neat tip: systematize. (I don't think this is really
A word, but hey, if no one invents new words, how will our
Language grows?) Systematize is the simple procedure of creating a
Routine way of responding to a myriad of tasks that will free our
Time for more important things we can systematize in all areas of
Our life here are a few places you may wish to begin.
1. Standard text documents. I have dozens of documents in "My
Documents" section of my computer these include a lot of the
Articles that people request through our Web site and standard
Letters I send out for business and personal contacts,
Standard information documents (like directions to our office).
Most of the information I need to send to respond to my
Emails is there or easily modified and tailored so that I don't
Have to type out a lot of repetitive information.
2. A single calendaring system. Some people use as many as a
Dozen ways of tracking their appointments and scheduled events
And their "To-Do" list items. There's a calendar for work and
One for personal things there's stuff lying out on the desk
Reminding us what needs to be done. The dentist appointment
Card is on the bathroom mirror and the dry cleaner claim slip
Is hanging from the visor in the car the softball schedule
Is on the refrigerator and we have several other commitments in
Our heads boil this all down to a single system. I use
Daytime products but whatever product you feel comfortable with
Is fine Just make it a simple, singular, master system from
Which you take control of appointments and scheduled events and
Your "To-Do" list items.
3. Clean up the messy desk or work area. Studies have shown that
The person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one
And a half hours per day looking for things or being distracted
By things that's seven and a half hours per week! ("Out of sight,
Out of mind and the reverse of that is true too, "In sight, in
Mind") and, it's not a solid block of an hour and a half, but
A minute here and a minute there, and like a leaky hot water
Faucet, drip, drip, drip, it doesn't seem like a major loss,
But at the end the day, we're dumping gallons of hot water
Down the drain that we are paying to heat if you have ever
Visited the office of a top manager, typically, that person is
Working with a clean desk environment many would attribute
This result to that person's access to other staff members
While there may be some truth in that conclusion, in most cases,
If we went back some years in that person's career, they
Probably were working with a clean desk back then which gave
Them the focus they needed to become promoted to where they are
Today
4. Have adequate supplies. Some people spend a lot of their
Productive time looking for a pen or a pad of paper or staples
For their stapler have enough pens, pencils, yellow markers,
"Sticky notes," writing pads, fax paper, printer cartridges,
Updated telephone directories, staples, "White Out," report
Forms, index cards, paper clips, rolls of adding machine tapes,
etc., etc
5. Make your physical surroundings workable. Move the fax machine
Closer (or further away!) from your desk Have the most
Frequently used and needed files within arm's reach and the less
Frequently required items further out have adequate space at
Your desk to do what you need to do Remove some unnecessary
Items, if necessary, to make room
6. Set up a functional briefcase. I travel a lot and am out of my
Office at seminars or meetings with clients requiring that I
Tote along a briefcase. In addition to the stuff I need for
Where I am going, I have my briefcase stocked with a lot of
Neat things like a calculator, a pocket map of the United
States, basic office supplies (writing pads, pens, yellow
Markers, small stapler, paper clips, stamps and a few
Envelopes), blank checks, a few deposit slips, a paperback book
I have been intending to read, and at least one project I can
Work on if I get stuck in traffic or am waiting for the meeting
To begin it gives me more choices.
7. Schedule maintenance. The equipment you use, your car, stuff
Around the house, and oh yeah, you know your car needs
To be serviced. Why wait for a breakdown to get it done and
Spend more time on what could have been accomplished in less
Time (You still need a tune-up, but now you have to wait for
The tow truck to arrive Regular medical and dental checkups
Save huge amounts of time in our future by fixing small
Conditions before they become major costly issues.
Bonus Tip:
8. Catalog contacts. Develop and maintain your contacts list so
That networking can enhance your future with the contacts you
Make. A computer-based program such as ACT is excellent, but
Even a simple 3x5 card system will work. Keep track of a
Growing list of contacts, help them at every turn and they
Will be there to help you
If these ideas were helpful, I have prepared another article
Entitled "Work Rules," which outlines three simple but powerful
Work rules to help accelerate your success in less time. It's free.
To get your copy, email your request for "rules"
Would you like to receive free Timely Time Management Tips on a
Regular basis to increase your personal productivity and get more
Out of every day? Sign up now for our free "TIME MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION LIST"
About the Author
For more useful tips & hints, please browse for more information at our website:-
www.craigs-list-profits.com
www.e-bookmarketing.reprintarticlesite.com
Key word- e-book marketing, internet marketing, e-books, e-book writing
During thirty years as a time management speaker and consultant, I
Have learned and shared a lot of simple practices that help my
Audiences to increase their daily results a lot of time is wasted
Because we don't have a system in place for many of the repetitive
Tasks we do so that we have to pay over and over again, with our
Time, for the same results
So here's one neat tip: systematize. (I don't think this is really
A word, but hey, if no one invents new words, how will our
Language grows?) Systematize is the simple procedure of creating a
Routine way of responding to a myriad of tasks that will free our
Time for more important things we can systematize in all areas of
Our life here are a few places you may wish to begin.
