Organizing and productivity

Dec 29

women working at desk, office, laptop, on phone, getting organized, image

Seven Things To-Do Today to Become a More Effective Employee or Business Owner

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Free Articles, Time Management No Comments

On the cusp of a new year we all want to be the most effective employee we can be. Having effective business organizing skills is a great place to start. So what are the tricks and tips of business organizing? What do all highly effective people have in common? If you can incorporate these seven elements into your work life you will be an effective employee or business owner in 2012.

Have a Plan

When you have a plan you can focus on the priorities in your day. Have you heard the 80/20 rule? Simply put 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your efforts. Put your effort into things that are ACTUALLY important, and watch the results.

Plan Your Day, Week, and Month

Let your calendar be a huge stress reducer for you. Your calendar will keep you on time with your plans. Set appointments with yourself during the day to work on projects. Setting aside time and honoring that time will help you get your time sensitive work done on time.

Invest time in High-Payoff Tasks

This brings you back to the 80/20 rule. That 20 percent is where you want to focus your real energy. Ask yourself what can I do that will have the biggest impact today? These high-payoff tasks should get a priority spot on your calendar. That means if you are the most productive in the morning you should schedule your work time for the morning hours on these activities.

Use their time wisely

When it comes to business organizing highly effective employees have procrastination beat! It is a habit that you need to break. Find the source of your procrastination and diligently work on it whether it is perfectionism or too many distractions.

Batch your work to make the best use of your time. Set aside time to make phone calls, return emails, ect. throughout your day. Making 5 phone calls in a row will go faster than if you stop what you are working on to make 5 phone calls throughout your day.

Limit Interruptions

Unnecessary interruptions can become a HUGE timewaster in your day. Create a work environment where it is not easy to become distracted at the drop of a hat. If other people are the problem consider making a “off limits” time in your office while you work on your high-payoff projects. This is time scheduled in your calendar so it should be easier to make it “quiet time” in your office.

Lead a Balanced Life

Go on vacation. It is important to keep yourself fresh and excited. In order to do that, you need down time.

Schedule 24-48 hours of “unplugged time”. No work, tv, computer, phone app.s you may find your brain and family and friends thank you!

Do not live in the “urgent” Reactive Mode

Being an effective employee means you have a plan every day. Keeping to that plan means your time sensitive work gets done. This puts a break on the panicked urgent mode that rules many people’s days.

You will still be interrupted by “urgent crises”. It is up to you to determine how urgent they are. Sometimes things are important, but not urgent. This is where planning comes in to play. Planning out this important work makes sure that by its due date the work is complete.

Assess whether this urgent work can be delegated, or wait. Remember there are consequences to saying “Yes”. By working on the new project you will be putting off work you had previously scheduled, so make certain you rework your calendar.

Being an Effective Employee or Business Owner

Being an effective employee for 2012 is a great goal. Business organizing can get you there. Make a plan for your day, week, month, and year. Working with a calendar and a plan will help make this your year!

What is your biggest challenge in becoming an effective employee or business owner? Comment below!

Dec 03

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Organizing Holiday Card Addresses

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Expert Articles, Free Articles, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

This time of year mailboxes overflow with greeting from friends, family, and people we have done business with in the past year. Sending out personalized season’s greetings to your clients is a great way to impress on them the importance of their business to you.

It can motivate an old client to call you up again, pass your name onto an acquaintance, or build your relationship for your next interaction. In a world where your client can simply hop on a computer and find a dozen other businesses to use going the extra step to build relationships is crucial.

Getting Organized

Now that you’ve decided to send out cards you need to get organized. Without a system in place this process can take countless precious business hours, and not many of us have that kind of time! You need to create and keep up-to-date a holiday card address database.

Keeping it on Paper

You will likely opt to create this spreadsheet on a computer, however, pen and paper are always an option. If you prefer to keep a paper address book that can be carried with you, consider keeping a second copy. You can scan or photocopy your book occasionally to keep up with your updates. Keep your backup in a safe place. This way you won’t lose all your contacts if your address book is lost, spilled on, or otherwise damaged.

Holiday Spreadsheets

Creating a spreadsheet of addresses on your computer is an efficient way to store this information. As a benefit many times this information can be imported to other programs which create your address labels, saving you time. You can spend that time adding a personal note to your cards!

