Five Requirements for Success
1. Vision
2. Methodology
3. Tools *
4. Time
5. Motivation
A suggestion for a great tool that will help you get organized and save time … The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system for the hanging files in your filing cabinet. It works like a search engine for your paper files! You can waste over 150 hours per year, just looking for lost information.
There’s many other uses for The Paper Tiger as well! Here’s to your success!
Managing paper in any office is an overwhelming task, because there is a seemingly ever-increasing mountain of paper files.
Whether you’re a small or large company, you must practice good time management and office organization techniques in order to control costs and provide excellent service. Constantly increasing staff productivity is a must. What is needed is a simple, but effective document management solution such as Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management.
David Lawrence of David Lawrence and Associates said in a previous article, “Consider how much it costs to maintain inefficient paperwork and filing systems. If, as a direct result of not having efficient systems, it costs you and/or your staff one hour each day (this is probably conservative), and you used a $50-per-hour cost factor over the course of an entire year—the cost of inefficiency could top $12,000 in lost time ($50 x five days per week x 48 weeks).
There is an old saying in business that goes, As much as is possible, handle a piece of paper only once. Those of us who scan through paper mail and set it aside in an inbox, promising to deal with it later, may find that same piece of mail a couple of months later buried in a pile. Deadlines can be missed, important mail can be commingled with unimportant (or junk) mail…”
In that Financial Advisor Magazine article, Mr. Lawrence recommended Paper Tiger; and financial firms from around the world have found this software to be an invaluable tool for helping them better manage their office and get organized to stay on top of the virtual mountain of paperwork that they must deal with each day. It is the most efficient filing system available. You get all the power of the computer WITHOUT the risks and time commitment of paper scanning.
The Paper Tiger allows you to go ahead and set up hanging files with numbered tabs, so they are ready to drop your paper filing into.
When going through mail, decide what needs action, what should be filed, and what should be tossed. Stacks of paper files all over the office lead to frustration and inefficiency, which is costly in both time and money, so you must prioritize and decide on procedures to handle the paper that comes through your office. To create an even more efficient office, be sure to document your paper handling system and retention guidelines. This will ensure that everyone is organized in the same way and training on these procedures will be a cinch in the event of employee illness or staff turnover.
-Decide what is junk, and toss what should be tossed immediately.
-For items that need to be filed, the best practice would be to open the Paper Tiger database and input Item Name and Keywords for each item, then immediately drop into the corresponding hanging folder.
Or you could have a tray or folder on your desk where you can immediately place items to be filed. Then set aside 15 minutes to clear your desk at the end of each day, enter the necessary information regarding the ‘to be filed’ into the Paper Tiger database, and place the files into the corresponding hanging folder. (remember, the hanging folders are already set up, so you don’t have to worry about finding folders and making tabs)
-Prioritize action items. Decide if the action can be done immediately. If not, either delegate or check the deadline. Decide how long it will take you to complete the task, and work backward on your calendar. Schedule this start of action on your calendar. Input the Item Name and Keywords information regarding the action file into the Paper Tiger, and select the Action date to start. Place the item in the corresponding Action Item hanging folder.
The Paper Tiger is great for short-term action files, as well as long-term storage of files. Of course, purging of files should be a task that is done regularly according to your office retention guidelines and compliance with regulations to ensure your filing cabinets do not overflow with unnecessary or outdated files.
When you’re ready to purge files to archives or to recycle/shred, simply conduct a Transfer of the file(s) in the Paper Tiger database, print a report and then remove the physical files from your filing cabinet or desk drawer. (If transferring to archives, don’t forget to set the action date in Paper Tiger when a file should be removed from archive to recycle/shred. That way, you’re sure to keep up with the life-cycle of your document management system.) Then box the files you’ve removed and send to archive location or recycle/shred, whichever the case may be.
Making decisions regarding how paper should flow through your office and the life-cycle of document management and retention will go a long way in your staff time management, increased productivity and organization. As mentioned previously, when you document your paper handling system and retention guidelines (the schedule in the life cycle of documents in your office), you will reduce cost and legal liabilities. Keeping unnecessary files will result in over-stuffed filing cabinets or storage space. In addition, different types of files need to be kept or destroyed based on legal reasons and time-lines, which could result in civil or criminal issues.
See our Blog Category for Records Retention: How long should you keep records? for articles written from different sources, including the IRS, to help you decide document/records retention schedule for your specific needs.
This is a great source to get your desk organized and increase productivity, excerpted from an article, 5 Questions To Help Organize Your Desk from Productivity501.com. We suggest The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to help you keep track of your files. The Paper Tiger is also an awesome tool to organize many other things in addition to paper files. See The Many Uses of The Paper Tiger
Look at your desk right now. Is it messy? If so, don’t feel too bad. It isn’t uncommon. This post is a series of questions to ask about the stuff that is currently on your desk. Asking these questions will help you find the cause of a messy desk and give you some ideas for stopping the disorganization at its root. This is vastly more beneficial than simply taking the time to clean your desk right now, because if you don’t change your process and organization, you’ll be back in the same position in a week or so.
Does your desk contain items that need to be filed?
