12 Easy Ways to Organize your Work or Home Life (or both!)

12 Easy Ways to Organize your Work or Home Life (or both!)

By: Heather Diodati, DDesign
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I admit it! Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the seemingly endless
streams of paperwork. Emails I want to keep, Ezines or sections
of them, ideas I found on the Internet, school papers, notes of
ideas that popped into my head as I was waiting to have a tooth
filled, newspaper clippings ... EEEK! I would file and file and
file and then forgot where that article was that I needed to
complete the project that was due last Thursday!

I have been an avid list-maker all my life out of necessity,
juggling a 9 to 5 work life, family time, a home business and
taking care of two houses; as well as having a number of hobbies
such as cartooning and fine art, clothing design and creation,
crafts and ballroom dancing (at one point in my life even being a
competitive ballroom dancer for 5 years as well as an assistant
disk jockey for parties). (no stress!)

For all of you super-busy people I have put together some handy
hints on getting your life in order and keeping your sanity.

1) Notables: Keep a small notebook and pen handy, wherever you
are, to jot down ideas or appointments or things to do instead of
trying to remember them later on.

2) Telephonery: Set a time limit to each phone call and make
sure you tell your caller. That way you save yourself the stress
of trying to end the phone call and it also helps the caller to
condense the information they want you to hear.

3) In Waiting Use waiting time at the dentist, meeting with
your boss or while waiting on your roast to cook to catch up on
reading or planning, or use the time to tidy up, filing or other
tasks.

4) Help Wanted: Be sure to offer praise to a subordinate, co-
worker or to a member of the family for any effort you've noticed
- they'll be happy to help you when you're bogged down.

5) Don't Put It Off! If you procrastinate you'll only get
stressed out when you think about that hateful "to do" item on
your list. You'll blow it out of proportion in your mind and
it'll become almost impossible to accomplish. Make sure you
tackle the largest or most disliked job first, dividing it up
into manageable tasks, then the other jobs will be a breeze!

6) Control Bug Delegate the tasks you have no time for or team
up with someone who can help you. (see tip #4!)

7) Group Effort Save time and footwork by collecting everything
to bring with you to complete errands or to distribute in each
room of the house instead of making too many trips. Make a fast
list while planning out your route and be sure to plan each stop
along the way so you don't have to backtrack and lose time.

8) Schedule Fun Time! Make sure you include some personal time
for YOU. Allot some time in your agenda - make an appointment
for yourself and keep it, even if it's only a leisurly 20 minute
bubble bath or a 15 minute walk in the fresh spring air!

9) Space Freebies Go through any old unneeded files to free up
space in your filing system.

10) Once and Only Once Each piece of paper should be handled
only once. Read it and either file it, redirect it to someone
else, schedule it or toss it. Don't add it to an ever-ending
pile on your desk in hopes that you'll get to it eventually.

11) Post-Master Use sticky notes to write errands needed to be
done. Stick them to your front door to remind you as you're
headed out.

12) Systems Engineer Too much time is wasted everyday on
searching for things. Find a system that works for you and your
lifestyle and apply it. Use it religiously and you'll find new
time slots you thought you never had!

Get the new Memory Jogger System and forms for free! Subscribe
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System complete with a kit of printable forms for you to use -
all for free! Time to organize your life! Please sign up for
your free newsletter and the Memory Jogger kit on our site:
http://www.whimsies-online.com

© 2003 DDesign
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