Clearly label this file so it is easy and fast to find. This way you can add addresses to it during the work year. When you collect a client’s information simply add it to this spreadsheet, you’ll be ready to go when the time comes to address your cards.

Include your client’s name, title, and business address in your spreadsheet. Other notes you can include are what specific holiday your client celebrates. It adds a personal touch if you can make your card unique to them. If you don’t know that’s okay, don’t guess, prepare a general season’s greeting.

Taking it Online

There are programs, like Google spreadsheets, that allow you to share your spreadsheets online. If you are combining lists with a business partner, an employee is helping to compile your list, or you are merging lists from several sources this could be a great option.

Storing information online can also be a great way to keep information safe from a potential computer meltdown. Remember you’ll want electronic back-ups, just as you would want a paper back-up.

Extra Addressing Tips

Don’t go through all of the effort of sending out beautiful holiday greetings only to have your client question your attention to detail because of a simple grammar error. There are several commonly made mistakes that you should avoid.

Don’t use an apostrophe on your envelope. “The Smiths” implies you are addressing the card to the entire Smith family. “The Smith’s” implies ownership of over something. You want to use the plural, not the possessive.
There are a few cases when simply adding an s is not enough. If the name you are addressing the card to ends in a “s, sh, ch, x, or z” you must add an “es” to achieve the plural. So to create the plural of “The Williams” you would add an “es”, and get “The Williamses”. Want to avoid the “es”? Skip the plural and address your envelope to “The Williams Family”.

A Final Note

Spending a few hours this time of year to express appreciation to clients can pay dividends in your upcoming year. Staying organized and efficient with your holiday address list will ensure this is a smooth process.

What works for you? Share your successes in getting your holiday cards organized!

Nov 17

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The One-in, One-Out Rule

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Closet Organizing, Expert Articles, Free Articles, Home Office Organization, Home Organizing, IABO Weekly News, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

organizing Is your closet so jammed packed that you can’t see what you have or you can’t squeeze another item into it?

Are your filing cabinets bulging to capacity and you struggle to get files in and out? How many appliances do you really use in your kitchen?

We live in a consumer-based economy with ads demanding our attention all around us. It’s so tempting to get the latest gadget or cool technology that’s suppose to make our life better. But really, does having the latest new gadget or buying the latest trend bring fulfillment in your life? I say no. Too often, we tend to look in the wrong places to fulfill our lives and buying more stuff is not the answer.

As an Organizing and Productivity Consultant, I am passionate about helping people unclutter their offices, homes and lives, so they have more freedom and pursue their dreams and goals. Helping them simplify and clear out the clutter is easy for me because I’m not attached to the items, but for the person purging, it can sometimes be difficult.

We tend to put a lot of meaning into our things and there’s a story for everything. I heard someone once say that we are meaning making machines. The meaning we associate with our things triggers emotions either positive or negative. Depending on the meaning we give the item, will determine whether you keep it or let it go.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not about getting rid of everything and living with nothing. But I can honestly say, that over the years I’ve realized that the more stuff I have, the more time, energy and money it costs me to maintain my stuff. The more files I have, the more filing cabinets I need and the bigger office I need. The more clothes I have, the more space I need and the more time I waste wondering what to wear. The more toys and books kids have the more they want and they less they play with.

Take a look around your office and home and notice what clothes, toys or office items you use 80% of the time. This is a real eye-opener when you are honest with yourself because 80% of what you use, you use 20% of the time. The one-in, one-out rule goes hand-in-hand with the 80/20 Rule.

Applying the one-in, one-out rule and the 80/20 Rule are easy and will keep all your rooms clutter free and easy to maintain. When I buy a new pair of shoes or a item of clothes, I give something away to a friend or a charity. When I buy a new book, I pass on a book.

If I didn’t apply these two rules, my office and home would be jammed packed full of stuff and complicate my life on so many levels. Clutter affects your relationships, your health, your energy and your productivity. It can also drain your bank account.

So as we approach the Christmas season and think of those who need warm clothes or mothers and children who could use household items and toys, schedule time in your calendar this week to purge your closets and rooms. And pass on items that are in good working condition, are in fashion and good condition.

Applying the one-in, one-out rule and the 80/20 rule will dramatically simplify your life and open up new and exciting opportunities for you.

I would love to hear how you did with the One-In, One Out rule! Please share how you did or offer your comments below.