Author Archives: admin

7 Overlooked Storage Spaces

Posted on by
5

Do you feel like you’ve run out of storage space? For many, trying to fit our belongings into our space is a challenge. Whether you live in a cramped urban studio or work in a small cubby, you may need some creative ideas for finding some much needed storage space. Here are 7 spaces to consider:

Baseball Cap StorageBehind The Door

If you have a hinged door, you have a storage space. A virtual plethora of options are available now for storing everything from shoes to cans to paperwork to towels on the backs of doors. Most of these are very simple to install, instantly adding storage to your room. An added benefit: they “hide” the contents by simply swinging the door closed.

On the Wall

For everything except bulky items, the wall is a great storage location. Hang a row of decorative hooks in a hallway for an instant mudroom. A series of narrow shelves can become instant spice storage. Rest dowels on large hooks and you’ve got racks for wrapping paper.  An ironing board and iron can be easily tucked away on a rack. Need some more ideas? Check out The Seana Method’s Pinterest page.

Dead Shelf Space

A common problem is shelving that is either too deep or too tall. As a result, we often fill the bottom of the shelf, but fail to successfully use the full height or depth of the space. For very deep shelves, add “drawers” by using bins or baskets that can be pulled forward. This enables you to reach the items stored in the back. If your shelves are spaced too far apart vertically, either add more shelves (simple carpentry), or buy some affordable organizing products to more efficiently use the space. You might consider a rack that hangs off of the shelf above it, or use expandable, 3-tiered shelving to graduate your storage for easy viewing. Another option is to use racks that create a “mini shelf” on top of your large one.

Hanging shelf

Pantry rack

 

 

 

 

 

Overhead

Not all storage needs to be at eye level. Walk through your space and look up to see where you could add some storage. For example, consider adding a shelf over your bathroom door to hold extra towels.  A triangular net can be hung in a child’s room to hold stuffed animals. Simple large nails can be installed on the inside of a closet doorframe to hold baseball caps. A pot rack can be hung over a kitchen island or counter to hang needed items.

On the Side

Frequently we think we need to buy more storage containers and overlook the storage space on the side of furniture we already have. For instance, a hook on the side of a desk can be the perfect place to hang a purse. Or a rack hung from the back of car headrests can hold items we need to tote around. Many racks now exist for hanging items such as towels, foil and supplies from the inside of cabinet doors. Don’t like the mess of computer cables at your feet under the desk? Hang a wire kitchen basket from cup hooks under the desktop and tuck your surge suppressor inside.

Between The Studs

Many homes have hollow space between the studs. If you are tight on space, take advantage of this space! Some narrow shelves cut to fit can provide an instant pantry. In a garage, shelves can provide storage for spray paint, bug spray or cans of tennis balls. A notched out area can also become an instant media charging and mail processing center.

Awkward Spaces

We all have them. Dormers, odd corners and small spaces between appliances & walls… finding furniture to fit isn’t always easy. Instead, consider installing some shelves or a rack to make these spaces functional. A great tip is to take a bookshelf, add casters to the bottom and an attractive handle to the side and roll it sideways into a tight spot. Or install a sturdy bench seat and pad for seating, and then hang a curtain to create quick storage for bulky items.

Finding storage can often be as simple as giving a fresh and creative look around your space. Have you found a way for creating storage? Let us know!

Share

Always Arrive Prepared

Posted on by
1

Let’s face it: life is hectic. The pace has picked up dramatically, and all signals suggest that this situation will only worsen. “Preparation time” has gotten squeezed, resulting in an increased likelihood of dashing out unprepared. The key to minimizing this risk is “staging” needed items as they come to mind. This can be a challenge, because remembering doesn’t always coincide with packing. For example:

You come across paperwork for Monday’s team meeting while clearing the desk off on Thursday evening.

You remember – while driving the car – that you need your projector for a presentation next Friday.

You recall that your computer battery is low, so you will need to bring your power cord to the offsite in the morning.

A phone message reminds you that a colleague wants to see a photo of a product mock-up at an upcoming lunch.

Rarely do we remember everything we need at the exact moment we are packing up, frequently because we are rushing to get out the door. Therefore, it is beneficial to set up systems to capture these reminder thoughts as they occur. Consider the following:

briefcaseEstablish a staging area near the door. This can be a bag on the floor, a section of your credenza, or any surface near the door.  When you think of things you need to bring to an upcoming meeting/event/conference/trip/etc., either put them physically into this area, or write a note and place it in this area (e.g. “Friday’s Staff Meeting:  attendance data”)

Create a list on your smartphone called “Remember to Bring”.  When you are out and about and think of something you need, record it here. As above, you might note, “Tuesday conference call: weekly sales figures” or “Vendor fair: new brochures.” When you get back to your office, get these items and put them in your staging area. Once they are staged, you can delete them from your smartphone. If you are staging multiple destinations, group items in bags or piles and label them.

Make a list(s) for meetings you regularly attend/ events you regular go to/ etc. Record everything you need for these recurring events on index cards and hang them on the inside of a cabinet door. For example, if you are a speaker, you might list your computer, projector, power cord, dongles, remote control, business cards, brochures and copies of your book. Every time you are about to walk out the door, consult your checklist to make sure you have what you need.

Today’s fluid environment requires individuals to be organized and ready to go in multiple locations at all times of day. And while some say, “showing up is half the battle”, the truth is that “showing up prepared is what it takes to win.”

For more information on time management and getting organized, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

Trash Has Gotten Complicated

Posted on by
Reply

Remember the days when trash was just trash and everything went in one bin? With the advent of recycling and the need for personal security, managing trash has become a bit more complicated.  In order to be both efficient and practical, consider implementing these suggestions:

Establish “final destination” containers for various kinds of trash. These may be in a garage, a shed, a trash bin, or even up against a wall outside (if your trash is exposed, be sure to have locking lids on your containers to avoid rodent destruction.) You will need:

  • Large trash can(s) for soiled trash and/or items which are not recycled in your area.
  • Large bin for recyclables if you have single stream
  • Small bin if you have limited recycling.
  • Stacker/sorter if you have to sort your recyclable items.
  • Compost pile/bin if you choose to compost.

Establish “temporary hold” bins inside your home into which you place items as soon as you finish with them.  This is where you put your trash until you move it to its final destination. You will need:

  • Small trash cans: these should be sufficient in the bathrooms as most bathroom waste is soiled. If you have single stream recycling in your community and find there are some bathroom items that can be recycled, carry them directly to the final destination bin.
  • Large/kitchen trash can: this is a large can into which you put items that are soiled and/or cannot be recycled.
  • Recycle/kitchen trash can: if you have the space, having a second bin in your kitchen can be handy as this is where many recyclable materials end up. Examples include cans, bottles, cardboard, and plastic containers, depending on the program in your community. If you live in a community with single stream recycling, having a second recycle trash can in an office/near your desk can also be helpful. If you don’t have space, take items daily out to the final destination.
  • Compost receptacle: if you compost, it is helpful to have a bowl or mini trash can (with a lid) to hold your waste until you can carry it out to your compost pile/bin. This can sit under the sink.
  • “To Shred” bin: this is helpful in a home office or wherever you sort the mail. Shred items which contain personal information, especially passwords, social security numbers, and credit card/bank numbers. Make a habit of shredding often so this doesn’t get out of control.
  • “Special Disposal” containers: these are small, labeled bins or bags to hold items which cannot be put into regular recycling, but also should not go into a trash can. These can be as simple as labeled plastic bags hung inside a pantry/closet, or old shoeboxes on a shelf. Set up containers for:

bag of batteries

  1. Batteries (should go to a safe disposal…check your area)
  2. Ink cartridges (can be taken to stores such as Staples or Costco for credit)
  3. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (must be taken for safe disposal… check your area)
  4. Old medications (do not flush these. You can get safe disposal kits from pharmacies such as CVS, and many towns offer drop-off days… check your area)
  5. Hangars to return to the dry cleaner

 

  • “Hazardous Materials” storage location: this is preferably in a garage or basement. Items here include old paint, used motor oil, and old electronics. Most towns and communities offer days during the summer months when these can be dropped off for safe disposal.

Set up locations for items you reuse within your own home. You may want to consider:

  • A container for holding plastic grocery sacks (e.g. a small trash can or empty tissue box)
  • A location for holding used printer paper which can be reused for scrap paper (e.g. a stacker near your printer with sections for both fresh and used paper)
  • A large shopping bag into which you place extra shopping bags for future use.

Changes in waste management are here to stay. Now is a good time to rethink your strategy by setting up convenient, efficient stations for handling your trash.

