Organizing Q&A
- Why do I need to get organized?
- Organized people save time and money and reduce stress and frustration levels. Organizing systems help you manage everything from your personal paperwork to your professional responsibilities. They can create order out of chaos by providing parameters on what to keep, what to toss, and how to store the material things in your life.
- What is the best way to get organized?
- Experts in the organizing industry agree: there are no "cookie cutter" solutions. There are many different personality types, work styles, and environmental influences; so each person must find the systems that work best for him or her. The number of organization-related products and services is constantly growing. Determine the areas in which you want to improve, such as filing, clutter control, time management, storage space, or juggling projects and priorities.
- How long does it take to get organized?
- Organization is a process, not a state achieved in one day. Think about it as "being organized" or "staying organized," not just "getting organized." Yes, an organizing system can be set up in a matter of hours. The challenge, however, is to continuously maintain and improve it day by day. The good news is, once you learn good systems, habits, and tools, being organized gets easier, as does bouncing back from an unexpected detour or period of feeling overwhelmed.
- How can I make better use of my time?
- Time management is a misleading term, because we cannot really manage time. We can manage only ourselves. The best we can do is make decisions about the priorities in our lives, have our own personal and professional goals, and align our activities to reach these goals. Review how you are spending your time and make adjustments according to your goals and priorities.
- How can I cut down on paper in my life?
- Rigorously question whether you need to keep each piece of paper that comes into your life. Make a habit of tossing unnecessary papers (shredding those that contain personal or financial information). Scan documents and store them electronically when possible. Cancel subscriptions to unread publications, and remove yourself from mailing lists. Create a records-retention schedule that specifies how long documents such as tax forms, bills, and financial statements should be kept.
- Will there ever be a paperless society?
- While there have been great strides in the fields of document imaging and electronic data storage, it is generally assumed that the "paperless society" will exist only far into the future, if ever. Because some technological devices make it easier than ever to generate paper, some speculate that the amount of paper in our lives will continue only to increase.
- How do I select a handheld planner among all those available?
- There are, indeed, many types and brands of planners that can help you schedule appointments, track action items, and manage contact information. The first step in choosing one is to evaluate your needs and style: Do you prefer a paper-based system or an electronic handheld organizer? Do you primarily need to manage a to-do list, or do you prefer the ability to take a lot of notes? How do you prefer to view your calendar: by day, week, or month? Whichever system you select, be sure to customize it.
- What are some of the best computer organizing products?
- Some of the best products are probably ones you already have on your computer. But if you are like most people, you don't fully know the capabilities of your existing software. Invest a few hours learning some of the shortcuts and customizations available. Then check out other time-saving devices such as personal information managers, handheld devices, scanning and electronic storage, online communications software, and electronic filing systems and schedulers.
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