Organized To Be Your Best!

"Simplify and Improve How You Work!"

Author : Susan Silver
Publisher : Adams-Hall Publishing, 2004
ISBN : ISBN 0-944708-60-9
Pages :275

The Big Idea

One of the factors to success is the ability to manage tasks efficiently and systematically in a similarly conducive environment. Practicing time management allows you to accomplish the more important tasks on time; and helps you achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

Organized to Be Your Best! gives simple tips on how to get started and maintain good organization practices. Being productive doesn’t have to be difficult. After all, it’s supposed to make life easier for you!

How to Be Positively Organized!

Being organized goes beyond having a clutter-free office, it also involves getting your priorities in order and finding the time to do all the things you want. Another benefit of being positively organized is that you are able to create a balance between the different aspects of your life such as work and family.

In order to do this, you must first be able to identify personal and professional goals you would want to achieve. These goals help you stay on track.

Writing down goals is a very powerful technique. Make sure your goals are specific, and that they clearly define what you want to do. Knowing why you want to achieve these goals and mapping out ways to achieve them keeps you committed. Goals do not necessarily have to be realistic all the time. The higher you aim, the better.

Techniques to Ensure Success

1. Put your goals into writing.

2. Read them daily before you do your planning and before you go to sleep.

3. Take some action on your goals every day or at least every week.

4. Share them with another person and listen to their goals as well.

5. Every week, write down and accomplish smaller goals that relate to your long-term goals.

6. Review and revise your goals at least twice a year. Always make sure that your goals reflect your deepest values.

7. Let your goals inspire you and not haunt you.

8. Include both professional and personal goals to increase the balance of your life.

Time Management: What You Really Need To Know

Time Management helps you manage the important things in your life. It is also the basis of any good organization. Time management helps you focus on tasks that are essential in reaching your goals.

Planning and Prioritizing

Planning and prioritizing are the foundations of time management. They clearly define your short-term and long-term goals; and make decision-making on a daily basis easier.

Identify priorities according to the importance of the task and how soon it is needed. Classify the tasks according to the following:

1. Important and urgent.

2. Urgent but not important.

3. Important but not urgent.

4. Not urgent and not important.

Remember that you should make time to do tasks that are important but not urgent because they are activities that can help you accomplish your goals.

Six Ways to Maximize Planning and Prioritizing When Making To-Do-Lists

1. Plan tomorrow, today, and put your plan into writing.

2. Revise your plan. Stay flexible and use common sense!

3. Make at least one, screened-time appointment with yourself each day.

4. Consolidate activities and avoid unnecessary to-dos.

5. Make time every day to work on your “should” priorities.

6. Write down key goals, activities, or projects for the week.

How to Handle Too Much to Do in Too Little Time

Control Interruptions at Work

Interruptions often hinder you from finishing your work. These interruptions are either things that you cannot control, such as mail delivery or incoming calls, or events that can be controlled because you initiate them.

Some interruptions are part of your work, but some are unwarranted. Ask yourself if these interruptions are necessary. If they aren’t, find creative ways to go about it.

Five Secrets to Taming Telephone Time

1. Take control through preparations and planning. When making telephone appointments, make sure to take note of the best times to call. Decide if some meetings are best done over the phone or over another medium such as email.

2. Remember what you say goes a long way with PTA. PTA, or positive telephone attitude, helps you establish good relationships with people you work with.

3. Use concise communication. Be specific on times when it would be best to reach you or how much time you can spare to converse with the other person.

4. Take notes and take action. Some calls require you to call back after a period of time. Take notes when making a call so that you won’t forget important details or even the name of the person you are talking to.

5. Train your telephone team. If you have other people answering your phone for you, train them how to handle or answer calls. Teach them how to screen the important ones and how to take notes. \

Delegate Your Way to Success

Delegation is dividing work among those who can accomplish it at a faster rate or even better than you can. In order to delegate successfully, you must learn to first organize yourself. You also have to train the people to whom you delegate the tasks to. Once you have trained them, entrust them with the activity and make sure to follow-up and evaluate their performance. Provide constructive criticisms when necessary and praise a job well done.