If there are items on your desk that need to be filed, but haven’t yet been organized, ask yourself, “why”? Why are they still sitting on your desk? Is your filing cabinet too far away? Is the filing process a pain, so you set things on your desk rather than put them away? Right now on my desk I have several pieces of paper related to taxes that I haven’t filed. I really don’t have an excuse. There is a stack on a nearby desk that my assistant will scan into my paperless filing system, but I just put the paper on my desk instead of where it belongs.
Why would I do this? Over the past week, I’ve been very busy and I’ve set some items on my desk that don’t really belong there. If my desk were clean other than just those two or three pieces of tax-related papers, I would probably have put them away. So keep in mind that clutter causes clutter. Keeping an organized desk will help you stay organized. Keeping a cluttered desk will encourage you to put more on it because “one more piece of paper doesn’t really matter.”
Are there papers on your desk that require action?
This is a big area of desk clutter–things that require your action that you haven’t gotten to yet. Take a look at these types of papers and write a number in the corner (or on a sticky tab) indicating the number of minutes you feel it would take to deal with them, or at least take the first action that would be required. If you have a bunch of 2 to 5 minute items, you would probably be better off doing them as they come in. Is there a reason you didn’t just pay that bill when you opened it? Is there a reason you didn’t sign and send back that form when you got it? Understanding why you put off the action will help you understand how to keep those papers off your desk in the first place.
Papers that require longer action may be a bit more problematic. However, is your desk the best place to keep papers like this? At the very least, they should go into some sort of inbox so they will all be together. If you have a lot of papers that require action in the future, use some sort of tickler system to remind you when they need your attention. Of course, if you have papers that require attention, but not necessarily your attention, they can be delegated and put on your assistant’s desk or inbox.
Read the complete article 5 Questions to Help Organize Your Desk: http://www.productivity501.com/5-questions-to-help-organize-your-desk/7045/#ixzz0j1CMC9qx
Productivity501.com RSS feed or follow Productivity501 on Twitter.
It does not matter what country you live in. Your sex and age are both irrelevant. Religion and race cannot alter the one thing everybody has in common. You only get 24 hours in a day. For businesses to increase profit without increasing expenditure, improve your productivity through better time management.
In every business there are jobs that staff enjoy. Then you have other jobs that are just as important, but staff and management do not particularly like doing. It is a proven fact that if you enjoy doing something, you do it well. Conversely, if you would rather not be doing something, you do it as quickly as possible and not usually in the most efficient manner.
The single biggest time waster in any business is record keeping/filing/document management. This is because most businesses use outdated systems that are no longer efficient. Staff generally hate the mundane tasks associated with record keeping and thousands of hours are wasted every year because everyone is too busy to spend time looking for a solution.
Stop looking! The answer is literally at your fingertips. The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System can free up hundreds, or even thousands, of hours currently being wasted using archaic filing systems. This is a company’s biggest hidden cost and is often overlooked. The best way for you to improve overall productivity and time management is through the utilization of a standardized indexing system.
No longer will staff make up their own minds about how to file things. Gone are the days of cluttered desks and documents being misplaced because people cannot be bothered taking the time to correctly file your important documents. You will no longer be forced to make uninformed major decisions because you could not locate a particular document at a crucial time.
The Paper Tiger is the right document management system and is easy to learn and implement because it blends in with whatever your current guidelines are. There will be a universal way of storing all documents so that everybody, from the CEO of the largest corporation to the newest girl in administration, can both file and locate any document at any time.
Simply make some decisions as to how you will name your files. They can be names, numbers or whatever combination you choose, then enter keywords and/or additional notes relating to each document.
Current files will be right at your fingertips whenever you need them. They can be kept in a desk drawer or a filing cabinet and the records are input into the software program for everyone to see and add to as required. This saves time if other people need a document from a file from anywhere in the office.
Older, archived files can be stored elsewhere, either on-site or off-site and still indexed in the exact same way. Anything not needed can be deleted or shredded. Gone are the days of cluttered desks, overflowing in-trays and piles of documents sitting wherever there is an empty space. A clean desk gives you more time to focus on the important work.
If you have 100 employees and each one saves one hour a day on filing, that equates to an extra 100 hours every day that can be used more productively. That is the equivalent of having an extra 12 people working for you each day. Productivity will soar without having to increase costs.
Imagine staff coming to work and sitting at clean desks each day. No more sad faces. There will be plenty of extra time to finish important tasks. Some data entry has to be done to manage their record keeping along the way, but not enough to get stressed about. Happier staff means less sick days and higher retention of current staff, which saves countless hours training new people.
An indexing document management software that is easy to learn, simple and quick to operate, and fits in without too much effort, will improve the time management skills of every single person in the company.
Record management is a vital part of any business and has to exist in one form or another. Utilizing the most efficient form of indexing means that you are meeting all the legal requirements of document retention. No more uninformed decisions because you cannot find the document you desperately needed for that last minute meeting. No more chasing receipts at tax time. Everything is fully indexed in your computer.
You can improve your productivity through better time management by changing the way you handle filing and document management. By making a small investment, increased productivity will save you hundreds or thousands of hours and dollars, both now and in the future.
by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert
Home based businesses are more than a passing fade. In fact, they continue to grow in numbers. According to the Small Business Administration:
-Small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees.
