 Audrey ThomasAuthor, Speaker and
Productivity Expert
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Recent Tweets by @LeanOffice... |
| E-mail is a direct reflection of you and your company. Review grammar/spelling. ------------------ Beautifying an office makes a warm work environment but avoid too many collections/clutter. -----------------
Use more than 1 briefcase? Have each ready with biz cards, pen and notepad.
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Don't like Tasks turning red in Outlook? Change color! Tools>Options>Task Options
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5S Sweep. Wipe down flat surfaces: file cabinets, shelves, desk. Don't forget behind computer!
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5S Fridays Spend 15 minutes tidying, putting away, decluttering. You'll love Mondays!
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80/20 rule. We use 20% of our supplies, saved paper & e-mail, clothing 80% of the time.
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Step away from your cubicle to check the volume of your music. Your co-workers will appreciate it.
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Cell phone etiquette. Shut it off while at work. Period.
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Standardize travel confirmation e-mails. Drag/Insert them into Calendar on travel date. Delete from Inbox.
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Signature Block etiquette: Avoid the "billboard" effect. No more than 7 lines of information.
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Subject Lines: Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em. Be complete and descriptive.
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Keep in touch ...
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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.
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Lean Office Review
Some would agree that the first three steps of 5S are the easiest. Sort and purge the contents of your office. Straighten by putting things away in designated areas. And then Sweep - keep the area clean. In order to keep your office from returning to its original state, be sure to carry out the next step which is Standardize.
Think about the work that actually gets done in your office. Many times there's a process involved, but you don't really think about an actual process per se, because you've grown accustomed to doing a particular task.
For instance, each day you might send 5-6 information packets to prospective clients. You could assemble these blindfolded because you do it so often. And yet, have you ever accidentally sent an incomplete packet? Probably.
Now imagine you land in the hospital tomorrow. Someone else in the office is now in charge of sending out prospective customer packets. How will they know what to include?
Begin standardizing processes such as this one. Create a checklist of everything included in the packet as well as how it is shipped and who does the follow up. Include a photo of what it looks like when assembled. Post the checklist and photo in the area where the packet supplies are stored and assembled so you never send out an incomplete packet again.
This is Standardization. Documenting what gets done and how it is accomplished to protect against errors and omissions. |
In today's world of gotta-have-it now, e-mail has been instrumental in moving information quickly and easily. When communicating with e-mail, using a standardized e-mail signature is like including a business card with each e-mail. When creating your e-mail signature, avoid including more than seven lines of information. Any more than that and you run the risk of sending a "signature billboard" instead. Include the following information in your signature line/block: - Your first and last name
- Your title
- Company Name and/or Logo
- Company Address
- Phone and Fax numbers
- Optional: Company website
If you're unsure on how to create a signature block, ask a co-worker to show you. If you use MSŪ Outlook, click on Tools > Options > Mail Format > Signatures. The wizard will guide you in creating a standardized signature for your outgoing e-mail. |
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Help for your E-mail Inbox
Ever feel like this poor woman? Chances are you probably have. E-mail has revolutionized the way we communicate...and has been the source of millions of wasted hours! After all, is there anything that lets us be more productive...and unproductive...at the same time?
For over a decade, e-mail has been in control at most companies:
- Inboxes with hundreds, if not thousands of messages
- Every e-mail interruption wastes precious time. "Now, where was I?"
- E-mail is a powerful tool...that no one's ever been taught to use properly!
Participants in a recent Leadership Forum had these things to say about Organized Audrey's Entangled in E-mail session:
- Every moment was worthwhile! I learned valuable, useful information to immediately implement.
- This information was pertinent to etiquette and business professionalism.
- Great time-management tips.
- Can't wait to try her concepts and ideas.
- Loved the strategy she shared for getting my Inbox cleared.
If you or your fellow co-workers need to regain control of your inboxes, contact Organized Audrey today.
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Office Essentials
During my Buried Alive! training session, I provide tips and techniques for dealing with the avalanche of paper and e-mail. While most of us were taught specifics relating to phone or computer skills, very few people were ever taught filing techniques. Let's review some basics in case you're like me and your momma never taught you about filing:
- Hanging files are designed to glide easily and are for projects which you access regularly. They were not designed to be used for archived information.
- For archived files, store in regular manila file folders vs. the hanging ones. You'll spend less money and have more space in your drawer.
- Hanging file folders are the "home" for documents. If you need to review or access these documents, place them in an Interior Manila File Folder. It was designed to nest completely inside the hanging file folder and doesn't stick out like the traditional sized manila file folders do.
- Straight-line filing refers to the tab positions of your folders. When you learned to read you learned to read left to right, top to bottom (like in a phone book). That is how your brain processes information the fastest. When inserting tabs in your hanging files, place them directly behind one another (thus the "straight-line"). Your drawer will look neater and you'll access your files more quickly.
FasTabŪ hanging files made by Smead are a wonderful product. They have a built-in reinforced tab which makes labeling much faster and easier and they're stronger than ordinary hanging files. They are available at most office supply stores including Office Max, Office Depot and Staples.
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Check This Out
For more articles on Lean Office and office productivity check out our Article Bank. |
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