How to Juggle Multiple Priorities

1. Plan and prioritize on a daily basis.

2. Use the right planning tools.

3. Use an appropriate follow-up system.

4. Use effective communication tools and techniques to get clarity.

For Collectors Only: How, When, and What to Save

Some people have careers that require them to collect documents, records, or other resources. Other people just have the habit of being packrats. Either way, you must be able to become smart about collecting.

There are different kinds of collectors. The “chipmunk collectors” are those who believe in “waste not, want not” and believe that everything will be of use someday. A compulsive hoarder, on the other hand, may be suffering from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, which results in keeping tons and tons of worthless things. Lastly, there are the “information junkies” who love researching and compiling information.

Before deciding what to throw and what to keep, it is important to first write down your goals and values and take note of the things that are important to you. This makes decision making easier. If you are in doubt, save tax, legal, or business items and toss resource information, especially those you seldom use.

The Sorting Process

Once you’ve determined what you‘re going to save, it’s time to begin the sorting process. Schedule a time for the sorting process and stick to it. Start with one area and plan out categories under which you will classify them.

Consider the following four factors when deciding where to store the things you’ve saved:

1. Up-to-date sorting and purging. Finish the sorting process first before buying storage to determine how much space you really need.

2. Frequency of use. As a general rule, only keep items that you use often close to you.

3. Size, shape, and quantity of materials. Knowing the dimensions of objects you need to store makes it easier to determine what kind of storage you should use.

4. Proximity of related items. Similar items should be grouped together for easier reference.

Work Space Basics: Enhancing Your Physical Working Environment

When evaluating the location of your office, examine its proximity to your home, as well as to your clients and suppliers. How is the traffic flow? Is it in a noisy part of town? Consider the logistics of your workspace. Is it near your colleagues?

Remember that adequate work and storage space is important. The general rule is to minimize clutter. Practice the accessibility principle by keeping the things you use frequently closer to you.

Applying ergonomics can be useful also. Ergonomics is the science of making work environments compatible with people so they can work more comfortably and productively. You can buy ergonomic chains, computer stands, and keyboards.

Lastly, consider the comfort level in your own workspace. Are the colors soothing or too harsh? Does your workplace appear stiff? Is the airflow and temperature well-adjusted to suit your needs? Take note of security and safety measures.

Five Easy Steps to an Organized Filing System

1. Categorize any existing files as active or inactive and pull inactive files from your existing file system.

2. Write down your filing system categories and subcategories on paper. Get input from others who will be using the system.

3. Physically set up the system. Have all supplies on hand as you prepare file labels and purge, consolidate, and arrange file folders.

4. Put finishing touches in your system by labeling drawers and preparing file index or chart for yourself and any others who have access to the system.

5. Maintain the system by sticking to a routine.

Powerful Computing: PC File Organization, Housekeeping, and Backup

Your personal computer is one of the most important tools you can use. Thus, it is important to regularly ensure proper maintenance.

PC File Organization Strategies

If your hard drive is big, it is always a good idea to partition the drive or divide it into sections. Partitioning your hard drive makes backing up files easier.

You can also organize your files through the PC hierarchical folder system. The PC hierarchical folder system lets you group your files in directories or folders, as well as subdirectories or subfolders. It is advisable to keep an easy-to-maintain system by limiting subfolders to only three levels and not keeping more than 20 files in one folder.

Separate your data files from your software files by putting them in different disks or directories. Label all your data files accordingly and in a manner that you understand. Lastly, organize your computer desktop the way you would organize your own desktop.

Back It Up!

Backing up files helps you keep important files without clogging up or slowing down your PC. Remember to keep a hard copy and a soft copy of your back-up log so you can keep track of your files.

Working with Others

Aside from organizing yourself in order to reach your goals, getting others involved can also garner favorable results. Interaction with people at the workplace - with special attention towards customers - can make your organization more profitable and give you a competitive edge.

