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Organization |
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Organization is the process of
applying a structure or system to an otherwise chaotic
process. In less technical terms, organization 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.
To improve your organization
skills, it’s important to follow these simple steps:
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Step
#1 to Improved Organization: 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:
Personal
Organization
Start with: |
Home
Organization
Start with: |
Workplace
Organization
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 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 |
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 Improved
Organization: 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 Improved Organization: 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 Improved Organization: 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 Improved Organization: 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.
Organization of daily tasks according
to a plan that achieves your goal. (See below for more information
about tools for achieving your organizing goals 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.
Organization Tools & ResourcesmyGoals.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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