For more information, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

Bad Habits to Break

Posted on by
1

One of the most discouraging and demotivating experiences is backsliding. You spend all afternoon clearing off your desk, and two days later it is a mess again. Are you doing something wrong? The Seana Method has identified some bad habits which are in conflict with maintaining a productive environment. By eradicating these behaviors you will reap a long-term benefit from your next organizing project.

bad_habits_logo

BAD HABITS TO BREAK:

Keeping too much. Most common of all is the mistake of keeping far more than we need. According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, 80% of the stuff we keep we never reuse. Do you doubt this? Consider the articles you’ve ripped out and never read again, or the books you’ve read the first chapter of and never returned to. How about the clothing you’ve kept “in case you lose 10 lbs?” Less really is more. Fewer items means less time spent moving, storing, cleaning, stepping over, sorting through and keeping track of… which translates into more time to do other things.

Making it difficult to put things away. If it is hard to put something away, we probably won’t. Any storage location that is high up, under other objects, requires heavy lifting, necessitates crawling on hands and knees, or is otherwise difficult to access is one that doesn’t get used.  Sometimes the simple act of having to remove a box’s lid is enough of a deterrent to keep us from putting an item away! Of course, we need to use the spaces we have, and not all of them are easy to get to. However, we should strive to make regularly needed items as easy to put away as they are to take out.  Thoughtfully consider the items you have lying about and ask yourself why you haven’t put them back. Is it because doing so requires a Herculean effort? If so, find a new space.

Stacking. In an effort to make spaces look “tidy,” we often pile items on top of each other. This is a bad idea. In essence, stacking means we hide one item underneath another. We lose track of what is in the pile because we have no way to identify it. Consider time spent rummaging in a junk drawer to find the scissors, or time wasted looking through a stack of papers to locate the one we require. In drawers, always use dividers for like items (these can be as simple as small cardboard boxes!) Paperwork is always better filed than piled. If you need to keep some papers on your desktop, store them in a vertical stacker or in labeled folders in a magazine file.

Failing to allocate daily time to restore order. It is tempting at the end of the day to crash and “deal with it in the morning.” The problem is, the next day typically requires us to hit the ground running with no time for putting items away. Cultivating the habit of restoring order daily is a gift you give to yourself.  It won’t take less time if you defer this activity to another day. In fact, in all likelihood, today’s items will get buried underneath tomorrow’s, meaning the task of restoring order will now take longer. Instead, allocate 15-30 minutes each day to put items away. If you regularly restore order, you will never get a colossal mess, and the task will feel less intimidating. (If you are facing the colossal mess now, you have a different issue. Consider hiring a professional organizer to get a system in place.)

Breaking bad habits is hard, but they can often be pushed out of the way by creating new ones. Whether it be getting rid of stuff, creating easy-access storage, setting up filing or allocating daily time to restore order, a new routine will bring lasting results to your space.

Share

When You Walk In The Door

Posted on by
2

DoorYou kick open the door and stumble in with arms loaded, keys dangling from a finger, mail tucked under your elbow and what do you do? Dump it on the nearest flat surface! Sound familiar? You are not alone. However, believe it or not, the moment you walk in the door is actually critical to your productivity. If you need a better way to tackle this important moment, follow these guidelines:

  1. Begin by putting “routine” items into their home: a particular location where they always go, no matter what. At a minimum, this should include your coat, hat/gloves/scarf, keys, loose change, cell phone, and wallet. If you do not have a designated space for these items, you obviously need to establish one first. Think about setting up hooks for coats, a dish for change, a charging station for electronics, a drawer/basket for gloves, etc.
  2. Empty out items from any containers you have carried in. Examples here include might include a purse, briefcase, canvas bags, folders/binders, or your pockets. Spread out the contents on your desk, counter or table. Take time NOW to put away anything you can. For example, papers from a meeting should go into a file, meeting agendas you no longer need can be shredded, and a dirty coffee mug can get rinsed and put in the dishwasher. The key here is to resist the temptation to leave items in a pile (or temporary place) to which you will have to return later and decide what to do with them. One step is always faster than two steps!
  3. Take time now to review any “to do” items that have resulted from the experience you have just had. For instance:
    • If you have come back from a school function, you may need to make a call or check a date. If it takes fewer than 2 minutes, do it immediately. Otherwise, look at your calendar and decide when you will follow up.
    • If you are returning from a meeting with a list of follow up tasks to perform, the time is now to get out your planning system (whether it be paper or electronic), and schedule when you will tackle each item (e.g. “Tuesday morning I will research how to improve my social media presence on Google+”)
    • If you are facing a pile of papers, triage them by type of task, putting them into action folders, such as “To Read,” “To Call,” “To Respond,” or “To Pay.”
    • If you have paperwork relating to an item that is in process (such as a flyer for an upcoming event or a receipt for an item you are waiting to arrive in the mail), put it into a “Pending” file.
    • If you’ve walked in with a stack of business cards, take time to load them into your Rolodex or electronic Contacts list. Be sure to include any special notes about each person so you will remember later why you want to remain in touch.

