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In my work as professional organizer I obviously see a lot of clutter. One area where clutter is alive and well is on the pages of the E-newsletters most of us receive every week or month. What I see and read online inspires this format to the monthly Clear Path
Introducing "The Top 10." Each month will feature 10 tips, suggestions, or strategies for clearing stuff and clutter, creating new habits, and reorganizing your space to a better advantage.
The subject line will always reflect the list of the month, enabling you to make a quick decision about whether to read or delete the email.
I encourage readers with particular problem areas to suggest "top 10 list" ideas. Chances are very good that others share your problem.
The Top Ten list for April:
Manage time or time management:
You can control one but not the other
The term "time management" is a misnomer. We cannot manage
time; it is a fixed entity. There will never be an additional hour added to the
day. Time cannot be controlled no matter what we do nor how much we try. What
we can control, however, is how we
respond to time. Since it takes about three weeks of repeated behavior to
create a new habit, the following tips may be a good start toward changing your
relationship with time.
- Use
your telephone head-set at home when talking on the phone. It'll free up your
hands to multi-task.
- Lay
out your clothes the night before.
- Set
time limits. Use a timer to pull yourself away from the computer for breaks.
- Prioritize
your tasks. Begin the day with a plan.
- Always
have something to do when waiting for an appointment to start. Bring along that
magazine you saved to read, balance your checkbook, etc.
- Instead
of using any available piece of paper when you need to make notes, use a spiral
notebook. Use it for your to-do lists, meeting notes, notes to self, and phone
call reminders. Scraps of paper all over
your desk, house, and car do not serve you well. Use your spiral notebook!
- Wake up 30 minutes earlier.
- Delegate, delegate, delegate.
- Learn how to say "no."
- Begin each day by looking at your calendar, not your inbox.
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Don't live your life beneath piles of papers!
Get organized now!
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