Organzing Tips from Outside In Organizer

Work on One Thing at a Time

• Work on 1 task at a time.
• Work in 1 space at a time.
• Talk to 1 person without distraction.

Caring For Yourself

• Self care is critical. Remember that you aren’t any good to anyone else if you are not taking care of yourself, first.
• Delegate and share. You don’t have to do everything yourself. In fact, you empower others by letting them do it themselves or with you.
• Rejuvenate every day. Do something that intentionally re-energizes you such as meditating or taking a walk.
• Unplug and take a break from your computer, smart phone, etc.

Scheduling, Using a Timer, and Organizing Regularly

#1 – Schedule everything! Use your planner to schedule tasks, not just appointments.
#2 – Time yourself! Set a timer to help you make quick decisions…keep? recycle? shred?
#3 – Organize regularly. Remember, organizing is a process. By doing it regularly it’s not as overwhelming. Have a professional or a friend help you get started, get to a manageable place, and then you can maintain it on your own.

via: Organize Your Time, Reduce Your Clutter

Dealing With Paper

1. Purge unnecessary papers.  Ask yourself these 3 questions to help you decide: What do I need to keep the hard copy for? Is it something I need to act upon, or is it for information purposes, only? If it is informational, only, can I access it when I need to refer to it in an electronic file or the internet?
2. Sort the papers that you need to keep. Create an easy to maintain file system so that every piece of paper has its place. Streamline your system and use broad categories to avoid files that only contain 1 or 2 pieces of paper.
3. Create a tickler system for action items. A lot of my clients are afraid that if papers are out of their sight they will forget to act on them. Admittedly, leaving them out doesn’t insure that they will work on them! The answer? A dated tickler system that aligns with your calendar. This allows you to file, find, and follow through.