-The latest figures show that small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy.
-Home-based businesses account for 53% of all small businesses.
-24 million Americans are self-employed from home on a full-time basis
-1 in 5 businesses located in an office or industrial area started in the home, including Ford and Apple.
This is an exciting time for the entrepreneur! There are many advantages to owning your own home-based business. You can fold laundry while you are on a conference call or do a little gardening when you are stuck on a problem. Many people dream of owning their own business some day, but are afraid to try it. Indeed, being in business for you involves risk.
Getting organized is a challenge for most business owners. It is often more difficult for individuals that operate their business out of their home. Many distractions can keep you from focusing on your business – a sunny day, your children, etc. Many home based business owners frequently do not have someone to hold them accountable other than themselves. The following items are provided as tips for your success.
Ensure Your Space Reflects the Work that You Do
Regardless of if you have a corner of a room or if you have an entire basement, make sure that the space you have designated is for your business only. Spaces that are identified for the business should not hold toys, unless you run a daycare, or other personal distractions. Consider proper storage needs as well as ergonomic needs. The more steps it takes to do something the less likely you are to do it, so create a structure aligned with how you do your work.
Create a Finely Tuned To-Do List
Define 3 or 4 tasks that you must accomplish each day. Schedule a power hour to work through the most important or most difficult tasks when your energy is at its highest peak. Make sure to keep the hour regardless of what occurs in your day. Avoid the seductions of a ringing phone, your email or someone dropping by to visit. With your most important tasks under your belt, you will be able to enjoy your home-office life guilt free!
Automate Where Possible
Automation is a great way to save time in your business. There are a number of tools that can help you with your marketing, time management and more. Check out our related posts for more ideas.
Identify a Safe Meeting Location
When you are meeting with another individual for the first time make sure that you meet in a public space that is convenient for both parties.
Guard Your Time
While working from home allows you to have a flexible schedule, be careful to not take advantage of it. Child care is essential to getting things done. Set office hours for your friends and family to adhere to so that they do not take up your productive time.
Take Breaks
Some home-based business owners will go the opposite direction where time and self-care are concerned. It is OK to take a walk or participate in another activity to relieve stress. Be careful to not drive yourself harder just because you work out of the home. Balance is the key.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Many home-based business owners take on all of the tasks of the business. Recognize your strengths and focus your energy on those strengths. There are many organizations that provide virtual assistance. Find one in your area and hire them. The time you save will allow you to focus on your core business and grow it that much faster. Not sure where to start? Check out the list of “VAs” that I have on Twitter http://twitter.com/StephCalahan/va/members. You can check out a list of over 300 professionals from around the world that are in business to make your business happen.
Twitter.com/StephCalahan
Facebook.com/StephCalahan
PS: Don’t forget to keep your paper files in order with Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, which Stephanie highly recommends and also includes in her in person or remote/virtual Office Miracle.
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
Every business, no matter what size, has a need to keep meticulous records. Many companies have one or more administrative employees whose chief function is to manage company records – often, in an archaic and unwieldy system. Indexing, however, is the contemporary method for efficient document management.
The top of every company’s priority list is something ironically called “the bottom line.” In other words, getting the most productivity from their staff and other resources without blowing the budget. Thousands of hours are literally eaten up with filing and then trying to locate specific information at a later date because the system used for document management is so inefficient or outdated.
One of the chief reasons companies still suffer with inefficient filing systems is that every employee is different. People have their own thoughts about what filing should be, and their own way of managing their files. So you have a variety of different methods all intertwined within one company. Some statistics say that about 7 percent of all documents are lost or misplaced and have to be reproduced. There is a better way to organize your filing cabinets into a uniform, logical style that is standardized throughout your business, regardless of the size company you have!
Indexing documents is the most efficient way to increase productivity of everyone within your organization and improve the health of your “bottom line.” Some estimates state that about 150 hours of employee time per year are wasted trying to locate missing files or documents. And even more to recreate the necessary information! At $20 an hour on average – because all levels of employees are involved in this process – that can easily add up to $3,000 per year or more, that you can save simply by using a document management software to manage your files.
So you’re probably wondering, “How does an indexing document management system work?”
It’s quite simple really. You install The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System, onto your computer. The Paper Tiger is a very powerful, yet simple indexing system for the hanging files in your filing cabinet. It works like a search engine for your paper files!
You allow employees the access they require, according to your own policies, to use the software. You decide on the keywords you’ll use to file your documents and information. Company name, common subjects, or other descriptions. Whatever works for you. Use as many keywords as you like. Each employee that has access to the software can also add keywords that they relate to each document.
Now, every single file, anywhere within your entire company, will be labeled using the exact same system with file names and keywords. Wasted time is eliminated as employees locate needed information more quickly. And no more duplication of files! From the day you implement this brilliant, time saving system, every document relating to any project you have will be placed in the same location for easy retrieval.