1. Standard text documents. I have dozens of documents in "My
Documents" section of my computer these include a lot of the
Articles that people request through our Web site and standard
Letters I send out for business and personal contacts,
Standard information documents (like directions to our office).
Most of the information I need to send to respond to my
Emails is there or easily modified and tailored so that I don't
Have to type out a lot of repetitive information.
2. A single calendaring system. Some people use as many as a
Dozen ways of tracking their appointments and scheduled events
And their "To-Do" list items. There's a calendar for work and
One for personal things there's stuff lying out on the desk
Reminding us what needs to be done. The dentist appointment
Card is on the bathroom mirror and the dry cleaner claim slip
Is hanging from the visor in the car the softball schedule
Is on the refrigerator and we have several other commitments in
Our heads boil this all down to a single system. I use
Daytime products but whatever product you feel comfortable with
Is fine Just make it a simple, singular, master system from
Which you take control of appointments and scheduled events and
Your "To-Do" list items.
3. Clean up the messy desk or work area. Studies have shown that
The person who works with a messy desk spends, on average, one
And a half hours per day looking for things or being distracted
By things that's seven and a half hours per week! ("Out of sight,
Out of mind and the reverse of that is true too, "In sight, in
Mind") and, it's not a solid block of an hour and a half, but
A minute here and a minute there, and like a leaky hot water
Faucet, drip, drip, drip, it doesn't seem like a major loss,
But at the end the day, we're dumping gallons of hot water
Down the drain that we are paying to heat if you have ever
Visited the office of a top manager, typically, that person is
Working with a clean desk environment many would attribute
This result to that person's access to other staff members
While there may be some truth in that conclusion, in most cases,
If we went back some years in that person's career, they
Probably were working with a clean desk back then which gave
Them the focus they needed to become promoted to where they are
Today
4. Have adequate supplies. Some people spend a lot of their
Productive time looking for a pen or a pad of paper or staples
For their stapler have enough pens, pencils, yellow markers,
"Sticky notes," writing pads, fax paper, printer cartridges,
Updated telephone directories, staples, "White Out," report
Forms, index cards, paper clips, rolls of adding machine tapes,
etc., etc
5. Make your physical surroundings workable. Move the fax machine
Closer (or further away!) from your desk Have the most
Frequently used and needed files within arm's reach and the less
Frequently required items further out have adequate space at
Your desk to do what you need to do Remove some unnecessary
Items, if necessary, to make room
6. Set up a functional briefcase. I travel a lot and am out of my
Office at seminars or meetings with clients requiring that I
Tote along a briefcase. In addition to the stuff I need for
Where I am going, I have my briefcase stocked with a lot of
Neat things like a calculator, a pocket map of the United
States, basic office supplies (writing pads, pens, yellow
Markers, small stapler, paper clips, stamps and a few
Envelopes), blank checks, a few deposit slips, a paperback book
I have been intending to read, and at least one project I can
Work on if I get stuck in traffic or am waiting for the meeting
To begin it gives me more choices.
7. Schedule maintenance. The equipment you use, your car, stuff
Around the house, and oh yeah, you know your car needs
To be serviced. Why wait for a breakdown to get it done and
Spend more time on what could have been accomplished in less
Time (You still need a tune-up, but now you have to wait for
The tow truck to arrive Regular medical and dental checkups
Save huge amounts of time in our future by fixing small
Conditions before they become major costly issues.
Bonus Tip:
8. Catalog contacts. Develop and maintain your contacts list so
That networking can enhance your future with the contacts you
Make. A computer-based program such as ACT is excellent, but
Even a simple 3x5 card system will work. Keep track of a
Growing list of contacts, help them at every turn and they
Will be there to help you
If these ideas were helpful, I have prepared another article
Entitled "Work Rules," which outlines three simple but powerful
Work rules to help accelerate your success in less time. It's free.
To get your copy, email your request for "rules"
Would you like to receive free Timely Time Management Tips on a
Regular basis to increase your personal productivity and get more
Out of every day? Sign up now for our free "TIME MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION LIST"
About the Author
For more useful tips & hints, please browse for more information at our website:-
www.craigs-list-profits.com
www.e-bookmarketing.reprintarticlesite.com
Key word- e-book marketing, internet marketing, e-books, e-book writing