Save An Hour Each Day... Get Organized!!! by Jeffrey J. Mayer What does your desk look like? * A toxic waste dump? * A bomb exploded? * Burglars had ransacked your office? In corporate America, most business people associate a messy, dis-organized desk/office with being productive, effective and efficient. Are you a member of this club? Did you know that most people are “wasting” an hour each day looking for “STUFF” that’s lost on their desk? How about you? (Do you wish it was “only” an hour?) And it always happens at the most inopportune time. How many times last week did you call someone up, ask them a question, and they responded, “Hold on a second and let me find the letter/file/proposal. I know it’s here... somewhere.” And five minutes later they come back and sheepishly said: “I can’t find it, let me call you back later.” Thus beginning another round of telephone tag, stretching a quick five-minute conversation into a five-day odyssey. If you want to get ahead in life, make more money, and even get home for dinner every once in a while, follow these 6 steps and you’ll be organized. (This complete procedure is explained both in my best-selling “Success is a Journey” and “Time Management for Dummies” books.) Step #1. Schedule An Appointment With Yourself For most people, it takes about 2 hours to get organized. Write it on your calendar, and KEEP THE APPOINTMENT!!! Step #2. No Interruptions Turn off the telephone, close the door (or put up a Do Not Disturb sign across the entrance to your work space), and allow NO INTERRUPTIONS! Think of this session as a meeting with your boss or most important client. Step #3. Bring A Dumpster Sixty percent of the stuff on most peoples desk can be tossed. That includes you!!! So keep the papers, documents, and files you need, and throw the rest away. Remember: Don’t succumb to Cleaner’s Remorse. (Going thru the trash and pulling out the stuff you just threw away because you think you may “Need It Again.” Step #4. Pickup A Piece Of Paper Now that you’ve closed the door and turned off the phone, pick up a piece of paper - any one will do - and ask yourself 3 questions What is it? Why do I have it? What am I going to do with it? If you can’t come up with a good answer, THROW IT AWAY!!! Step #5. File Your Papers If you need to keep a piece of paper, (file or proposal), put it in a properly labeled file folder. If one doesn’t exist, create one on the spot. Step #6. Record Your To-dos On A Master List If there’s work to do, note it on your Master List, which is a to-do list written on a big piece of paper - like a legal tablet. You can also record your tasks inside your contact manager - like ACT!, or your PIM - like Outlook, or your PalmPilot, Black Berry. Before you know it, your desk will look like the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, and your garbage can will be filled to the brim, overflowing, and spilling onto the floor. You’ll be organized, efficient and productive. You’ll spend your time doing things that make you successful.