Work in the Cloud Using Google Drive

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Tips How to Maximize Productivity

As you think about getting organized in your office, here are some tips to get you going. 


1.        Do the hardest thing first.  When you arrive at the office, you may be tempted to first check your messages, rifle through the day’s mail, or plow through some easy administrative tasks. Instead, try doing the hardest, most challenging (or least enjoyable) thing earlier in the day. You’ll be attacking it when your energy level is high and your mind is clear.

2.       Plan for tomorrow at the end of today. Take 15 minutes at the end of every day to create tomorrow’s to-do list. This habit of planning will give you the gift of focus, allowing you to get a jump-start the next morning. In a sense, you’re creating a map for the following day.

3.        Download all ideas, actions, and goals onto paper.  Clear the clutter out of your brain by taking pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and allow to-dos and brilliant ideas to become more concrete.

4.        Use your email effectively. Stop scanning emails and leaving them to deal with “later.” Instead, schedule time just twice each day to check and manage emails. Read each email message thoroughly, then act, file, delete, or pass along.

5.        Take a lunch break every day. You may not think you have time for one, but make the time. Poor diet on the job is costing countries (and their businesses) up to 20% in lost productivity!

6.        Become an expert time estimator. Most unpleasant tasks don’t take as long as you think they will. And most pleasant things tend to drag out a bit longer than you'd expect. Use a timer to get an accurate gauge of the real time it takes to accomplish a variety of routine responsibilities.

7.        Create an effective work area. The average office worker spends 2,000 hours per year at her desk. Make that space easy to use by gathering items that you use most frequently and storing them within easy reach of your usual seated position.

8.         Manage paper effectively. Resolve to deal with your papers on a regular basis. Whether first thing in the morning, at the end of the day, or somewhere in between, set aside 30 minutes each day so you don't end up with overwhelming piles.

9.         Be more productive by avoiding interruptions. Use your lower-energy hours as your open office hours so you don’t waste peak productivity periods with interruptions.

10.     Know the benefits of being organized. Getting organized goes way beyond having a neat and tidy space. By becoming more organized, you’ll not only help your business run better, but you’ll reap multiple personal rewards as well.

11.     Stop procrastinating.  Break tasks down into realistic-sized chunks and jot them. Each day’s successes will give you the drive to keep going.

12.     Learn to say “no” and delegate. Take control of your time and tasks by making a list of all your responsibilities, both daily and special projects. Even if it takes a little more time on the front end to train someone else, it may pay off by giving you more time to focus on larger responsibilities. 

My Source:

Anne McGurty
www.AnneMcGurty.com
Strategize & Organize
10401 North 52nd Street, #114
Paradise Valley, AZ  85253
(480) 442-2014

Anne is available as a consultant to help you improve your efficiencies in your office whether it is a home office or in a commercial environment.  She is also available virtually on Skype for coaching sessions.  If your human resources department is looking to implement an employee training program, Anne can customize a program for your organization.

How to Work with a Business Coach

In a recent interview, I was asked about how I deal with clients who are super busy, bouncing all over the place multi-tasking. The question was asked, "How do you decide what will work for them? How do you help people get focused?"

My recommendation as a consultant of personal productivity is that I have to really quiet down the client and start to look at what is going on in their world. What is their vision? It’s up to them to set up the systems by defining how they want to communicate and have people reach them.

We all need to take responsibility for how the world communicates to us, and we need to have the appropriate tools so that we can synchronize incoming information. In that way, we can be as efficient and productive as possible, maximizing all the benefits of these technologies and not getting ourselves overwhelmed in the process. Every day, there is something new that comes out—something bright and shiny. People don’t want to get behind the eight ball, so they grab it. I just have to tell them to pull in the reigns—tame them down a little bit and tame their technology. 

I also use the example in my webinars of using a day planner or a calendar. Some people still carry around a planner because they like to see their calendar, and it often makes sense. If however they also use an electronic calendar and don’t synchronize the two systems, there will be havoc. And it can get even worse if they have a family calendar on the refrigerator. You see where this is going. The solution is to get one system and stick to it. Consolidate all the information in one place—one container, so to speak. You’ll always know where to go when you need to make an appointment.

It’s the same with all the new devices out there. You need to stop and look at what you need to stay on track and make sure that all your technology talks to each other and can be accessible in one container. Document management systems are all about keeping your information in one place and being able to collaborate with others so they can find it. Too many businesses spend too much time resending emails, redoing documents, or using outdated documents because they don’t have synchronized systems. I took a huge turn in my business this past year educating people on how to organize their electronic information. I’ve known about it for years, having been an information system major in college. I’m just happy that my clients are finally open to hearing about how to use them.  

This interview is an except from my book, Concrete Jungle, Survival Secrets for the Real World.  Co-authored by Bob Proctor.  Available at www.simplifyyourlifeblog.com.