Category Archives: Office

Procrastinating? 4 Steps to Stop!

07 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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Procrastination - Thief of Time

We ALL procrastinate now and then, and it’s nothing more than the time gap between when we decide to do something and when we actually take action.  A big part of procrastination is not knowing where to start or how to organize what you need to do.

Here are some common procrastination problems and solutions:

  # 1 – You Just Don’t Want To  (Let’s face it, some things just aren’t fun.)

Solution:  Establish a reward for yourself.    Schedule a beginning and ending time for what needs to be done,  and then take yourself out for an ice cream or another other treat.    Call a friend and schedule to have coffee or do something fun with them.  Let them know that THEY are your motivation to make sure that YOU are successful!

# 2 – You Don’t Know Where to Start (Example:  Preparing to move a student or yourself home at the end of a year at college)

Solution:  Google It!   Almost any problem you meet, someone else has already faced!  Save time and Google your way to solutions.  There are pages of websites about students moving back home.

# 3 – You’re Overwhelmed (Example:  Moving, again)

Solution:  Break down the problem into “do-able” tasks and make a list:

1.   A date to pick up boxes and newspapers or other items needed for packing.
2.   A list of items that be packed away first (winter clothes, etc.)
3.   A list of items which should be packed last.
4.   Which utilities must be notified?

# 4 – Lack of Motivation (Example:  Cleaning Closets)

Solution:  Find a friend who is also struggling to get motivated.

If you have work to do at home, plan a time to phone and catch up while you’re both sorting drawers, closets and doing general cleaning.

If you live nearby, maybe you can share the burden by helping each other. Windows will go a lot faster if you have a friend with you!

Listen to music, podcasts or an audio books while you clean or sort belongings

If you’re interested in making more out of your time, check out this earlier post on “Time Robbers”.

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Off the Office Hamster Wheel in 5 Easy Steps

29 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Planning, Stress, Time, Work Space

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Hamster in Orange Wheel

The definition of a hamster wheel is when someone just keeps running in circles (and making the same mistakes) instead of progressing.

A bit of planning can get you off that wheel and help you to feel better about your mornings.  Review again at the end of the day and organizing is just as important.

Here are 5 easy steps to get control and off the wheel: . . .

Emails – Instead of phone calls (unless it’s an immediate need), send an email.  This will help you AND others to save time.  In addition, I color-code emails to clearly see the status.  After sending an email with a request, I move it back into my “Inbox” and tag it with GREEN.  When receiving an email with a request, I tag it in RED and it shows as an outstanding item.

Voicemail – Unless you’re in customer service, you probably don’t have to answer every call. If possible, block out time to let calls go to voicemail so that you can concentrate on specific projects or tasks.  Even better, close your office door and cut other distractions.

Reducing Paper – A multi-page scanner is a great investment.  Scan correspondence, invoices, receipts, contracts, etc.  You will save filing space and it’s a faster way of sharing information with others.   Make sure you have a logical filing system on your computer or server to find what you need later and don’t forget to back up the files!

Task Lists – These are necessities.  If you don’t have a structured system, develop it now.  If you have one, ask yourself “How effective is this?”   “Can I clearly see the priorities?” “Do I have due dates and times associated with each task?”

End of Day – set an alert to sound 1 hour before the end of your work day.  This will give you time for the following:

  1. Find a good “stopping place” for what you’re currently working on.
  2. Review unchecked voice mails and emails and add them to your task list by priority
  3. Tidy up your desk and physical surroundings for the next morning.

The hamster called, he wants his wheel back and you don’t need it anymore.

Hamster Wheel for Sale

The Instant Stress Reducer

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - STRESS GAUGE

We’re all overwhelmed with this fast-paced “Do-It-All and Do-It-Now Lifestyle”.  Call it “stress”, “anxiety” or “pressure”, most of us are feeling it.  We struggle to fall asleep and then to wake up.  We wrestle and worry about what has to be done tomorrow and what we may have forgotten to do yesterday.  As a result, we suffer from tension headaches, high blood pressure and poor diets.

The real problem is that we haven’t identified the necessary from the optional. When when we pinpoint the critical needs and responsibilities, we’re able to focus on problem-solving.  Once the critical has been identified, it needs to be written down! Because when we identify and list our priorities we permit ourselves to push the “non-essentials” to another time.  In turn, we may find ourselves feeling less overwhelmed and more in control.

When we make a list, we are able to comprehend the priorities, everything becomes more manageable. 

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists.

 

7 REASONS WHY LISTS WORK & HOW THEY BENEFIT YOU:      

  1.  Stress – Lists reduce stress levels as they help us to feel in control.  We organize what is otherwise overwhelming and bring order to chaos.

2)  Our Brains – They’re good for the brain as it gives us clarity.  We’re now able to focus our minds and process the information we are receiving.

3)  Accomplishment – We get a feeling of accomplishment and this positive feeling of completion encourages us to start another task.

4)  Reminders – Lists tell us what we have done and what we have left to do.

5)  Options – They give us opportunities to ask ourselves: “Are there things on my list I can “outsource” to others?”  “Do I have to do all of this myself?”

6)  Moods – If we write down what needs to be done we’re able to tackle different tasks at different times based upon how tired we are physically, mentally and/or emotionally.

7)  Problem Solving – When we create lists, we automatically consider how we can tackle big tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts.

ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - Keep Calm & Make a List

3 Techniques to Work Less & Accomplish MORE

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Planning, Time

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resting

Establish Goals – to manage anyone or anything (paper, projects, tasks or information) priorities must be established.  (Remember, the key to victory is to share information with all who will be contributing to the success!)

