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January 2004
January 12, 2004 is
National Clean Off Your Desk Day. Is your office still a jungle?
Desks covered in paper are the norm these days. While it’s
impossible to completely stop the flood of paper, it can be directed.
Clutter on our desks--and everywhere else--happens when we postpone
making decisions.
There are only three decisions that we can make about paper:
However, decisions are often multi-layered, and we are unproductive
when we fail to focus on one thing at a time. Determine and take
the next single action needed, and you will make progress in moving
paper off your desk and seeing your projects through to completion.
Clear your desk of anything you don’t need at your fingertips.
Use an In Box for incoming papers. As you review your In Box contents,
you’ll find papers that must be saved for reference. Place
these in a To File Box. Set aside one time each week to file,
or delegate it.
Designate a file, box or tray (depending on the bulk of the items)
for outgoing paper and other goodies that have landed on your
desk. When you need a break, take a quick walk around the house
or office to distribute the contents of your Out Box.
What about papers that
you need on a specific date? A tickler file with numbers 1-31
works as a holding place for papers that would otherwise be in
a pile on your desk, or overflowing from your planner/calendar.
For example, an agenda for the teleconference on January 19 can
wait in slot 19 of your tickler file. For more information on
the tickler file system, visit the It’s About Time Store.
This and much more is
what you will learn in a Miracle in a Day™ consultation!
Call (925) 933-9737 to take advantage of my special New Year offer
to Tame Your Paper Tiger.
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