Success stories that inspire and help

 It's a proven fact that people learn through storytelling. 

Note...names have been changed to protect the innocent

Time management OK. Paper management NOT

Ned was feeling scattered. He was a focused individual with the usual number of daily outside interruptions—cell phone, beeper or email. Now he found he was experiencing a growing number of internal interruptions that began to hamper his efforts….a messy desktop, a dysfunctional digital filing system and a car that was, as he said, an 'out of control' office.

The Solution…It was technology to the rescue for this client. Why? Although his time management behaviors were pretty effective, his growing lack of paper management was creeping up on him. We organized his desktop with Paper Tiger® software. We organized his computer with Enfish® software. We then organized the information in his car by creating a modified hanging filing system and incorporating it into Paper Tiger. This gave him a quick reference index and organized way to keep information while he was on the road. These tech tools helped Ned save about 30 minutes a day in real time by helping him maintain focus and experience more control of his workday. Remember, to clear your desk and clear your mind.

From Sales Representative to Sales Director

Marty had been recently promoted to a Regional Sales Director. In addition to maintaining and managing his own time, papers and information, he was also now responsible for supervising 5 regional sales reps. This level of responsibility put new demands on the scope of dealing with revenue tracking and employee performance. Accessing this type of information quickly literally changed how he maintained his otherwise organized office. All of a sudden he felt very unorganized. He became more ineffective as a people and time manager.

The Solution…Part of the roadblock for Marty was that he doesn't know many of the things required in his new role and this usually comes with time in the job. The good news was that he knew the responsibilities of his direct reports. First, we created an action file for each rep. Second, we maintained a log sheet within the folder to help him keep track of ongoing communications, rather than rely on his memory. This can also be done using contact management software such as ACT! . And third, we set up a 'tickler' filing system. This system holds information, receipts and reminders needed in the future. Anything being held in the tickler system was noted in his planner for quick, at-a-glance access to his information. These 3 simple steps helped Marty track information and have it available when he needed it. He said taking these steps saved him about 15 minutes a day and he felt much more confident in his ability to execute his new role. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

Losing Focus

Jerry is a manager who was having some common time management problems that had to do with difficulty in getting to his priorities or successfully making deadlines. He appeared to be a dreamer-style procrastinator and was easily distracted. It was frustrating to him, his teammates and his boss. When some of these issues were finally outlined on his performance review the situation required some attention.

The Solution…A big part of the reason Jerry was having some of these problems is that he 1) didn't write down his goals or 'to do' list and 2) didn't commit tasks and activities to his calendar. We worked together to help him begin writing down specific and measurable goals, committing priority activities to his calendar and using a timer. For a dreamer-style procrastinator, the timer is a key element because it creates an external interruption that helps the person re-focus on the task at hand. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

Identify, Prioritize, Delegate…and Learning How To Say 'No'...gracefully

Mary is an executive for a large non-profit and her professional and personal plate were about as full as they could get due, in part, to the fact that she tended to be an over-doer. She had become increasingly unhappy with the long hours and felt that even when she had time off, she couldn't enjoy it because she was thinking of all she had to do. How could she re-work her day to find the energy to enjoy life?

The Solution…First we listed all her commitments on index cards. This helped her get a visual, big-picture look at where she was spending her time. Second, we picked the top 5 things on which she needed to focus. These were true priorities for her. And third, we began listing ways she could delegate or drop some of her existing tasks in order to remain focused on her priorities. Outcome? She freed up approximately 3 hours a week in real time and more energy to enjoy her time away from work. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

More Than Just Making A List

Too many errands, not enough time. There are many things we can do to 'save time' including using the internet and our Palm Pilots. But there are still some things that we just need to do ourselves (or hire someone to do them). For most of us that means running errands. The cleaners, the drug store, the grocery store, etc. Besides simply making a list, how do we save time?

The Solution…In Eugene Griessman's book, "Time Tactics for Very Successful People" tells a story of how one successful executive did this by mapping out the location of all the stops they needed to make. Then arranging the stops based on what side of the street the businesses were located. All errands on one side of the street were completed and the remainder were completed on the way back, as he drove down the other side of the street. I tried this myself…it worked like a charm. No more back tracking or turning left and crossing oncoming traffic. This is a perfect example of 'measuring twice and cutting once'. Take time up front to determine the process and then execute. Try it…you might like it and it might save time running all those Saturday errands!

Responding To The Urgent

A Bank Director who attended one of my presentations said she had a situation that was frustrating her. After arriving at her desk each morning, her routine was to open mail and respond to email. However, in her position she had 14 Branch Managers reporting directly to her and they would call her each morning, usually by 10AM. This frustrated her because the daily number of phone calls was interfering with her ability to get her work done..

