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By Barbara Hemphill
If the very thought of “getting organized” seems overwhelming, think again. Organization is a skill and, like any other skill, it requires tools, principles and practice. In fact, becoming better organized, especially at work, will save you time and increase your productivity and effectiveness.
Here are 25 ideas to help you get started:
- Remember that today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile. Ignore the mistakes of the past and set up a system now that will accommodate every new piece of paper. Then incorporate the old into the new--or get rid of it altogether!
- Are you overwhelmed with too much stuff in your life? Clutter is postponed decisions. To eliminate the clutter on your desk and in your life, think the “FAT System”: File, Act, Toss.
- To help you decide the best way for you to get organized, ask yourself “What will I do?”—not “what should I do?” Organization is not a moral issue; there is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about it.
- Use technology to help you get and stay organized (for example, a software program such as Outlook, for managing contact information and filing software). Or try Taming the Paper Tiger for managing physical files and resources and Enfish for managing electronic files.
- Minimize the unnecessary paper in your life by using your calendar more frequently. Instead of keeping the paper, put the information (location of meeting, for example) on your calendar. If you need to keep the paper, create a tickler file system with sections numbered 1-31 for each day of the month and January-December. File all papers under their appropriate day.
- Less is more! Have nothing that you do not know to be useful, think to be beautiful or love. Hemphill’s Principle: if you don't know you have it, or you can't find it, it is of no value!
- Put like items together (e.g., office supplies, travel items, seasonal decorations, memorabilia). Find a space or container large enough to hold the largest amount you want to keep. When it is full, toss or give away!
- Make appointments with yourself--whether it is to clean off your desk, spend more time with your family or write a book. (Write a page a day and at the end of the year, you will have a 365-page book!)
- Store items according to where and how often you use them—and label them clearly so others can understand the system you are using. To avoid accumulating clutter, eliminate any container that does not have a specific purpose.
- In every organizing process, things will feel worse before they get better. This is normal, and not the best time to stop for a cup of coffee! Keep reading.
- Organizing is a skill to help you accomplish something that is important to you. Ask yourself, “If I were organized, what would I be able to do that I cannot do now?” For example, think about how comfortable you will be with unexpected guests once you get rid of the clutter in your office.
- Asking for help when you need it is a sign of wisdom, not weakness. And you can reciprocate. You can help others with things you know and do well.
- Do you have difficulty letting go of things—even if you don't use them? Finding someone else who needs something more than you do will make it easier. Specialized software will help you track donations and maximize your legal deductions.
- Overwhelmed with “to read” piles? Develop a “Just-in-time Reading” system. Tear out articles and file them according to subject. Keep a list of your files (which can be automatically generated by filing software such as Taming the Paper Tiger), so when you need the information you will be able to find it quickly.
- The purpose of a filing system is not to put papers away; it is to be able to find them again! Think “finding system” and ask yourself, “How can I find this again?” Hemphill’s Principle: if you don't know you have it, or can't find it, it’s of no value to you!
- The right information at the right time reduces stress and improves productivity—and makes you appear smart. Use your calendar to manage your time and your filing system to manage your information.
- Put all the electronic files you create into one folder (which can be subdivided into additional folders). This makes it much simpler to find the information you need and back up or transfer data.
- Half of any job is using the right tool—one that is right for you. Thinking a Palm Pilot will get you organized is like thinking a piano can make you a musician. Do not be unduly influenced by the latest and greatest gadgets.
- Group papers together in their largest category and break them down when the file becomes too bulky to manage. On the other hand, putting one piece of paper in a file folder is perfectly acceptable, if it helps you find it when you need it.
- A file index is to a filing system what a chart of accounts is to a budget. You need a chart of accounts to manage your money, and a file index to manage your information. Filing software, such as Taming the Paper Tiger, will generate a file index automatically and allow you to easily share physical files with people who need to know.
- Use a Rolodex as a “mini-filing system”--a place to put bits of information too small for a traditional file folder, i.e., your holiday schedule for next year, social security numbers for your family, combination for gym lock. (If you are a Palm Pilot user, this may not be necessary.)
- Keeping an inventory of your personal belongings could make a big difference in case you or your family are confronted with a natural disaster or a family emergency.
- Bulletin boards can be great organizing tools. Separate information into two categories: information and inspirational. Mixing the two purposes on one board gives a cluttered appearance that detracts from the function and the aesthetics.
- To decide if something is organized, ask three questions: “Does it work?” “Do I like it?” “Does it work for others I care about?”
- End each day by asking yourself, “What’s the most important thing for me to accomplish tomorrow?” Then do it first—before you check your e-mail!
Try some of these ideas and you will be well on your way to a more productive environment—one in which everything around you supports who you are and who you want to be. You'll find that you'll both accomplish more work and enjoy your life more.
© 2005 Barbara Hemphill
To learn more, consider this AMA seminar:
AMA On-site: Every one of AMA’s 170+ public seminars can be delivered on-site. This flexible, money-saving option allows you to train ten or more people, when and where you choose, at a low cost per participant.
Author Bio: Barbara Hemphill is a leading business organization expert. Author of the best-selling Kiplinger series, Taming the Paper Tiger, Hemphill is a past president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. For more information: www.productivityconsultants.com.
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