While it is tempting to simply “dump and relax” when you walk back into the sanctuary of your home or office, it is better to stay strong for just a few more moments. Five minutes invested now in getting organized will return huge rewards in the hours and days ahead.

For more information on how to improve your productivity, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

 

 

Share

I Don’t Have Time to Get Organized

Posted on by
Reply

Whenever I meet with people to talk about the freedom that comes through organization, I frequently encounter the excuse “I just don’t have time.” My first response is empathy, because I know how busy everyone is these days. The pace of life continues to snowball, and every minute counts. However, it is for this very reason that my second response is a reality check. The truth is, saving time is one of the major benefits of getting organized!

My best definition of what it means to be organized is: “Being able to access what you need, when you need it.” With this definition in mind, here are a few facts that are worth considering:

  • The average American spends almost an hour a day (or 2 weeks per year) searching for items they have misplaced. (2003, Simple Living)
  • Nearly half of Americans say disorganization causes them to work late at least 2 or more times each week. (Jane Von Bergen, “So many reasons to neaten up…” Boston Globe 3/12/2006
Esselte survey, David Lewis)
  • In surveying 1000 middle managers of large companies in the U.S. and U.K., 59% miss important information almost every day because it exists within the company but they cannot find it. 
(Accenture, Wall Street Journal, 5/14/2007)
  • Getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40 percent of the housework in the average home. 
(National Soap and Detergent Association)
  • 55 percent of the respondents would save upwards of 16 minutes to one hour a day if they were more organized. (National Association of Professional Organizers, February 2008)
  • 66% of office workers surveyed indicating they spent up to 30 minutes of time during a typical work week looking for things they have misplaced at their desk or around their office. (Brother International “P Touch Means Business” Survey)
  • It only takes about ten or twelve minutes for you to plan out your day, but this small investment of time will save you at least two hours (100-120 minutes) in wasted time and diffused effort throughout the day. (Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy)

The point here is that being disorganized is not only frustrating and unpleasant, it wastes time. Because we rarely study and quantify these costs, we frequently underestimate the amount of time being lost.  So what’s to be done?

If you struggle with disorganization, poor time management skills or a general inability to “get things under control,” perhaps the time is right to make a change.  Most people fall into one of 2 categories:

  1. People who have the ability to organize independently, and just need to prioritize.

If this is you: make it a priority in your life to get it done. Pull out your planner and intentionally schedule time to work on establishing effective systems for your time, space and belongings. Plan tasks that are well defined, taking one step at a time. Reward yourself along the way.

  1. People who feel at a loss as to where to start, are overwhelmed by their current responsibilities, or are too far behind to catch up.

If this is you, consider hiring some help. Just as a personal trainer can bring the skills, motivation and accountability needed to get your body in shape, professional organizers can quickly and efficiently help you get your life in shape.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” Now more than ever, our time is our most valuable resource. Rather than spend it making excuses, spend it making a positive difference.

For more information, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

My Desk Is A Mess

Posted on by
1

In real estate, the phrase “Location, Location, Location” is widely used. It’s all about buying a house that is in the right spot. This is a helpful slogan to bear in mind when trying to organize our belongings as well. Many people struggle with figuring out how to ensure they have exactly what they need, where they need it. If you have a junk drawer that is bulging with a mass of supplies, you are probably in this camp. To find a better solution, begin by defining 4 spaces:

“Prime real estate.” This is your workspace, and will vary by task. For example, if you work at a desk, this is anywhere you can reach from your desk chair (without standing up.)

 “Secondary access” zone. Secondary zones are still easy to get to, but may require you to get up and move away from your primary workspace to reach them. These would include a credenza across the room, a pantry down the hall, the trunk of the car, etc.

“Supply” location(s). Depending on the type of supplies you need, this could be a closet, a dresser, a couple of drawers, a cabinet or some shelves in the garage or attic. These spaces should be clean (so your supplies don’t get dirty), and fairly easy to access.  Remember to consider hanging items from your walls as an option.

“Storage” location(s). These are places where you keep items you don’t regularly use, but need to be able to find reliably. Examples include boxes in the attic for old tax records or file cabinets in the basement for employee records. The main concern here is finding a space where the item you are storing will be safe (think temperature, humidity, security.)

