I must say that the simplinst if organizing allows me to increase productivity, and keeps my mind free for other things.  I find I am less forgetful and can remember points that I would otherwise forget because I have so much on my mind.

This is not to say that I don’t have the extra tools necessary to make things work.  In later pages I will be detailing the tools I use to make organizing easier and I will be taking pictures of my work station to verify that organizing keeps things in perspective.

Organizing keeps you in control of your day.

This is a great link to Getting Things Done by David Allen. 

Over the last 3 weeks, the system has been functioning quite well.  Given the 30 to 40 emails I receive a day, the system to move the emails from the In-box to the folders has allowed me to organize and process the emails.  There are a lot of emails that are duplicated due to the traffic of answering and “replying to all”.  This system will reduce that number, as you will scan and process the latest email; and disseminate the important from the less important.

This prevents the email overload many people face.  It puts you firmly in control.

Remember to review each folder, daily.

Items in the Inbox shouldn’t be reviewed immediately.  You need to scan items and put them in the following folders so they may be processed later. 

If things can be done in 2 minutes or less, DO IT NOW.

The Action folders are to be used for Action items that need to be done that specific day.  If not completed, move whatever is in the previous days folder to the next day.  If it has to be done by a certain day of the week move the contents to that day.  If you are on friday and things have not been done, move the contents to the Action – Monday folder for the next week’s work to be processed.

Read/Review should be used for items that need to be read or reviewed, but there is no pressure to have it done by a specifc day.

Someday/Maybe should be for items that are general in reading or review nature and are not pressing at all.

Waiting For… are for items you are waiting a response from another person for.  It is a pending file that has items that are waiting for information before something can be done with that item.  Once the infromation is received it may be able to be moved to an Action folder or permenantly archived.

Contents need to be reviewed regularly or your folders will become disorganized.

These folders take items out of your Inbox and keeps it empty.

Outlook folders should also be set up this way.

Organize your files and folders.

Set up folders that make sense to you and what you require by your desk.

• Action – Monday
• Action – Tuesday
• Action – Wednesday
• Action – Thursday
• Action – Friday
• Read/Review
• Someday/Maybe
• Waiting For…

Make as many folders as you require.  However, don’t make it so unweildy or you’ll clutter your desk.

I have moved to a higher floor with a much better view.  I am in the process of organizing my work station and will report on any new efficiencies I can muster up.  Moving is great in that it is an opportunity to clean out all of the stuff you never need to reference.

Being a bit of a pack-rat I keep the papers I really don’t need.  I never reference most of the things I get and use the electronic copies of pdf’s.  With a new 22″ monitor, viewing pdf’s has become a lot better.  Space efficiency in a cubicle is also important.

Once I get things up and running I will delve into Outlook efficiency and desk efficiency.  This in no way is supposed to be the “be all, to end all” way to organize. 

This blog is to assist and learn from others how they are organizing their busy work-a-days.