It’s common knowledge that every document that comes into your office has to be managed in one of three ways. It can be dealt with immediately and then filed. It can be placed in someone’s inbox for future action. Or it can be tossed in file 13. The joy of indexing is that your filing cabinet now becomes your action file as well. You can create a file just for items that need action and place them there without forgetting where you put them, or failing to take action because you “forgot” about them. Then when you’re finished, you can move the file to an archive location or a more permanent file and leave an uncluttered desk ready for more important work.
Once your projects are complete and files are no longer needed on a daily or weekly basis, they can easily be moved to storage elsewhere, and one click of the mouse will tell you where they’re located now, in case something needs to be retrieved down the road. All your document management is done by indexing your files on the computer using software that anyone can learn to use almost immediately – even the computer-challenged managers who usually leave most of the computer work to their assistants because they’re “too busy.” No more worrying about not finding a file because someone is out sick! Our document management system alleviates that problem as well. See our Learning Resources and Video.
In today’s contemporary society with constant Internet usage, video conferencing and urgent meetings are often called with little or no warning. Having an indexed document management system is ideal because you can quickly and easily “lay your hands on” every document in the office you may need for an impromptu meeting or conference call. You’ll no longer be forced to make major decisions without having all the relevant information you need at hand.
Document indexing truly is the most contemporary method to efficient document management for your company. It will not only save your business time and money, but it will make for much happier employees who will spend so much less time handling files and documents in the office.
The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System
By Meggin McIntosh, “The Ph.D. of Productivity”™ and Paper Tiger Expert
Meggin also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to get everything in your life organized — not just for filing paper.
Systems are a key element to productivity. While you may not use every system every day, having systems that are available to you the moment you need them, helps you limit the amount of time you worry about a task so you can get right down to completing it.
1. Your desk is a place to work. If you work in a home office this is especially important. If you fold clothes on your work desk, or stack your personal mail, or hold conversations with your family, or any of a million other non-work concepts at your desk, you will have to take a few minutes to clear your desk of these concerns before you can get to work. These minutes add up.
2. Organize your desk using the ABCD concept. Think of your workspace being like a target with the “A” space as a bull’s eye. Look around your desk periodically to ensure that you’re only keeping key items in the “A” space. Are you leaving your desk regularly for necessary materials? Put them in your “A” space. Rearrange regularly to accommodate your changing work needs. Refer to an earlier Top Ten Productivity Tips for a refresher on the ABCD concept.
3. Have an inbox (for paper and physical objects). Have a goal to clean this box out every day and AT LEAST once a week.
4. Have an inbox (electronic). Learn how to use the “folders” feature for your electronic inbox.
5. Have a ready supply of “next action” sheets. Whenever you’re talking to someone on the phone or in person, have a next action sheet ready to take notes.
6. Employ a tickler file for the month. This is a 1-31 file that allows you to place tasks or needed items (like an agenda for a meeting or the tickets to a show) daily for a month.
7. Use a tickler file for the months of the year. This is a January – December system that allows you to put reminders for items in upcoming months (or cards that you have purchased for events, etc.)
8. File with Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management. I’d be lost without it. This is a numeric system for filing and will change your life if you use it. Seriously.
9. Use some kind of software that indexes your hard drive – and there are many to choose from. You want to be able to find ANYTHING on your hard drive. The previously mentioned Paper Tiger application is integrated with Google Desktop, meaning that you can choose to conduct a search from within Paper Tiger through Google Desktop. http://desktop.google.com/features.html
10. Use a planner. Get a good one that you’ll really use. Splurge a little and buy the one you really want. I’ve tried, and have never been successful, with PDAs, so now I allow myself to buy a beautiful new planner every year with just the pages I like (consider Franklin Planner, Day-Timer, Circa, or whatever works for you). I take it everywhere and use it every day. Get the planner system (paper or electronic or some combination) that works for you. Take a class and learn how to use it productively.
Just put one of these systems into place (that you currently don’t employ) and see what kind of difference it makes for you.
And if you’d like to access some pre-formatted “Next Action” sheets (free), they are available at http://www.toptenproductivitytips.com/downloads.php
You are welcome to sign up for the weekly tips, too.
(c) 2010 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh supports smart people who want to be more productive so that they can consistently keep their emphasis on excellence. Sound interesting? It is!
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meggin_McIntosh
This article by Denise Landers, founder and CEO of Key Organization Systems Inc. and a Paper Tiger Expert, will help you…. Denise also recommends The Paper Tiger Document Management Software and Filing System to help keep track of all your paper files throughout the year.
Are you struggling to get more done every day and yet running into obstacles that keep you from being as productive as possible? Where is the clutter in your life? It could be:
* a mental overload
* a surfeit of activities
* stacks of papers
* a barrage of email
* the corner of your garage
Whether you are facing piles of paper or the overload is hidden in your email inbox, you know it is something that needs to be tackled, and it nags at you. Those little guilt feelings at not getting around to clearing things out end up sapping your energy. If this describes you, follow these seven steps to gain control:
1. Break the task into manageable pieces. If it took ten years to accumulate, do not expect to deal with it all in one day. Schedule small blocks of time on your calendar.
2. Make sure everything has a home. You have to make a decision on each item. Having a specific place for everything gives you structure.
3. Store like items with like items. When you keep all of one type of item together, you know how many you have and where to find them.
