« Living with Your Parents: Good for Your Career? | Main | Tired Expressions I Hear at Work »
May 23, 2005
Time to Get Organized
My desk is a mess. It's not that I'm not organized. I know where everything is and just about never lose anything at work. It's just that my conventional file system always fails me. So instead I pile. And eventually, the piles get big. So now what I really need to do is file.
This article on the Sensible Software Solutions Web site offers 10 tips for cleaning up your desk as well as 10 tips for maintaining a clean desk. It also cites these statistics from two Coopers & Lybrand and USA Weekend polls:
- "The average desk worker has 36 hours worth of work on their desk and wastes up to three hours a week just 'looking' for STUFF!"
- "7.5% of all documents get lost and 3% get misfiled."
- "Professionals spend 5% to 15% of their time reading information, but up to 50% looking for it!"
I'd have to say that I don't believe to be a number in these cases, but maybe I'm just kidding myself.
For more about getting your workspace in order, read "Desperately Seeking Organization" and "Create a Paperless Office."
Share this post: Digg, StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Posted by Norma on May 23, 2005 at 11:27 AM in The Daily Grind | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack (1)
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834515e7c69e200d83459cfce69e2
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Time to Get Organized:
» News for Developers of Internet from Developer News
News site for XML developers, distilling news, opinions, tips... [Read More]
Tracked on Dec 25, 2005 8:02:58 PM
Comments
Who won the Monster "Trip of a Lifetime?" There's been no news.
http://reachgreatness.monster.com/entry.asp
Posted by: Scotty | May 24, 2005 12:10:59 AM
I highly recommend "Getting Things Done" by David Allen. He specifically addresses work and life productivity in an inspiring and interesting way.
Google for the GTD system, and check out some of the GTD related blogs around. Really great stuff -
Chip
Posted by: Chip | May 24, 2005 10:45:02 AM
I wrote a brief article on filing and paper organization. Here is an excerpt to help with the stacking. Hope it helps a few...
Box theory
Having difficulty figuring out what to do with a piece of paper? Does you desk look like a disaster zone? Filing wastes a lot of time whether personal or corporate. What can you do?
In a perfect world, you never let the paper out of your hand until it is completed. Or better yet never print it on paper at all. Well...we can dream, can't we?
Establish a box for these must have, can't complete or can't decide items. Just one box, not multiple ones! Put these treasures neatly and gently into the box, on top. (The box could be a desk drawer.) Occasionally put a piece of cardboard or a manila folder in with the date written on it. This allows you to time stamp how long things have been around.
As you need one of these items, you know where it is; it's in the box. Go ahead. Find it. Once finished using it, put it back in the box, on top. Only spend time going through the box as information is needed, instead of the time filing the document you may or may not ever need.
This can work for email and computer files as well. Establish an electronic box by titling the folder as "box". Put in the box only those items that you can't complete, can't decide or must have.
The key is to recycle or throw away. Once a month, a quarter or year, throw the bottom portion away. Take a moment to review the type of item, so you don't keep it next time.
Be discriminate. You don't want your box to be your trashcan. Get rid of items that have no right in the box. Realistically, everybody has their own requirements for items to keep and items to toss.
What should go directly to the recycle bin or trashcan?
Old, revised or changed documents
Mass Mailings
Answered correspondence
"No further action required" items
"The balls in their court" items
What shouldn't go into the box?
A current task
Legal notices and contracts
Business Cards (create a box just for cards)
Invoices, Statements, Bills
Others???
Copyright © 2003 Jere G. Weliver, Jr.
www.g2-etp.com
Posted by: Jere | Jun 8, 2005 7:33:22 AM
Get Print to PDF software and scanner, make electronic copies of everything that needs to be printed and stored. It's lot easier to organize! WinZip the archive files, use MS Binder and other helpful programs.
Posted by: Len | Jun 8, 2005 8:30:23 AM
will not let me change my password!
Posted by: Ron Lidstrom | Jun 8, 2005 9:09:41 PM
salut plusieur foix je me suis adress a vous consernent un travail ndans le dommaine des hydrocarbures .je travail maitenent dans une company petroliere etrangere(britishg petrolium ;statoil;sonatrach algerie) et je vouler me changer please help me......
Posted by: sidali | Jun 14, 2005 11:27:07 AM
There are two primary strategies for making information easier to find. First, increase the degree of structure both within the information and across all information. Indexing and filing are legacy examples. Second, use technologies that search the full text of all (digital) information. Most effective approaches use a combination of these methods. Individuals ususally don't have the expertise or inclination to exhaustively structure their data and information. I have found the desktop search tool, X1 (www.x1.com/products/xds.html), indispensable. Since it fully indexes everything on each of my computers (and networked folders), I do not have to be as meticulous our detailed in my file and folder organization scheme, naming conventions, etc. Google also offers a desktop search application. X1 is currently rated a better by PC World magazine.
Posted by: Mark Harris | Jul 4, 2005 1:52:56 PM
Try using The Paper Tiger software...it is a paper management software program that really works. You can get a FREE trail at www.thepapertiger.com.
Posted by: James D. Grady | Dec 15, 2005 6:06:38 AM
Post a comment
Career Advice
Categories
Recent Posts
- Reflections on a Successful, Often Sleepless, Job Search
- Due Diligence and the Job Offer: More Than Salary and Benefits
- The Job Search Isn’t Over Until the Offer Is in Hand
- Career Boomerang: What If Your Job Search Brings You Back to a Former Employer?
- 3 Steps to Prepare for 3 Job Interviews in 3 Days
- Pair the Job Search with Underemployment to Keep Your Head Above Water
- 4 Ways to Work with a Recruiter in Your Job Search
- 5 Old-Fashioned Networking Tips for the Job Hunt
- Hanging on by a Thread: Month 6 of My Job Search Approaches
- Do Life and Laundry Get in the Way of Your Job Search?
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |