Greetings!
Hi Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful midsummer holiday! I actually spend the entire week of Independence Day as a midsummer holiday, since my birthday just happens to fall on July 11. And I did it WELL! Lake time with my parents, boat time with good friends, 4th of July party followed by great fireworks, bodysurfing in Lake Michigan, and a wonderful day with the family and kids at Michigan's Adventure theme park. But like all good things, my little holiday must come to an end, and I'm fully back to work. Before the holiday, I promised you a Part 2 to my "Independence Day" from Office Clutter. If you happened to miss Part 1 at the end of June, here's the post. I obviously recommend you read Part 1 before continuing with Part 2 below. Let's get to it!
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Independence Day from the Stacks & Piles of paper burying your desk (Part 2)
| This is ALWAYS the place to look for your Timely Tip!
Now, if you followed my Part 1 processes all the way to the end, you should be looking at 4 different piles on your desk: Active Items, Deferred Items, To Delegate, and To Review. Also, you should have gone through the "Active Items" pile and handled all "3-minute or less" tasks. Thus, hopefully, you have four pretty small piles instead of several huge "stacks and piles". And, there really shouldn't be any loose papers in other places in your office, right??? (If you are seeing other loose papers, you need to take those papers and quickly run through the Part 1 process discussed end of last month.) Let's get down to the four small piles mentioned above, with all of the "quick little things" handled. Then, you are really ready to take charge!
First, take your "To Review" pile, and put it in an easily-accessible but not-right-in-the-way location. I'm making the assumption that all things in this pile are not "important/urgent" -- if you have any items that are truly "important/urgent", move them to your "Active Items" pile before moving the "To Review" pile out of the way. If you are particularly anal, you could organize the remaining items in your "To Review" pile and put them in some sort of order based on personal/professional interest/relevance (with most interesting/relevant on top) before finding a good resting location for the pile.
AND, if you want to be really slick, this might be a GREAT time to take some of the items/individual articles, and scan them to PDF and load onto your laptop, e-book reader, or iPad so you can get rid of more paper! This pile becomes a permanent fixture of your office/desk area now, and whenever you get more low-importance "to review" items, you add them to this pile (if you can't scan to PDF and load onto a reader instead.)
Second, you have a choice: do you feel like delegating, or do you feel like attacking your own to-dos? I'm betting you feel like delegating, especially now that many people are back from vacation, so let's talk about the "To Delegate" pile first (but if you feel like attacking your own To-Dos, skip to the "Active Items" discussion below, then jump back up to this segment.) Take the "To Delegate" pile, and sort into order by priority/urgency, with most important/urgent on top. Now, I have a question to ask you? Do you need these items in paper form, or did you just keep the piece of paper as a reminder you need to make this delegation? If so, it is time to make the delegation and get rid of the papers. Pick up the phone and make the call. Send the needed e-mail. Walk over and find the person. Then, make the delegation! Get them to confirm receipt of the task, and get them to promise to meet the desired due date.
As you are doing each delegation, track them on some form of a tracking list. When I first learned this process from David Allen 20+ years ago, he recommended having a "Waiting For" list that you keep right on your desk that you reference at the start of your day every day. On this list, you track 1) what the deliverable is; 2) who owes you the deliverable; 3) when they owe it to you; and 4) when YOU need to remind them so you can get it on time. This could be a simple paper list that you check every morning right before you check your e-mail the first time, and it will hopefully REPLACE your "To Delegate" pile, as you start to make these needed delegations in REAL TIME (as they occur.)
In the last few years, I've moved away from the paper tracking list of my "Waiting ons", and have instead started tracking them in my Outlook task list, with "Waiting On" marked as the status of the task. I list the deliverable, who owes it to me, and their due date in the subject line of the task. I post my "bug date" in the Due Date on the task (because what is more important to me is the day I need to bug them to get my stuff on time vs. the real due date of the deliverable.) Of course, with people that are trustworthy and meet deadlines, the "Bug Date" and real "Due Date" are one and the same.
The goal with this pile is, as I said, to make the delegations, track the delegations, and then, if possible, either file/convert to PDF and/or discard/recycle/shred the piece of paper on your desk, and replace your "To Delegate" pile with either a paper or electronic tracking option.