4. Store things where you will use them. You need to select a logical home. Otherwise the clutter will accumulate again because you will leave an item where you use it.
5. Contain it. A container can be as small as a paper clip holder or as large as a room. Only keep what will fit. This helps you set boundaries.
6. Get rid of excess. Options include selling, donating, recycling, giving away, tossing. Keep a donation box handy all the time.
7. Create systems. The real key to getting organized and staying organized is to create a system that works for you and stick to it.
These strategies apply whether it is an organized office you seek or cleared spaces at home. Your mental outlook will improve, and your daily productivity will soar!
Copyright © Key Organization Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
If you would like to jumpstart your organizing efforts and add to your time management skills, Denise can help! and Twitter @timetrainer
Corporate Training: workshops and consulting to increase daily work flow and reduce stress
Individual Assistance: our onsite and virtual office organizing to bring about changes quickly
On Your Own: books and CDs to work at your own pace
by Stephanie Calahan of Calahan Solutions and a Paper Tiger Expert
There are a number of statements that I have heard people say over the years with regard to their organizing projects. They are the top mistakes that you can make when thinking about getting your space and time under control.
1 – “If it can’t be perfect, why do it?”
Wanting to do a good job on your projects is admirable. However, the drive for perfection has ruined the success of many projects. Perfectionism paralyzes even the smartest people. Consider the consequences of not doing the project at all vs. the need for perfection. Then, see what you can do to eliminate that procrastination technique!
2 – “I can change! I know I can. This system worked for ______ and I know I can make it work for me.”
We are different — right down to our fingerprints. Assuming that the system is right and you are broken is not the right way to go. Instead, find a system that works for the way you naturally think and learn. You will experience a much better outcome.
3 – “When I have time, I’ll get to it.”
If you are struggling to find time, then you have an even bigger need to get organized! Did you know that the average person wastes 150 hours a year just looking for stuff?!? To make it worse, the average executive wastes 6 WEEKS A YEAR just looking for information and other items. Imagine what you could do with that extra time. Pick 10-15 minutes a day and get started.
4 – “I know I have not used it in years, but I will!”
If you work or live in a space that has loads of extra space, then this comment can be okay. However, most people I talk to tell me that they don’t have enough space. If you have to search through stuff that you don’t use to find the things you do use, you are wasting time. Be honest with yourself and let go of unused items. It will free up your space and time for more important things.
5 – “I do what the books tell me. I have like with like, but nothing ever gets put away.”
Like with like works in some circumstances, but there is another rule to consider. Store items closest to where you will use them. For example, if you have a container that holds all of your scissors, you will likely never find them in that container! Why? Because we get the scissors out and take them to the space where we use them. To walk back to a centralized storage location just does not happen very often. Items that you use on a daily basis should be within your arm’s reach. Things used less frequently can be farther away and so on.
6 – “I have a fantastic 48 step plan.”
Any system that has too many steps is likely to fail. Put the KISS (keep it simple stupid) process into play. If it takes a long time or is too hard to reach, it is likely you won’t do it.
7 – “Planning — smaning Organizing is easy. You just get in there and do it right?”
A little planning up front can save you lots of time now and in the future. Decide what the purpose for each room / space in a room will be. Then, as you have new items come into that space, you will be able to ask yourself if the item fits the space’s purpose. Let’s say you work out of your home. You have identified a room (or a corner) that is dedicated to your business. You find crayons and books in that space. Now that you have defined the space, there is no question that the items do not belong there.
8 – “I found the cutest container yesterday! I love the little drawers. Now, I just need to figure out how to use it.”
If you purchase organizing containers and tools without knowing how you are going to use them, it is likely that the containers will become clutter! Instead, sort and purge first. Then identify specific containers and tools that are needed to complete a project and purchase them.
9 – “No one can help me with this stuff. I have to do this alone.”
Sometimes, when we create a mess, we feel like we need to clean it up on our own, but that is untrue. Some of us are better than others figuring out systems to get organized. Consider finding a co-worker or friend that is organized and ask if they will help. Or, you can hire a coach to help you figure it out. Seeking help when you need it is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness.
To your success! Steph
Twitter.com/StephCalahan
Facebook.com/StephCalahan
About the Author:
Stephanie Calahan is The Business Vision Catalyst and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. She works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs, visionaries, coaches, consultants, health practitioners, authors, speakers and all sorts of remarkable service professionals who are experts in their field, to help them embrace their brilliance, leverage their business and get their message out with power, ease and joy; so that they can make a powerfully positive difference in the world, exponentially grow their income and enjoy a highly-successful and meaningful business… while working less. Learn how you can have more freedom in your life! http://www.StephanieCalahan.com
By Meggin McIntosh, “The Ph.D. of Productivity”™ and Paper Tiger Expert
Meggin also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to get everything in your life organized — it’s not just for filing paper.
Do you use a tickler file (also known as a 1-31 file)? I hope so because this simple, but powerful organizational tool makes a measurable difference in your productivity and peace of mind. But, what if you have two offices?