Now you have 4 zones established. The next step is to empty out your work supplies and re-assign them to the appropriate zone. Here are some guidelines for what goes where:

In “Prime Real Estate,” put the items you use each day, but only a couple of them. For instance, you can keep 2 pens of each color, 1 highlighter, 1 pair of scissors, 1 pad of sticky notes, etc.

In “Secondary Access,” place items you use, but not constantly. So the fax machine may go on a shelf in a closet, or the chargers for your devices go on a table in the entry.

In “Supply,” put the “extras” of all the items you regularly use, such as the bag of red pens, the stash of glue sticks, the printer cartridges, etc. DON’T KEEP THESE IN YOUR PRIME REAL ESTATE. Put these in smaller containers that you label. You don’t need expensive containers, simple cardboard boxes or Ziploc bags will do, but be sure to label them.

In “Storage,” set up a container system that meets your needs. If you have paperwork, get a file cabinet or file boxes. If you are storing larger items, you need labeled bins with lids. Large shelves are always helpful, and enable you to use as much vertical space as possible.

Getting the clutter out of your prime real estate will improve your productivity and make your work station feel peaceful and pleasant. For more information on organizing your spaces, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

How Many Should I Keep?

Posted on by
1

One of the most common questions I get is how much is “enough?” For example, how many boxes should I keep for wrapping gifts? Or how many baseball caps are normal? The truth is, there is no single answer. Everyone needs to live within his/her space, which will vary from one individual to the next. Someone who has a giant closet may be able to keep 40 pairs of shoes, whereas someone who has a tiny one simply can’t.  Feeling in control of our belongings means being honest about the space we have, and keeping only what fits comfortably inside.

Here are a few tips for establishing healthy boundaries:

Use one to hold the rest. One of the great tricks is to designate a limited amount of space for a given type of belonging. For example, if you keep large shopping bags on hand, designate the largest as the “container” and fill it with the smaller bags. Once this bag is full, any additional bags that come into the house can be recycled. Or take a large cardboard box and use it as the container for all of the other boxes you save. Again, when this box is full, stop collecting.

Designate a physical “home” for items you keep in multiples. For instance, allocate a space (e.g. a shelf in the closet) to hold purses. Once that space is full, any new purse can only be added if a bag from that shelf is removed. Or, set aside space in a garage/basement to hold bulk purchase items, and then resist the urge to purchase items (no matter how great the bargain) until there is enough room in this space to hold them.

Limit back-ups. Having an extra can be helpful, but keeping too many multiples clogs up a space in no time.  Only keep seconds of items you regularly use (e.g. sports bottles for the soccer player) frequently lose (e.g. mittens) or repeatedly break.  While there is always a chance you may need something that you’ve given away, there is a certainty that keeping it will cost you. Always be sure to count the cost of keeping an item (cost of storing, moving, cleaning, maintaining, stepping over, etc.) and then weigh the cost against the benefit of having it “just in case.”

Variety is the spice of life, but there is such a thing as too spicy.  By setting some limits, whether via physical space or a count, you can have what you need most of the time in a space that functions all of the time.

For more information, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

That Took Longer Than I Thought

Posted on by
Reply

As the old saying goes, “timing is everything.” Unfortunately, getting the timing right isn’t always easy, and we often end up behind schedule. Sometimes this is due to procrastination… sorry, no “free pass” on this one! But sometimes the problem is due to an inaccurate expectation of how long it will take to get the job done. Why does this happen? A couple of reasons:

  1. The first time we are learning. If we are tackling a task for the first time, it is pretty hard to know how long it will take. Typically it is the little details that we fail to foresee, such as the traffic we will hit when traveling to a new location, or the length of the line we will get stuck in. In addition, we frequently underestimate how much time will be required to see a task through to completion. For example, we may need to rework a presentation or make a second or third visit to a doctor or specialist.
  2. The unexpected happens. Everyone’s been there: the printer dies, the network is down, the baby throws up, etc. The reality is that life frequently tosses an unexpected development into our day. In fact, it’s hard to think of a day when at least one unforeseen event doesn’t take place!
  3. We get interrupted. How many times do we plan to “spend the morning” working on something, only to be sidetracked by the needs of others. Whether it is a coworker stopping in to chat or a child tugging on our pants, interruptions draw our attention away from the task at hand. This adds time not only to address the intrusion, but also to refocus back on the task.

