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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Get
Organized!
25 tips to get you started.
by Barbara Hemphill
If you think
of getting organized as a big project, think again! Organization
is a skill—and like any other skill it requires tools, principles
and practice. In fact, being better organized, especially at work,
can save you time and increase your productivity and effectiveness.
Whether you are working at home or trying to impress the boss at
work, these ideas will help you get started.
1. Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile. Ignore the
mistakes of the past and set up a system that will accommodate every
new piece of paper. Then incorporate the old into the new—or
get rid of it altogether!
2. 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.
3. 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, and does not have a
“right” or “wrong” way.
4. Use technology to help you get and stay organized. For
example, a contact manager software, 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.
5. 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 numbered
1 through 31 for the 31 days of the month and labeled January through
December. File the paper in the day you want to do it.
6. Less is more! Keep nothing that you do not know to be
useful, think of as 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!
7. Put like items together (e.g., office supplies, travel
items, seasonal items, 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!
8. 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!)
9. 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.
10. Things will feel worse before they get better. That’s
the case in every organizing process. This is normal, and not the
best time to stop for a cup of coffee!
11. 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,
thinking about being comfortable if an unexpected client pops in
will keep you motivated to get rid of clutter.
12. Asking for help when you need it is a sign of wisdom,
not weakness. You can help others with things you know and do well.
Together we are better.™
13. Do you have difficulty letting go of things—even
if you don’t use them? Finding someone else who needs them
more than you do will make it easier. Deductible software will help
you track donations and maximize the deduction you legally can take.
14. 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.
15. 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?”
Again, Hemphill’s Principle: If you don’t know you have
it, or you can’t find it, it’s of no value to you!
16. 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.
17. Put all the electronic files you create into one folder
(which can be subdivided into additional folders.) This makes finding
the information you need, and backing up or transferring data much
simpler.
18. 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.
19. 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!
20. 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 will
generate a file index automatically and allow you to easily share
physical files with people who need to know.
21. Use a Rolodex as a “mini-filing system”—a
place to put bits of information too small for a traditional file
folder; i.e., 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.)
22. Keeping an inventory of your personal belongings could
make a big difference in your lifestyle in case you or your family
are struck with a natural disaster or a family emergency.
23. 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,
which detracts from the function and the aesthetics.
24. To decide if something is organized, ask three questions:
“Does it work?” “Do I like it?” “Does it
work for others who might need to use it?”
25. End everyday 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 productive
environment—a setting in which everything around you supports
who you are and who you want to be so you can accomplish your work
and enjoy your life.
Barbara Hemphill is a leading business organization expert.
Author of the best-selling Kiplinger series, “Taming the
Paper Tiger,” she is working on the next book, “Taming
the Digital Paper Tiger.” A past president of the National
Association of Professional Organizers, Hemphill helps businesses
get organized to increase productivity and profits. For more information,
visit: www.productivityconsultants.com or call (919) 773-0722.
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