Now, it is time to attack your To Dos -- The Active Items Pile. This is the pile that determines much of your work and productivity, so handling this pile well is of utmost importance. On a first pass through this pile, once again, handle any "less than 3 minute" items you may have missed in previous passes -- GET THOSE THINGS DONE! Now, second pass, can you convert any of these pieces of paper into an item on your paper-based or electronic task list? I would much prefer you stop having so much paper, and if you can turn any of these papers into an item on your task list -- whatever format -- that would be my strong preference!
I have, over the last couple of years, converted about 80% of my task-based papers into electronic tasks, greatly reducing the paper on my desk, and getting closer to a "single-source" task list. The problem with having an "Active Items" pile is that you have to reference it as well as your task list each and every time you want to figure out "what is next". If you can get down to a single task list, theoretically, your decision making should improve, and your productivity should jump. I'm even working to take the few remaining paper items in my "Active Items" folder, and convert them to PDFs that I can then attach to my individual electronic tasks, thus allowing me to either file or discard/recycle/shred the original piece of paper. The goal, once again, is to GET RID OF PAPER!
Now, hopefully after making this pass and converting as many of these "Active Item" papers onto a paper-based task list and/or an electronic task list (Outlook, TaskTask, Toodledo, etc.), you will have very few papers left. Those that you do have left, sort into order according to Priority/Urgency, with most important/urgent on top. This pile now becomes a power tool for effective decision-making. Whenever you have an "open block" of time, you can reach for the top item on the pile, and GET IT DONE.
Of course, if you are also referencing a paper-based or electronic task list, you should reference that list too before taking that action. You always want to try to choose the most important/urgent/beneficial item to work on next (or at least something you are motivated to take action on so you keep "forward progress.) This pile should be front and center on your desk, and should be referenced every day before you check your e-mail. Also, when new paper items come in that belong in your "Active Items" pile, you simply page through this pile and put them in the spot where the item above is just a bit more important/urgent, and the item below is just a bit less important/urgent. And you should sort these new papers into this pile in REAL TIME as they come in -- don't let them create a new stack!!! (Of course, I'm hoping that many of these items INSTEAD become part of a paper or electronic task list, so you can once again GET RID OF PAPER.)
MASTERY TIP: Look very closely to the items that fell to the BOTTOM of your Active Items pile. By your own sorting, you have determined that these are the least important active items on your plate. Is there any chance you could just make the "executive decision" and move them to the "Deferred" pile? About twice a year, I take my "Active Items" pile, and do just that. I pull low-level items off the bottom of the pile that I've never gotten to, and I just convert them into "deferred items". They never got done, and I never got in trouble for not doing them. I'm good with that! That's simply "effective procrastination." ;-)
Now, it is time to handle the "Deferred Items" pile. Obviously, these are items that you've already determined aren't active right now. Can I ask a critical question? After going through all of the steps we've discussed in this two-part issue, could you also make the "executive decision" that some of these things will just never get done, and that you can simply discard/shred/recycle the paper? And, can some of the other items be converted into electronic tasks with far-future review dates (allowing you to thus get rid of even more paper???) I'm hoping you have the ability to get over the "paper hoarding" syndrome many office workers suffer from, and do just that for at least some of this pile.
Those other items that "make the cut" -- that you want to hang onto for at least a while longer, could be quickly sorted into some sort of a priority/interest order, with most important/interesting on top. Then, take this pile, and put it into a drawer or file cabinet with relatively easy access near your desk, and put a label on it with "Deferred Items" prominently displayed.
Then, put into your calendar an event 2-3 times a year to "Review/Delete items in Deferred Pile." When that review time comes in, pull out the file, scan through the items, and either 1) make active, 2) decide to delete, or 3) defer again. If you have a good idea, there is no reason you can't keep it for later review, but this also gets that stuff off of your desk and out of your line of sight, so you can focus on truly active and important items. Also, if you get access to additional resources (more budget, new staff, etc.), that is also a good time to pull out your "Deferred Items" file, as those new resources may allow you to change something from Deferred to Active. And if you get new items for deferral, absolutely get them into this file for planned later review.
Every Day
Your desk should be clean now, with an "Active" file, a "To Review" pile, and a "Waiting On/Deliverables" list or electronic list. Review the "Active" file and "Waiting On" files first thing in the morning each day BEFORE checking your e-mail, and make any "bugs" you need to make for any of your deliverables first thing if you can. During the day, you can of course also pull out active files for projects, people, clients, vendors, etc. as you need them, but when done, put the file away (possibly after putting a new "Next Step" in your task list for the project/person/client/vendor). And, try to keep your desk in its new, much-more-efficient manner for the long run. You'll find minutes per day and hours per week, simply finding stuff more quickly, and knowing what is truly important/urgent at any given moment of the day. Good luck with your new workstation!!