Here’s a question you might have had:
“I’ve been the principal of a middle school for four years and with budget cuts, I’ve been asked to take on the high school, as well. I plan to be in both buildings, but know I’ll be in the high school more often. I’m looking forward to the challenge but….Here’s my question: What should I do for my “tickler” file? Should I bring it with me to the high school and not have one at the middle school OR keep two separate tickler files? Any thoughts and/or suggestions?” (besides saying “no” to taking on the high school in the first place.)
I have a few responses:
Talk to others who also use a tickler system and see what suggestions they would have to add to this list. And let me know because I’m always looking for better ways for myself and others!
And for MANY more tips and ideas to keep moving forward on your goals for more peaceful productivity, join others (worldwide) who receive Meggin’s weekly emails (and see what is available for download at no cost at the following websites):
**Top Ten Productivity Tips (http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com)
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay (http://www.KeepingChaosatBay.com)
(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meggin_McIntosh
The new year is a great time to think of ways that you can improve your life — Getting Organized always lands in the top 10 lists of New Year Resolutions. There are many outstanding resources available to help you, but it is often hard to find them.
The solution:
– to get as many resources as possible available in one spot –
FREE!
For the first time ever, productivity and organizing professionals from around the globe are working together to deliver the GREAT ORGANIZING GIVEAWAY, and The Paper Tiger is honored to participate in this event.
The Great Organizing Giveaway is Here!
Go to http://www.AskTheExpertOrganizers.com/signup.html and sign up to get resources such as e-books, tip sheets, audio programs, complementary consulting and more! You can also enter into drawings for amazing prizes. Our amazing colleagues have really stepped up to the plate to deliver quality content just for you and it will cost you nothing!
Information will be categorized into three main categories: your office, your time and your home. Business professionals, parents and students will all find expert material that fits their personal productivity and organization needs.
Then do us a favor and comment below or on the Great Organizing Giveaway site to let us know what you think. Better yet, share this great Get Organized event with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc!
www.AskTheExpertOrganizers.com
HERE IS A SAMPLING OF OVER 130 THINGS THAT WILL BE GIVEN AWAY:
* Try The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System software for 10 days with a free trial through the Great Organizing Giveaway website and you will be entered into a drawing with 5 chances to win The Paper Tiger Professional edition software! – “The best filing system ever invented!”
* On a Clear Day You Can Find the Top Of Your Desk Audio and Transcripts
* Productive & Organized: Finding Your Way – Special Report: Priority Setting – Working on the Right Things
* Residential Record Retention Guidelines Special Report
* Quick-Start Guide to Writing Profitable Articles
* Take Control of Your Clutter Before it Takes Control of You! An E-book Simplesizing Kit
* Get Your E-mail Organized!
* AboutOne Your life organized — memberships
* Use LinkedIn to Significantly Grow Your Business & Explode Your Profits!
* 101 Ways to Attract Ideal Clients Build Your List and Raise Your Profile
* 51 Creative Organizing Solutions Found in Every Day Items
* 7 Warning Signs You’re About to Hire the Wrong VA
* “Downsizing Dilemmas – Solved!” workbook
* Using Core Values as a Foundation in Organizing Your Life Workbook
* Making Being Green Easy: Eco organizing tips for the Home and Office
* Top to Bottom Hanging Closet Caddy
* Scared of Filing: 38 Easy Organizing Tips for Your Home Office
* Getting Things Done – How to Set up Chores
* Nine Strategies for Simplifying Your Business
* It’s Time…Stop Procrastinating NOW!
* 112 Tips to Organize Your Workday
* How to Set Up a ‘Command Center’ to run an efficient home and a free phone consultation
* Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash
* 33 Tips to Get Organized Add Space To Your Life and Master Your Muck!
* 101 Simple Tips to Organize Your Life!
* Organize YOUR World video
* Home Organization Secrets for Busy Moms
* Parenting Time Management
* Organizing for Dummies booklet and a free subscription to “Let’s Organize It”
* Shape Up Your Kitchen and Release the Weight!
* Top-10 Tips For Instant Feng Shui!
* The “Simplify Your Life” Collection! Free ebooks and audio classes with ADD-Friendly Strategies that Work for EVERYONE!
* Couch Potato Organizing
* See Mike Holmes from HGTV Holmes on Homes/Home Inspection
Plus many more!
By Denise Landers
Denise is a Productivity Expert providing Time Management Training and Productivity Consulting and a Paper Tiger Expert
No matter how electronic (translated as “paperless”) we claim to be, I find that 95% of my clients and audiences are still struggling with stacks of papers. So many people still are not aware that there are ways around the traditional filing system, so I’m going to present my system of choice as a start for your research.
You have three types of files that you deal with every day:
- Daily Action: Things you still need to do
- Project Files: Active folders that are ongoing for a specific period of time
- Reference Files: Nothing more needs to be done on that item, but you want to keep it for possible future reference
The strength of The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software relates to the last type of file. Whether you are dealing with your own files within your office space or with a company-wide document management system that encompasses rooms of file cabinets, The Paper Tiger can help. It provides you with the two required features of a strong filing system:
1. You can find anything you need, whether it is six months from now or five years from now, and you can find it within seconds!
