| |
| |
|
Organizing Information |
|
|
|
10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter-Free- Now!
1. THE LOVE IT OR LOSE IT PRINCIPLE: Every item around you represents a choice you made. You either went out or selected it; or it came to you, and you accepted it. Look at that item now with fresh eyes. If you do not know that item to be useful, believe it to be beautiful, or love it for personal reasons, it's time to get rid of it. In other words, LOVE IT OR LOSE IT. Love what nourishes your dreams and directions, lose what drains or distracts you. Call this process your "Clutter Campaign". 2. DESIGN your vision of how you want to live and work. What is your ideal environment? Look at where you are now and document your current condition (yes, this means writing it down). Create a clutter campaign workbook. Then write down where you want to be and what budget and time frame you are working in. 3. ELIMINATE your excuses that undermine that vision. Take the time to list the excuses. How do you feel when you are clutter-free? Decide what natural talents and skills will help you get organized - and get assistance for the areas that are difficult for you. What are others doing that is helpful to you? 4. COMMIT your time to take positive action. Think about how much time you spend now looking for things. Then think about how much time getting organized will take - especially if you break projects into bite sized pieces. Now mark the calendar - when are you getting started? 5. SELECT your tools to match your personal organizing style. Think about what you need every day, and arrange these items in a system that works for you. Make sure the tools are in working order and utilize technology to your advantage. Ask yourself this about any item in your life: Is it useful? Is it beautiful? Do you love it? 6. MAINTAIN your success and keep the process flowing, revel in your success. Notice new habits you have developed and what is making it easy for you to maintain those habits. Making organizing and de-cluttering a regular part of your day. Reevaluate the systems you created on a continual basis - make sure they work for you! 7. Create A Support Group. Some people like to do the Clutter Campaign on their own. Others prefer to work as part of a group who share support and encouragement and also hold themselves accountable for staying on focus. Working with friends can even add some fun to the process. If you decide to work as part of a team, remember the four things most successful groups have in common a. A structure that keeps them focused on their goals b. They hold themselves accountable for the promises they make c. They support one another d. They celebrate their successes 8. Practice the Art of Wastebasketry?. As yourself these questions about everything you own, and based on the answer, decide whether or not to keep it. a. Does it require action? 9. Maintain a Master Project List. List all the projects you are working on, and create a file, folder or holding space for information on each project. 10. The most important question: What is the worst possible thing that would happen if I don't get organized and/or start a clutter campaign in my life? Creative minds always have more ideas than the physical body can carry out - give yourself a break and permission to get rid of those items and projects that do not meet your life goals. Let us know how your clutter campaign is going - we would love to hear from you. Happy organizing! © Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Making Life Easier, with NLP Chunking! You know, in psychology there is a rule, especially within the NLP circles that I work in and the literature that I read, it is quite a famous rule; 7 plus or minus 2 - this is the notion that the conscious mind can only keep track of between 5 and 9 discrete pieces of information at one time. Your unconscious can literally keep track of billions and billions of things at the same time aparently (clever thing that it is!), while your conscious mind is more one step at a time and it has a fairly narrow focus. Clutters Side Effects: How the State of Your Home Affects Your Life Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with which you resonate on a subconscious level. Clutter and untidiness within each of these areas causes constriction and inertia in the corresponding aspects of your life. Clutter Crisis? Clutter costs you time, money, space, and peace of mind. Most of us complain about our cluttered desks, closets, bedrooms, kitchens, attics, basements, and even our cars, purses, and briefcases. Three Effortless Ways to Win the Paperwork Battle Buried under mountains of paperwork from your company? Do the projects seem to never end? Imagine how good you would feel if every day you could start with a clean and organized desk? Well dream no further! By following the three powerful tips listed below, your dreams will become reality!Setting up your system: Start by ordering two 8 ˝ x 11 "flat desk files". A flat desk file looks like an accordion file, except it lays flat on your desk and can be easily carried with you. How Much Is Your Time Worth? Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?Do You Really Know for Sure How Much You Earned? Do You Really Know for Sure or Just "Think So"? Do You Really Know for Sure Which Ads Work? Do You Really Know for Sure Where your URL's Are? Do You Really Know for Sure? DO YOU ??We have all wasted precious working hours, sometimes frantically looking for an article or business letter saying "that's where it was last time.. Organized Living in a Disorganized World We are bombarded with so many factors that perpetuate disorganization. Computers, fax machines, cellular phones, and on-line services enable us to do more - and require us to do more. The Top 10 Habits of Organized People Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have "it all together - all the time," while you struggle with deadlines, misplace items, and run late for appointments? Are you interested in learning the secrets to their organizing success? If so, implement the following strategies and you too will experience the joy of more focus, time and success.1. Keep, Get Rid Of, Or Not Sure? Cleaning out can seem overwhelming -- especially if it's been a while since you've done it! But there is a very simple process you can follow that will A) help you sort and separate your belongings into manageable piles, and B) keep you from completely tearing up your house while you are cleaning out! When you begin clearing area, you should have three large boxes close at hand. One box is labeled "Keep" -- one is labeld "Get Rid Of" -- and one is called "Not Sure" (we'll talk about other possible sorting categories later on). New Business? Changing Careers? Youve Got a Whole New Ball Game When you embark on a life transition, the skills that brought you success in a former life will no longer work. It's like trying to play football on a basketball team. Clutter Is Natural Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that drops from trees, washes in on the tide, or is blown by the wind into your backyard. Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your LifeAre you still looking for the perfect organizing tool? Is your Filofax too bulky and heavy to fit in your purse and carry with you? Tried a Palm or other Handheld and found it awkward to use when you're on the run?Ta Da!! - Try simple 3x5 index cards, you know the litle ones you use for kitchen recipes.Why? They are affordable, easy to find and they fit in your pocket or purse. Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle I have a good friend whom (also being in the same business) I often compare notes with.One of the things that I always give him a hard time about is the fact that even though he has one of the biggest desks I have ever seen I have never actually seen the desks surface. Escaping The Clutter Trap? - 5 Steps For Increasing Productivity And Decreasing Stress ? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the "stuff" in your life? Magazines and journals you've never finished reading, clothes you never wear, e-mail you haven't responded to, or photographs you intended to share with friends or colleagues? ? Are you embarrassed to invite people to your home or office because they will see the way you live or work? Do you rush around when someone's coming to hide the evidence?? Is clutter putting a strain on a relationship that's important to you? Do you argue with your spouse about what to keep, or spend time reassuring your colleagues that you know what everything is?? Do you waste time looking for things you really need - documents you already created, or the keys or receipt you had in your hand five minutes ago?? Is your home or office just too crowded? Does clutter take valuable space and leave you feeling overwhelmed? If you answered "Yes" to any two or more of these questions, you are caught in The Clutter Trap - a state of cumulative disorder which diminishes your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, or financial health. There are more than a few people reading this article right now who are feeling distressed by the clutter in their lives. Just How Organized Are You? Take This Quiz For Individuals The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your reactions to each pair of phrases. Decide where you rate on the scale from 1 (You rate yourself low) to 10 (You rate yourself high). Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. William MorrisWhat you love, you preserve There are so many tools available to support your Clutter Campaign. Clutter Campaign - Maintain Your Success To want in one's heart to do a thing for its own sake; to enjoy doing it; to concentrate all one's energies upon it-that's not only the surest guarantee of success. It is also being true to oneself. Technology...The Culprit and the Tool Technology has given us the tools to reduce routine tasking, yet we are all too aware that technology is seen as the culprit as much as the solution. We only need to look around us to see the developments of the past 20 years. Does Your Storage Make Sense? What do your storage spaces look like? Do you know exactly where to go when you are looking for something? Is your system logical? Designing a meaningful storage space requires a lot more than just putting stuff in a closet, drawer, or cabinet. You need STRUCTURE -- some proven guidelines to follow while setting up your storage spaces. 10 Organizing Tips for Road Warrior Parents Parenting is always a challenge, but particularly so if your work requires that you travel. Don't be too hard on yourself or on them when you find it difficult. The Organized Move: Packing Made Simple (This is the second in a series of three articles on "The Organized Move")Does the thought of packing all your belongings make you want to run for the hills? Homeowners who are moving on their own (as opposed to a corporate relocation where an employer is paying all the bills) find themselves with the dilemma of whether to do the packing themselves or contract out this huge task.A packing crew can be a good fit for an overscheduled family, a long-distance move where you may already be living in the destination city, or individuals with physical limitations.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