Focus your attention on the customers and give them the service and quality that they deserve. Constantly improve and innovate products and services. Also examine your work processes.

Communicate with Internal and External Customers

Communication should be clear and concise between your internal customers and your external customers. Here are several tips to help you communicate effectively:

• Keep people informed.
• Communicate clearly, concisely, and positively.
• Use multiple channels such as email, telephone, and fax but limit them to those that you really need.
• Beware of using too many channels or communication tools.
• Ask people what they think.
• Standardize communication routines.
• Develop and practice good listening skills.
• Personalize your communication.

Actively Involve Employees

Involving employees in the decision-making process fosters teamwork. Begin with ingraining the mission-vision of your company by putting it where everyone can see it or giving copies to employees. From there, encourage the practice of putting the mission-vision statement to work.

10 Tips for Effective Meetings

1. State a purpose or goal for every meeting.

2. Limit the size of the group.

3. Arrange participants in a circle to encourage more participation.

4. List start and end times for the meeting and stick to them.

5. Have a facilitator who keeps the meeting moving.

6. Have a scribe take minutes.

7. Use visuals.

8. Follow up during and after each meeting by keeping summaries of key points and minutes of the meeting.

9. Be flexible and creative with your meetings.

10. Keep meetings confidential.

Using Computers and Technology to Improve Communications and Quality

Changes in technology may make communicating with others easier, but there are several downsides. For example, emails may relay important information quickly but they can also accumulate at the same rate or relay a false sense of urgency. There are also several security and privacy issues that need to be addressed.

Email Management and Organization Tips

• Establish email policies within your company.
• Resist the urge to copy and forward useless or irrelevant information.
• Limit your distribution lists.
• Limit the number of email messages that can be saved.
• Exercise caution in sending sensitive material.
• Secure a password.
• Have an electronic or digital signature.
• Empty your inbox routinely.
• Check your email at set times during the day.
• Set up a clearly defined message priority system with co-workers.
• Know when to use email over any other communication method.
• Don’t give out your email address to everyone.

Email Writing Tips

• Determine the recipients of your message in advance.
• Be very careful of what you write.
• Write a subject line that gets noticed.
• Include the most important information right up front.
• Use subheads, numbers, and bullets to break long messages.
• Be careful about conveying negative information through email.
• Limit the use of all caps.
• Check the tone and the emotional content of your message.
• Avoid sending long messages.
• Read carefully.
• When responding to a message, clearly refer to the original message you received.
• Use automatic responses.
• Use a signature file.
• Delete extraneous information such as cluster addresses.
• Be brief.
• Request any action that you need from the recipient.
• Warm up email by using the recipient’s name at least once.
• Know when to apply “Reply” and “Reply to All”
• Avoid sending large files.
• Use appropriate tone and style for the appropriate audience.
• Indicate if a message should be restricted.
• Follow the style guide of your organization.
• Indicate at the end of your email if you need a confirmation of receipt.

Surfing the Net: Search Tips, Tools, Shortcuts, and Safety.

The internet is a handy form of communication, so you have to learn how to use it properly and effectively. To prevent people from hacking into your PC or sending you viruses, install an anti-virus program. You must also turn your firewall settings on, and you must passwords.

You may also want to install a cookie manager to block cookies. Remember to clean out your cache folder every so often.

To make surfing the net easier, use keyboard shortcuts such as the Alt and Control keys, Page Up and Page down function, and Escape key. If you’re looking for a particular image or article online, search engines such as Yahoo.com are the most useful tools you can use.

Positively Organized! In Action

Being positively organized is all about taking these concepts into action. Learning to manage time, space, and information can help you reach your goals, maximize your full potential, and make your company more effective.

Remember that every journey begins with a single step. Put your goals into writing, conquer your fears, commit to yourself, and reward yourself once you have accomplished your goals. Habits can be changed with practice. Being positively organized helps you become your best!