Epilogue:
So, did you actually do this? Did you go through this process and actually attack your stacks & piles? If so, I'd love to hear from you. I'm hoping to hear some powerful stories of increased productivity and organization, as well as reduced stress and increased office sanity. You just needed a plan -- a method -- to attack your desk clutter beast. And with that being done, what other mess can you go after now?
"Every minute spent organizing gives you back an hour later."
- Benjamin Franklin
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Enjoy the Summer!
So, I've given you a big project to get that desk clean, but my hope is that it will allow you to get so much more organized, efficient, and effective, you can actually get out of the office once in a while for some fun! Watch for me at the MAPPA Conference at MSU in early August, U. Alabama, U. Pitt, and MSU later in the month on my annual "College Tour", and at the big GBTA Convention in Denver talking "Taming E-mail" later in the month. Hoping to run into a few of you on the road, and hoping you all get some rest, exercise, and playtime in this summer. Until next time, STAY TIMELY!
Sincerely,
Randy Dean
Randall Dean Consulting & Training, LLC
or http://www.emailsanityexpert.com
PPS: Always feel free to use the "Forward E-mail" option below to share this info with your family, friends, & co-workers. |
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Tech Updates and Upgrades
(For Me!)
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In the continuing evolution of my business (and in response to how quickly technology is changing -- both from a hardware [iPad, Droid] and software front [cloud computing, "app insanity"]), I'm making some new upgrades and enhancements to my hardware and software platforms.
As many of you know, for a couple years, I've been on a Vista PC using Outlook 07 with a BlackBerry Tour (I know -- how 2009 of me!) Due to both client demand and, frankly, personal interest, I'm currently in the process of making a 2-pronged "system upgrade". In addition to still having my current system available for Outlook 07 programs (current clients -- breathe easy!), I'm getting a new PC laptop to allow me to also lead programs on Outlook 10 using Windows 7, AND I'm also investing in an iPad to allow me to lead future "Time Management in 'The Cloud' Using Google Apps" on a more "cloud friendly" platform (plus, I'll be able to lose even more personal time to Angry Birds and SuperStickman Golf.) I might even consider investing in one of the new Google Chrome cloud laptops, depending on what the market response and expert reviews end up reporting.
So, if you are now on Outlook 10 and are looking to get updated training for your staff, members, or clients, or you are making the leap to Google-based cloud applications, let me know -- I'd love to help your team make a "productivity leap".
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... And if that isn't enough,
ANNOUNCING
"Video Snippet" Training
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This is one of those "no-brainer, why-didn't I think of that" ideas that came to me instead from one of my bigger clients. I'm going to create a series of approximately 10-minute-in-length technology training videos, on my Outlook and e-mail strategies to start. I'm envisioning a series of 10-20 of these video snippets, that I could then make available for clients to download to their company intranet or LMS, to support and reinforce previous live training I've done for them. Effectively, this will allow past clients/program attendees to easily use the "rewind" button to see again that tip on "drag & drop", e-mail signatures, and/or Outlook task list optimization. (I will likely start with videos for Outlook 07 and Outlook 10, but will likely expand into Google and other apps over time.) I am planning to offer each of the individual videos to clients for a single price (which includes unlimited in-house distribution and replay), as well as offering the full series for a discounted per-video rate. I will also provide discounts on these videos to any future "live training" clients that would like to bolster the uptake of these tips and strategies through the power of in-house video replay following a live program. If you believe your organization may have an interest in this really cool multimedia training option, contact me at Randy@randalldean.com, and we can discuss the options available to your organization.
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DID YOU MISS THIS LAST MONTH???
Access to My "Timely Tips" Archive
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I wanted to include this note in this month's issue too, knowing that many of you may have been on vacation when last month's June issue was delivered.
As many of you know, I've been saving each of my issues of Timely Tips as a web page each and every month, to allow for easy sharing in social media and by e-mail. I just updated my archive, and have all of the issues since September 2008 in a single location, so you can easily pull up each of those issues as you desire. Enjoy!
Here's the link to my Timely Tips Archive on ConstantContact.com.
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