Describe the top of your desk. No, not what’s on it. The desktop itself. What do you mean you can’t see it?
If your desk is covered with so many piles you can’t remember what’s there or where to find it, it’s time to get organized. Here’s a sure-fire way to tame the paper monster and take control of your time.
Label 31 suspension files from “1” to “31”, one for every day of the month. Now label another 12 from “January” to “December”. File the daily files at the front of a file cabinet drawer with the monthly files behind.
Next, prioritize every single piece of paper on your desk. Sort them into piles. The first is for truly urgent stuff. Be disciplined here. Only include stuff that MUST be done urgently or dire consequences will follow. The next is for semi-urgent stuff. This is work that must be done within the next week or so. The third pile is for stuff that has to be done but can wait until you get around to it. Anything that doesn’t fall within any of these three categories, get rid of. It’s a waste of time.
Now, look at your urgent pile. Can you realistically accomplish all of it today? If not, divide it into piles, with as much as you can get done in one day in each pile. Now create a file in your word processor called “Diary” and then make a stack of file cover sheets. These should have space for the file name at the top, and a two column table immediately below with rows filling the whole page. Fix a cover sheet to the top of each file. In the first column write the date you are going to action that file next. In the second column write what that action is.
Next, enter the file in the Diary document in your word processor. Enter a big capital letter for every letter of the alphabet and bookmark it so you can jump around easily. Enter the file name as it appears at the top of the diary sheet and the date it is diarised for, then place the file in the suspension folder for that day of the month. Then do the same thing with all the other files in your urgent piles. Then go through the whole process again with your semi- urgent files and finally with the non-urgent stuff. Anything you’re not going to work on until a later month file in the suspension folder for the month it is diarised for. Then when that month arrives place each file in its respective day folder.
Now if you’re still waiting on someone else when the file falls due, you can follow them up on that day and then rediarise for further action. If someone gets back to you before the file falls due, you can find it by looking up the diarised date in your Diary document. It’s also a great system for scheduling all of your marketing activities. For example, just diarise when your various ads fall due and you will never have to worry about missing a deadline again!
By using this system you will always have a clear desk and won’t be tempted to do only what you feel like doing. Be disciplined about doing your “today” stuff before you do anything else and you’ll find your business will just about take care of itself!
2000 Elena Fawkner
Elena Fawkner is editor of A Home-Based Business Online … practical business ideas, opportunities and solutions for the work-from-home entrepreneur. http://www.ahbbo.com/