Given that this is the environment in which we must function, how can we improve our ability to honestly estimate the time we will require? Here are a few suggestions:

Always build a time buffer into your estimate. In other words, add 10% to the time you think it will take, and plan for that.  This will give you the flexibility to nimbly adapt when a task is taking longer than you expected. If you end up finishing early, no problem! Most of us can find a way to use an extra half hour.

Schedule “white space” into your week. Each week it is a good idea to block out some time specifically for dealing with situations you did not anticipate (e.g. 1/2 hour after lunch each day.) It may be that you get a surprise request, or you need to make up for time lost putting out fires. Once again, if the day draws to a close and you have extra time, that’s “free time” for you!

Manage expectations. It’s always better to under promise and keep expectations low – even if the promise is only to yourself! If you feel that the timing for a project is tight, don’t expect your best work. Be conservative when estimating what you think you can do… nobody complains if you do more.

Be a good communicator. For the most part, people are reasonable and sympathetic if you periodically get knocked off course. The key is to communicate as early as possible if you anticipate a problem. Don’t wait until the last second in hopes that you will “just make it.” Rather, make a call to let people know you are running behind. In addition, always offer alternative solutions if your initial plan isn’t going to work. Afterwards, learn from your “estimating errors” and do better next time.

Developing an accurate sense of the time required to successfully complete a task is a skill whose reward is well worth the effort: a confident ability to deliver both on time and with excellence.

For more information on managing your time, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

Share

Making Mistakes At Work

Posted on by
Reply

Let’s be honest: there is a lot of “work” at work. Most of us are so busy trying to complete the day’s tasks and put out fires that we often neglect to consider if we are functioning in an efficient way. Here are a few common mistakes, and some ideas for how to address them:

Failing to triage incoming assignments. Paperwork, mail, e-mail, voicemail, and assignments flood in all day long. Many people put everything in a catch-all “inbox”, or pile papers on the corner of a desk. Another tendency is to read emails when the red flag appears, but then simply close them, requiring a second review at a later time. Any action you take which must later be repeated is a waste of time.

It is critical to have a system for quickly reviewing incoming requests and categorizing them to be worked on later.  When a request comes in, sort it by the type of action required (e.g. “To Call,”  “To Read,”  “To Schedule,”  “To Deliver”… or whatever makes sense for your particular business). Have labeled stacking trays/folders for paperwork on your desk, and similar folders on your computer.  When you are planning out your day, schedule time to address each type of action.

Succumbing to interruptions. Whether it is someone knocking on the door or the phone ringing, interruptions draw our attention away from the task at hand. Each one can cost as many as 8 minutes as our brains try to process the intrusion, respond, and then refocus.

While periodic interruptions are inevitable, it is important to aggressively minimize them. Some techniques to try include:

  • Turning off the alert on incoming email or voice mail for a period of time.
  • Designating an hour of the day as your “unavailable” time (e.g. post a “Quiet Hours” sign on your door for 8-9am.)
  • Limiting your web usage (e.g. “I’ll work for 30 minutes, then check my Facebook/surf the web for 5 minutes”)
  • Keeping a notepad on the desk to capture random thoughts to which you can return at the end of a focused session. (e.g. “reschedule advertising meeting”, “pick up milk”)

Lacking consistency in processing meeting information. Do you prepare for a meeting by grabbing the nearest notepad or scribbling notes on the back of a meeting agenda? This frequently results in stacks of half-used notepads and lost notes.

Instead, standardize a system for taking notes. For example, have a designated composition book for meetings. Or have an electronic file you can open on your laptop. Begin each meeting by recording the date & time. Having one consistent location will enable you not only to record pertinent material from the current meeting, but also to easily glance back and see what was decided at the previous one. Always end your notes with a clear “to do” summary which you can then schedule into your planner when you get back to your desk. Also, have your calendar at every meeting.

Failing to File. For obvious reasons, filing isn’t typically a favorite task. As a result, we often pile papers up on the desk, on the floor, or in a box. There is no better way to make a piece of paper disappear than by putting it in a stack.

The only way to insure you can reliably find paperwork is to relentlessly put it in its proper place.  Schedule in 10 minutes at the end of the day to put away any paperwork which has ended up strewn about. “Away” could mean either in an “action” bin (see above) or in a storage location (e.g. a hanging file.) This is a gift your give yourself the next time you need to find it.

****

Work is hard enough without fighting ourselves to do it. Sometimes a few small changes can make a world of difference. For more information on managing your time, contact The Seana Method on the form above.

 

 

Share