The old me’s desk was often an organized array of chaos. By the end of the workday, it would appear to be straightened up, only to save myself the embarrassment of what my colleagues and the cleaning staff would think if I let it all hang out. Check my top drawer and you would have found my stash of Earl Grey tea and stack of miscellaneous notes-to-self. Evidence. I’m sure most of you can relate. Recently, however, I gave my workspace a belated spring-cleaning. I have found that instating a better sense of organization has done me a world of good. I have created a better system for fulfilling my day-to-day tasks, and found that when I am not wading through desk clutter and stunned by the disorder, my productivity is peaked. I hope that the following tips help you rediscover your desk’s Feng shui and sharpen your professional life overall.

Start small.  If you build up the chore of reorganizing your workspace into a major project, it will most likely end up as another notation on your to-do list (and may never get checked off). So, compartmentalize what little tasks need to be done to achieve your goal and take one step at a time. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed, and won’t result in a full day of business getting pushed aside thanks to your untidy ways.

Create routines. Mental clutter can be defeated by structure. If you feel bombarded by everyday tasks, it is time to implement a method to your madness. Check your email and voicemail first thing in the morning to address urgent matters. Then, ask yourself what your priorities are for the day. We can’t always predict what will come up during a typical business day, but having the structure of a routine can keep you poised and on-track.

Use both to-do lists and calendars. Multi-tasking is an essential skill in the workplace, but even the sharpest mind can forget a detail here and there. It may seem simple, but keeping a pen and notepad handy can keep you reminded of details that could potentially get lost in the mix. Likewise, as soon as you learn of a long-term project or commitment, add it to your calendar. On the first of each month, revisit your calendar and make note of what needs to be taken care of in the following weeks. That way, nothing comes as a surprise as time flies by.

Not using it? Put it away. There should be a place for everything. When jumping from project to project, physically wrap up one project before mentally starting another. Clutter carried over from one project to another only creates frustration and subtracts from productivity.

Don’t packrat. It is human nature to hold on to things with sentimental value. However, in my recent reorganization, I found that I hold on to things that do not need to be kept. For example, one of our authors sent me a beautiful personal note of thanks many months ago. With appreciation, I kept this on my desk—to collect dust and create more clutter. He’s thankful. I’m thankful. Message received. Why does the physical card need to be held on to? Quite simply, it doesn’t. Let go of items that you don’t need. If you are too sentimentally attached to something to discard it, perhaps it belongs in a memory box instead of your workspace.

Create a system and stick with it. Inboxes don’t work for everyone. Before my reorganization, my inbox became just another receptacle to stuff things. If you are a fan of the inbox system, routinely empty it and utilize it as an organizational tool to separate present and future projects. I have found that a well-labeled filing system works best for me. It keeps papers off of my desk and allows me to immediately locate an item when I need it. No matter what system works for you, maintain it to prevent yourself from being back at square one.

Good luck and happy clutter busting!

Paper was first used by the ancient Egyptians around 3,500 B.C., in the form of papyrus fibers (thus, from whence the word “paper” is derived).  But with the advances in technology that digitize and optimize the exchange and storage of information, should paper be put on the Endangered List? 

With the instant, free accessibility of news content on the Internet, we’re watching our print newspapers and magazines fall into decline.  In the book industry, we see e-books and digital e-readers, like the Amazon Kindle, starting to make a dent in the printed book market.  Authors have even started autographing Kindles instead of books!  With the rising usage of broadband internet access and facsimile transmittals of information, the United States Postal Service has less and less mail to process.  Some are even predicting that the postal service may altogether cease to exist within the next few years. Continue Reading »

Ah, springtime.  Behind summer, this is truly my favorite time of year.  Everything is so vibrant, so fresh, so verdant!  The first daffodils and fat robins in the yard never fail to pull me out of my winter doldrums.

But… on the flip side, have you ever noticed how springtime is the craziest, most hectic time of year?  For me, it even surpasses the winter holidays. There are weddings, taxes, gardening… the list could go on.  On the professional side, people feel a sense of renewal and motivation to get things done, to really make this year count.  Thus, it becomes necessary to schedule meetings and social networking events galore.  But how to stay on task with goals like these, with so many conflicting schedules?

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If you read Organize Your Business Cards the Modern Way, I imagine you now have all of your networking contacts’ information stored electronically and easily accessible… right? Great! Now, the question is: are you using that information regularly and to its full potential? To make the most of this valuable archive– and all the time and energy you invested to create it!– you need to put yourself on a regular schedule of following up with your contacts. For those who you communicate with regularly, or are particularly “hot” leads, it’s easy to go the old fashioned route and write “Follow Up with Nancy” on a paper calendar.

But what about those countless people in your email address book or your LinkedIn network that you had forgotten about? People who may have leads that you don’t even know about? It’s important to stay in contact with these people in the outer reaches of your network, but it’s time consuming and difficult to remember to do this regularly.  Well, technology to the rescue once again. Check out Social Minder.  It’s a “social assistant” that taps into your Gmail or Outlook to access your LinkedIn network and keep tabs on who you are and aren’t contacting, and how often. It sends you weekly email reminders to let you know who you are neglecting. Good luck!

There are two exciting events taking place in March that focus on women. First, March is National Women’s History Month, and second, the International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8^th. Continue Reading »

How many business cards have you collected from vendors, associates and leads?  If you network for your career or business regularly, I’m willing to bet you have quite a few.  Now, how are they organized?  Are they neatly catalogued and digitized, or thrown into a shoebox in your office?  If you can’t locate the contact information you need within 15 seconds, it’s time to upgrade your contact organization methods.  Doing so will save you valuable time, and increase the frequency and efficiency of your follow-up communication with people who might enhance your career or business. Continue Reading »

The holidays-that blissful time of year when we’re supposed to feel happier and more content with life-can often add so much stress they become more menace than merriment. This seems to particularly affect women, since we are usually the main jugglers of meals, carpools, appointments, entertaining, and countless other responsibilities. So how do we not only survive the holidays, but actually thrive?

Four things that help keep me in check: (I detail each below)

• Take advantage of time management techniques.
• Ask for help.
• Keep things simple.
• Schedule in some quality time.

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