  1. Priorities – list in order the key factors to your success
  2. Planning – attach goals to each dynamic and assess how much time you will need to achieve them.
  3. Preparation – schedule appropriate time and include potential costs incurred to realize the goal.

Benefits

  1. Management skills – A well-organized manager will exude confidence and control in an organization.
  2. Managing well establishes a sense of trust and professionalism to both employees and customers.
  3. An organized office creates a more relaxed environment where employees are aware and ready for the work ahead.

Systems & Procedures – review your current administrative process for redundancies or bottlenecks.  Define the process and put it in writing so there is clear direction for recurring tasks & responsibilities.

Benefits:

  1. Time Savings – less time correcting mistakes, searching for information or and answering duplicate questions.
  2. Money savings – you no longer purchase duplicate inventory or supplies for what you can’t find when you need it.
  3. More time for REAL productivity

Benchmarks & Tracking – by setting standards and regular goals you can track of your progress.  Whether you choose to review quarterly, monthly, weekly (or all), do it as often as it takes to stay focused on the priorities

Benefits:

  1. Greater success in reaching goals due to greater focus on key areas.
  2. Better communications and information sharing results in a stronger team.

3 Strategies for a Successful Non-New Year’s Resolution

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Time, Work Space

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NY Resolution

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution yet?  Well, if you haven’t, I recommend you don’t!   Instead, consider beginning with a few goals that are realistic and attainable.

Aim for success in the “first quarter” and you’ll feel better moving on through the year and setting more goals. Wondering what the difference between a goal and a resolution is?  

Resolutions – are often abstract, they may have a vision but rarely include the details.

 Goals are specific, measurable and have a timeline associated with them.

Don’t Make a Resolution, Create a Goal!

3 Strategies to Help You Succeed 

1) BE kind to yourself – Don’t try taking on too much at once – set yourself up for success!

2) DEfine your goals – write them out  in detail and what “success” will look like to you! 

3) REmind yourself – put them on the bathroom mirror, above the kitchen sink or in your smartphone (they can pop up during the day as encouragement)

“Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding.”       – Harvey Mackay

Choosing Your Goals

Business – Is it completing a business plan, installing a new filing system, or going paperless? 

Home – Is it painting a room, getting the garage organized or cleaning out specific closets?

Good Habits – If it’s a habit, commit to the practice, not perfection. Start with small changes and permit yourself time to build the habit slowly.  You can always increase your goal as continue. 

Need some encouragement or ideas? I’m just an email away and would love to help you define and execute your goals!

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A Sinking Ship

02 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Drowning in Paper

Twenty years ago we were told our offices would soon be paperless, but here we are still sinking in it!  Instead of tossing the paper, we now scan it, file it electronically, AND keep the hard copies.  Here’s a couple of interesting facts:

  •  80% of papers and information that we keep, we never use (Agency Sales Magazine)
  •  The average employee in administration wastes two weeks per year retrieving misplaced information from messy desks and files. (The Wall Street Journal)

So we have all this information in two forms, but how much good is it if we can’t find what we need when we need it?   Are you looking for a preserver to save your sanity or a raft to stop you from drowning?  ?  Here’s an acronym for four simple steps to save yourself – R.A.F.T. 

REFER – this includes anything that is dependent upon someone else for the next step or needs to be delegated.  Gather all of your “refer” items and send them to the responsible person to handle.  If you do this in email, take those emails and color-code or label them as “Waiting for a Reply or Item” and then you can follow-up easily. (Gmail is great for this!)

ACT – these items you need to work on alone.  The first step is gathering your active items together and summarizing for deadlines and priorities. Once you have that done, I recommend looking at your desk to see if there are any papers that can be handled in 2 minutes or less! Getting rid of clutter is the first step and it’s so encouraging!

FILE – Don’t wait until your filing system is perfect, just start from where you are and use whatever system is logical for you until you have either time or help to refine or customize a system for you.

TOSS – You may want to contact a CPA or professional organizer about a records retention.  If not, there’s a lot of great information on the internet.  For everything else, refer, act, file or toss it!

Think you don’t have time to get the paper organized?  Than ask yourself, “Do I have more time next month to feel frustrated and more time to waste looking for things?”

Wouldn’t it be better to feel like this!  

Freed from Paper

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Homepreneurs & Solopreneurs

22 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Time, Work Space

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More than half of all U.S. businesses are based at home and an estimated 6.6 million home-based enterprises provide at least half of their owners’ household income.  Together these “homepreneurs” employ one in 10 private-sector workers.

So how do we separate our home life from our business life?

Having a ‘separation of states’ for managing information (appointments, tasks, email, etc.) is a good beginning. If you can manage it, have a room designated as a home office and let your family know that if the door is closed, you’re not available at that moment.  You can even put a “Be Back in 1 Hour” sign on the door! If you don’t have a spare room, consider a corner of a room and use an attractive room divider so that you have private space to work and think.

Conversely, we need to integrate our work and home life with as little confusion as possible – which is why Google is so popular.  Personal calendars and business calendars can be linked and viewed independently or jointly (each calendar is a different color).  When adding an event, view the combined appointment calendars to reduce the chance of double-bookings.

Google also offers cloud computing and on-line collaboration.  If you’re working on a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, but have to leave the house, just upload it to the cloud and later you can access it from your smartphone to make changes and add content. Additionally, business and personal email accounts can be linked so you can ‘toggle’ on your phone to access each one separately even when you’re out of the office.

Cloud computing, email, calendars and smartphones have accelerated the trend of independently working from home.  But if we want to be successful, we must stay in tune with both the big picture and details jointly for home and work.

If you have questions, need assistance in setting up an account or would like more information about the benefits, feel free to email me.

If you have any tips or favorite planning applications, I would love to hear from you!

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar.  I always enjoy tips and feedback!