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Getting Organized |
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Getting organized is the process of
applying a structure or system to an otherwise chaotic
process. In less technical terms, getting organized is
removing part of the chaos from an area and then keeping the
chaos from returning.
Take the simple analogy of a
front yard. Left untended, the grass will die; it will become
overgrown with weeds and debris and fall into chaos. If you
apply an organizing system to it— clear the yard, install
sprinklers, lay down sod, and fertilize—the chaos is gone.
Temporarily. The system must also be maintained in order to
keep weeds ( chaos) out.
When getting organized, it’s
important to follow these simple steps: |
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Step
#1 to Getting Organized: Start Small
If you feel your
life/home/office is disorganized, don’t try to instantly organize
everything all at once. Pick a manageable subset of the whole mess,
apply an organizing system, and see if you can maintain the new
organizing system over time.
For example:
Getting Organized
Personally
Start with: |
Getting Organized at
Home
Start with: |
Getting Organized at
Work
Start with: |
| A system for keeping personal phone
numbers, street and e-mail addresses with you at all
times |
A system for listing needed grocery
items to be purchased during the next trip to the store
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A system for organizing names and
addresses of business contacts |
| A personal to-do list of only three
items — the most important three items to be done each
day |
A system for managing dirty clothes,
separating, laundry schedule (wash/dry/fold/put away) for the
household |
A system for scheduling the weekly
activities for each family member with start and end times,
and any things that need to be completed prior to the
activity |
| A daily system for filing all
incoming mail including bills, papers to be kept for taxes,
etc., and discarding junk mail into the trash |
A system for tracking all your
reimbursable expenses |
An appointment system for all your
calls, meetings and
travel |
As you implement
and learn to maintain each small organizing system, move on to the
next small area of chaos.
Step #2 to Getting
Organized: Apply an Organizing System
Try something,
modify it, and don‘t be afraid discard it for a different system
that might work better. Be clear about exactly what it is your
trying to accomplish and how organization will help achieve that
goal.
Step #3 to Getting Organized: The Organizing
System Must be Simple
Your goals for organizing will
include a system that you must maintain in order to stay organized.
Don’t go overboard with an elaborate organizing solution. Simple is
better. A system that is easy to set up and easy to maintain will
almost always outperform a complex one. A difficult maintenance
process will fail, and you’ll be back to chaos.
Step
#4 to Getting Organized: Be Disciplined about Maintaining Your
System
Reject the “I’ll do it later” syndrome.
(Procrastination is often at the root of poor organization.) Commit
to be disciplined and do it when it needs to be done now, not later.
Most disorganization is not the result of a poor system; it is the
result of not using a system when it needed to be used.
Step #5 to Getting Organized: Keep the Ultimate Goal
in Mind
Don’t lose site of your original goal.
Organization is a means to an end. For example:
- The goal isn’t to cut and alphabetize coupons; the goal is
to save money.
- The goal isn’t to have neatly categorized piles of dirty
clothes; the goal is to have the laundry done well and
efficiently.
Organizing daily tasks according to a
plan that achieves your goal. (See below for more information about
tools for achieving your organizing goals).
Getting and
staying organized saves time and money, but it might also require a
little upfront time and/or money. Think of getting organized as a
small, ongoing investment; spend a little now to save a lot of time,
money, and frustration in the weeks to come.
Tools & Resources for Getting OrganizedmyGoals.com
(this Web site) was designed to help you organize and manage all
your personal and professional goals. As you identify an area of
your life that you would like to improve, myGoals.com will help you
prioritize, organize, and manage the process. myGoals.com's pre-made
GoalPlans®, goal-setting wizard, and task-specific email
reminders are extremely effective in creating viable plans and
keeping you organized and on track. The ability to access your
GoalPlans online makes it easy to checkoff tasks as you complete
them and to modify your plan as you progress.
As
priorities change, and circumstances change, goals will change as
well. myGoals.com provides a convenient, flexible, and easy way to
organize and manage the most important goals in your life. We
encourage everyone to pursue their goals with passion. We are
here to help.
To learn more or sign
up for a free trial, visit our goal-setting
homepage.
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