News from LeanOffices.com (A division of Organized Audrey)

Audrey Thomas teaches Lean Office principles

July 2010

Audrey Thomas
Author, Speaker and
Productivity Expert

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Check This Out

We've recently added these articles in the Lean Office Article Bank:
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Waiting is Such a Waste of My Time
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12 Ways to Create a Meeting Buz
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7 Steps to a More Productive Day
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Decision Made
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Cleaning up the Mess: Introducing Red Tagging
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10 Ways to Manage Interruptions

Audrey Thomas offers you her articles to reprint or repost, free of charge, provided that her contact information (supplied at the end of each article) is included.

Recent Tweets by @LeanOffice...

Stick notes nag and wear you down. Sort and purge them for a more peaceful office.
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Just how many pens and pencils do you really need? Do a quick sort to create sense of order.
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Set aside time to get off of mailing lists. You'll appreciate less paper coming in. www.DMAchoice.org
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Use auto responder when out of office for more than a half day. It lets others know when to expect response.
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Ending slavery. 2 execs told me they are no longer receiving e-mails on their phones. Nadda No more!
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Standardize by naming e-mail folders same as project folders on your desk.
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Every e-mail represents a decision to be made. Avoid clutter - make decisions.
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Keep the flow going. E-mails flow in and they should flow out of your Inbox. Right?
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Better than the courtesy flush. Just a drop. www.JustADrop.net
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Biz card point of use storage - keep in glove box, gym bag, every briefcase/purse and coat pockets.

Keep in touch ...

Lean Office Transformations

Welcome to Lean Office Transformations - a newsletter designed to save you time and become more efficient. References to Lean Manufacturing and Lean Office refer to a productivity philosophy created by Toyota which is now adapted by companies worldwide.

ldwide.

Lean Office Review

The 3rd "S" - Sweep

As you get your office better organized there are a few key steps to take in creating optimum efficiency. Those familiar with Lean Office techniques recognize what is referred to as the 5S process. Those steps include:

Sort
Straighten
Sweep
Standardize
Sustain

Sweep - A clean space consistently insures quality and efficiency. The catch phrase often used for the Sweep step of 5S is "The best cleaning is to not need cleaning." I wish my teenage son could grasp this concept for his bedroom.

As we review the Sweep step, let's apply it to your office. Take a look around at the flat surfaces of your office. A really good look. You're probably looking at some dust and grime that has been there for a while. Take a damp paper towel and wipe down filing cabinets, book shelves and your desk surface. You'll probably be surprised at what you pick up. Take a can of air and blow off your keyboard and the space where your computer cables dangle. Chances are you might find a few dust bunnies living there.

Now take a look at your computer desktop. If you've got dozens and dozens of icons staring at you each day, it's time to "sweep" your screen so you're only left with the shortcuts and program icons which you use on a daily basis.

To keep from scrolling, click here for the rest of the article.

Productivity Pointer

2-Minute Challenge

Take two minutes - that's only 120 seconds - and do one of the following items. You'll probably love the outcome so much that you'll take additional time to tackle more.

Wipe down all flat surfaces with a damp paper towel or anti-bacterial cloth.
Remove programs on your computer that you never use. To view a list of existing programs, click on the Start button > Control Panel > Programs.
De-clutter your desktop. Review the icons and shortcuts on your computer screen. Remove those that you no longer need/use.
For the remaining icons, arrange them on your computer desktop so you can easily find what you're looking for. I.e. Cluster Word documents in one corner while arranging spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentations in another corner.
If you have plants in your office, wipe off dusty leaves with a damp cloth.
Dust/wipe off picture frames, knick-knacks or other items that gather dust.
Using a can of air, spray off your keyboard and the touchpad of your phone.

If you need a little motivation, consider this: According to a study conducted by the University of Arizona the typical desk surface has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Time to start "sweeping" and getting rid of germs and unsightly dirt

Office Essentials

Sweeping the Sticky Notes

The majority of corporate America uses MS® Outlook yet I consistently find that many if not most Outlook users are underutilizing this robust software. Think of it as a time management tool just waiting to help carry the load of information, contacts and e-mail.

Usually within the first 8-10 minutes of my Getting Organized with MS Outlook presentation, a participant will exclaim "I didn't know I could do that!" The 2-hour workshop teaches hidden tips and tricks within Outlook that most people aren't using. A recent attendee said "I learned more in 2 hours then I have in a full 8-hour course."

Using the Task feature revolutionized my workflow. I finally had somewhere to jot down notes, thoughts and ideas as well as track sales calls and projects to completion. I joke that it cured me of being the Post-It® Note Queen. If it's time to "Sweep the Sticky notes" from around your computer monitor, then you owe it to yourself to begin using the Task feature in Outlook.

Being able to view my Tasks for today as well as past-due tasks on the same screen as my calendar keeps me focused and aware of the work that needs to get done.

You Need to Know...

Here's a few organizations who have used Audrey's training recently:

Ramsey County
Help Systems
Gopher Resources
Fairview Pharmacy Services
MN Sheriff's Association

If you need more information on our training seminars or know someone looking for a speaker, check out the newly renovated www.OrganizedAudrey.com website.