2. You can quickly tell someone else how to find the required material.
Whenever I tell people that The Paper Tiger is a software program, they immediately think of a document scanning system. However the program itself simply catalogs your paper documents, and the computer then uses its vast search capabilities, to pull up your keyword and point you to the correct folder.
With a program of this type, you eliminate many of the factors that make filing difficult:
- What do I name this so that I can remember how to find it? Call it multiple names, listing anything you might possibly think of when trying to locate the document again.
- I don’t have the right colored folder. We often use colored folders as one way to categorize our files in the hopes of narrowing down our search later. This is completely unnecessary with the software.
- I don’t have time to create a tab for a file. Your file folders are numbered and can be made up in advance. Filing a new item simply becomes a matter of dropping it into the next open folder.
For more information on features of The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software, please visit Key Organization Systems, or of course, The Paper Tiger.
More articles by Denise Landers can be found on her Key Organization Systems blog
While most professionals realize that file management is mandatory to keep their businesses organized, they hate the actual task of filing paper. Often, these same professionals procrastinate more in developing a document management system than in any other task in the office. This applies to supervisors, business owners and office employees alike. Filing has a bad reputation in business.
The main reason is because it’s time consuming. Add to that, not knowing how to file specific documents and then locate those same files again when needed, and this serves only to reinforce this negative mindset. An efficient and organized file management system is mandatory. So what’s the solution?
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software!
This document management software makes filing easy and much less time consuming. Those who have converted to document indexing using The Paper Tiger software have discovered just how simple and efficient this filing system is. And they rave about how it removes the dread from the task of filing! Once the software is installed and in use, the procrastination associated with managing files and paperwork in the office flies out the window.
Less procrastinating means more work accomplished. Employees will be more productive, which will make them—and you—happier and more content.
Organization is required for any business to function properly. Sadly, many office workers still believe the only way files and documents can be organized is to keep them all in one location. With The Paper Tiger, that simply isn’t the case because the software provides the organization. To add new files, you simply place a new folder behind the last one in the drawer or file box; label it accordingly in relation to your keywords input into The Paper Tiger, and you’re good to go. It works like a search engine for your paper files! You’ll immediately spend less time shuffling paper and more time being productive.
No more struggling or wasting time moving files around from one filing cabinet to another so you can squeeze one more folder in. No more wasting time trying to decide where the file is when you need it. No more reorganizing an office to fit in another file cabinet, when there is plenty of space in another room. Files no longer have to be near each other to keep your file management functioning properly.
Some business owners and employees think scanning is the best way to manage their files in trying to create a paperless environment. But consider this…
1. What happens if you scan a file, dispose of it, and then realize you’re missing important documents that didn’t scan properly?
2. How much money will you have to spend on a scanner with enough speed, efficiency, and quality to justify the cost of this filing system?
3. What will you do if your computer crashes and you don’t have a backup?
4. How will you name your files so you’ll be able to easily find them later?
5. How will your computer handle the files as space becomes limited or programs change?
These are just a few of the many questions that you’ll need to answer before using a document management scanning system. The concerns are many and can impact your business in ways you may never have considered.
When you use The Paper Tiger filing system, however, you’re putting your computer to work for you. Not only will you have a computer index of all your files, but a paper copy as well. You’ll still have the originals of all your important documents.
Companies who have been in business for decades often struggle with their document management system because it was created back when the company began. This can cause problems never imagined. Certain files must be kept forever. This can be a challenge, to say the least, when the business has been around for many years.
Some business owners may be concerned they can’t learn to use the software and may feel an indexing system only works for small businesses that don’t have many files. Or they may think it only works for businesses whose files are all housed in one location. This really isn’t the case. Worldwide, associations, large companies, small businesses, schools & colleges, government agencies, healthcare providers, non-profit institutions, religious institutions, as well as individuals, have discovered a filing system that uses the power of their computer to solve their problems with paper once and for all!
The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software works with as many files as you have to manage and it’s so easy to add or remove files, that it’s truly the best solution for a business of any size. The system works well for businesses with different locations as well. The software will manage files wherever they’re stored, making it a perfect solution for any business, regardless of what they do, or how big or small they are.
The Paper Tiger may not take all the work out of filing and document management, but it will save you time in maintaining and organizing your office documents. The fear that it will take too much time to get it all done is probably the biggest reason for procrastinating where filing is concerned. The average businessperson wastes over 150 hours per year just looking for lost information! Let The Paper Tiger Document Management and Filing System Software tame your files and you can alleviate some of the stress that comes with developing a more effective filing system while running a well-organized and more efficient office at the same time!
By Meggin McIntosh, “The Ph.D. of Productivity”™ and Paper Tiger Expert
Meggin also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to get everything in your life organized — it’s not just for filing paper.
How about this (and see if it doesn’t ring true for you): For the average professional, at least ½ (i.e., 50%) of what comes into your email inbox is immediately delete-able. (new word, I think). So, using that statistic, take careful note of the ideas in this article.
When you open your email (only limited number of times each day), have in your head that you are probably going to quickly delete at least 50% of them. Some, you can delete without even having to open them (ads, spam, silly things that people send that you could care less about, and so forth). Those are the easiest ones and you can just highlight those and hit delete. If you want to permanently delete, then most email programs allow you to hold down the Shift key and hit delete and then the items don’t even show up in your “deleted items” folder. But either way, press delete.