The Solution…The URGENT rather than the IMPORTANT lured this Director. She was feeling the pressure of responding to snail mail and email rather than dealing with what was IMPORTANT -- the managers' questions/issues). I suggested she block 8-10AM every morning to field the calls from her Managers. Once they had received the information they needed from her, she was free to work on her priorities with fewer interruptions. This enabled her to remain focused and manage her time more effectively. Remember to clear your time and your mind.

Automation and Help for the Traveling Pro

Did you ever seem to notice how things tend to pile up at the last minute whenever you know you are getting ready to do some travel? Carley is a single professional who travels for work about 75% of the time. It really didn't matter how organized she was, it seemed there was never enough time to really make sure everything was 'ready to go'.

The Solution…Automate. We moved most of Carley's bills to an on-line payment service while the remainder became auto deducts. We established internet accounts to enable her to order her medications through an on-line service, created a packing list for both domestic and international travel and an 'out the door' list. We also enlisted the help of various professionals, such as a residential organizers and personal assistants to pick up dry cleaning, make sure there was food in the refrigerator and handle the incoming mail.

Finding Information in 5 Seconds…or Less 

Steve initially really wasn't too excited about having a consultation with a performance consultant such as myself but his supervisor thought it would be beneficial because Steve's work area was the stopping point for many projects. Although he might remember where he had stored something, he was in sales and frequently not in the office. The task of finding information rested squarely on the shoulders of the Sales Admin. As you can imagine, other people's time management was being affected by Steve's lack of disorganization and the situation was a source of stress and frustration for the team.

The Solution…Paper Tiger® software to the rescue. We indexed Steve's entire office. First, we identified files and documents that required Steve's action. Then we identified reference files or files that should have been stored and maintained in his filing cabinets. By putting them in Paper Tiger filing system, the Sales Administrator was able to find information in 5 seconds when Steve was out of the office. Next we created a tickler filing system for time-sensitive material and also put notations in his calendar. Last but not least, we helped Steve organize his computer files. As you have heard me say before, if there is clutter on the desktop there is clutter on the hard drive. We are happy to report that Steve is more productive and everyone on is team is too. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

More Travel, More Gadgets

Late last year a client of mine was facing a twofold challenge. First her career was requiring more and more travel which challenged her paper and time management skills. Second, mobility of office equipment and information was a growing concern. Although she used a laptop and cell phone, she still felt she was juggling and tracking information and appointments with difficulty. She wanted and needed to consolidate all these things to meet her growing challenges.

The Solution…After some discussion about roadblocks and needs this client decided to purchase Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) such as a Palm Pilot. This one piece of technology has helped lighten an already heavy travel case, consolidated all her names and addresses so she can access them in airports and between planes without opening her laptop. It helps her view appointments at the touch of a button. And don't forget it can also act as a backup to some of the information stored on your laptop. This is a great example of technology helping us do more things differently and saves time in the process. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

The Visual Processor

Brenna was getting frustrated because she had trouble remembering where she stored documents she needed she needed for future dates. For example, she would forget where certain papers were for a meeting or where she put the theatre tickets. Brenna realized that for her style it was important to have things visible, but surface clutter bothered her.

The Solution…We set up a very visible tickler filing system to hold the information Brenna needed for sometime in the future. Because she was a visual processor, the tickler filing system we used was one she could hang in her office. To see an example of this tickler system, go to www.ezpocket.com. It helped her remember in a way that accommodated her visual style. Remember to clear your desk and clear your mind.

Running Out Of Space

Michael was a client who faced challenging space restrictions in his office. Several types of businesses existed within his core business such as consulting, technical assistance and teaching. All of these businesses required different types of storage and retrieval patterns. In addition to this, his time management was challenged by the amount of traveling he did.

About 80% of home or desktop clutter is a result of disorganization, not lack of real space. Keeping this in mind we installed Paper Tiger software to help Michael organize and find his files. Second we created 3-ring binders to store information…handouts, articles, CDs, etc. When traveling all he needed to do was binder. The combination of removing clutter, organizing with the binders for vertical and mobile storage, and using technology to manage and retrieve information helped Michael become a more effective time and paper manager and recoup a significant amount of office space.

My System Isn't Working...

Laura was experiencing turmoil because of her difficulty in trying to get her desktop and paperwork organized. It had reached a level of concern for her because her supervisor began making remarks about the condition of her office and her inability to follow through with given assignments. One night, after hours, she walked by a colleague's desk who was said to be 'very organized'. Laura made a list of all the items this person used to organize their desktop then she went out and purchased them and placed them on her own desk. Her voicemail kept repeating…'it's just not working'.

The Solution…Laura's intentions were admirable but the process she used to overcome her roadblock required a bit more thought. We sat down and discussed her 1) goals 2) style and 3) options. Based on her answers, we developed a game plan to clear the clutter and access the information, identified the tools that worked for her, and worked on her time management to help her follow through on her work commitments. 

"60% said they don't have work-life balance, and being unproductive contributes to this feeling."

Microsoft Personal Productivity Challenge survey

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50 Tips to Manage Paper Chaos