Now, when you actually begin to open your emails for real processing, you are going to have ones that you can delete just as soon as you see what they are. Several examples below:
Now, what about the emails that you need to ‘do something’ about. Can some of them still be deleted? YES. For example:
The list goes on and on about what is delete-able. Remember, much of it can be deleted almost immediately, and quite a bit of the rest of it as soon as you’ve garnered what you needed from the email. As the title to the article suggests, delete early and often. Keep your email practices sane and sensible.
And access additional ways of getting and staying productive, then please join others (worldwide) who receive Meggin’s weekly tips and suggestions (and see what is available for download free at the following websites):
**Top Ten Productivity Tips (http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com)
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay (http://www.KeepingChaosatBay.com)
(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meggin_McIntosh
Many people struggle with feeling overwhelmed in their daily work lives. Getting and staying organized is vitally important to continued success. In this article by Meggin McIntosh, “The Ph.D. of Productivity”™ and Paper Tiger Expert, Meggin lays out a creative way using “The 3 Folders” to easily prioritize your work, greatly reduce the stress in your life, and de-clutter your desk. Many thanks to Meggin for this valuable contribution to help us get back to ‘just whelmed’ and be able to get things done to feel more productive and accomplished. Meggin also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to get everything in your life organized — it’s not just for filing paper.
*****************************
You know perfectly well when the overwhelm is present in your life. It shows on your desk, in your piles of to-do’s, in your in-box, and in your brain. Here are the symptoms:
-Your desk is covered.
-Your in-box is full.
-You get things out of your in-box or tickler file and shuffle through them, and then put them right back where they came from – with no action being taken, whatsoever.
-You feel stressed, frantic, and sometimes almost paralyzed by not knowing where to start or what to do.
This, of course, leads to even less productivity – and more overwhelm. I want to share an idea that I discovered for MY OWN USE when I was paralyzed in this way (and I still use it on occasion). I hope it helps you, too.
The 3 Folders
When I’m overwhelmed (and engaging in the behaviors in the list above), I get out my 3 special folders. You can label your folders any way you want, but these are the three I have labeled and use:
-Red folder: Today/This Week
-Yellow folder: Current Month
-Blue folder: Whenever/If Ever
These three categories are ones that seem to be helpful when I need to do a rough ‘sort’ (vs. a refined sort). They are meant to provide some sense of order and control over what is feeling completely out-of-control and disorderly.
When It’s Time to Use the 3 Folders, Here’s How:
The 3-folders strategy is not for everyday use…it is for for times when it feels like you are in an emergency state. Here’s how to implement the strategy, when needed:
1. Clear off the top of your desk or credenza so that you have a place to lay out three separate piles (categories).
2. Place the red (today/this week), yellow (current month), and blue (whenever/if ever) folders in the space you have cleared.
3. Pick up the first pile of things that represent your to-do’s and start sorting. You can actually sort quickly because you are in a crisis and so you KNOW you have to make tough decisions.
4. ONLY put something in the red (today/this week) folder if there are serious consequences if it doesn’t get done. If you jam everything back into that folder, you haven’t helped yourself at all – and you’re not in touch with reality, either.
5. Keep sorting through whatever it is that is stressing you out – folders, papers, brochures, or anything else that feels like it has an ‘action’ attached.
6. One you are finished, put the piles into their respective folders. Put the yellow and blue folders away (off your desk).
7. Take what is in the red folder out and get started. You’ve identified what is in there as needing to be done today, tomorrow, or this week (however it is you think about it). So get going. These are your top items and you don’t need to be working on – or even looking at – anything else.
I find that I have an incredible sense of purpose and relief once I’ve prepared the red folder and tend to be able to work with a fair amount of speed and focus. It feels great!
You Want to Have These Folders Ready When You Need Them
The first time I created these folders, I was already in a melt-down mode and luckily, since my office resembles an office supply store, I was able to rustle up what I needed. You may not have what you need, so I recommend that you take steps now to be ready…just in case.
Go to your favorite office supply store or just order online. My preference is to use the 5 1/2 inch expandable file folders (vs. a flimsy and small regular folder) – and you can buy packets of 5 different colors at Office Depot.
Once you get your folders, label them with three separate words or phrases, similar to what I use or come up with your own categories.
If you’re in a melt-down and need them now, then put them to use. If you are doing just fine, then put these 3 folders away, knowing that you might need them someday. You’ll be so happy to have them prepared and ready for you…next time you need them.
And if you know the paralysis that sometimes comes when you are completely overwhelmed and you’re seeking ways to be ‘just whelmed,’ then I hope you’ll take advantage of the free weekly suggestions and ideas I send out to those (worldwide) who belong to the ‘just whelmed’ group. Just go to
**I Want to Be Just Whelmed, (http://www.JustWhelmed.com)
If you would prefer quick, short weekly tips, then the following site is another place to find suggestions and other tools to support you in your quest for peaceful productivity (free):
**Top Ten Productivity Tips, (http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com)
(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
Article Source: By Meggin McIntosh, http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Meggin_McIntosh
