Great Filing Systems This workshop will present a system of organizational strategies that will help with the piles on your desk and on your office floor.
Getting Ready The area I want to organize is: My purpose for organizing ________ is: The cost of continuing with my present state is: The benefits of changing are: My specific goal is: My new habit is:
HabitForge. com
Flow
Blocked Flow
Key Objectives Capture all the things that need to get done in a logical system outside your head and off your mind. Discipline yourself to make front-end decisions about all your inputs so you will always have time to plan for the next action.
Problems Too much distraction Ineffective personal organization Lofty values Over reacting
Basic Requirements to Managing Commitments Capture unfinished business in a Task Bucket Clarify what your commitment is and what you have to do Decide on what actions you need to take and organize them in a system that you review regularly
Exercise Write down the project or situation that is most on your mind at this moment. In a single sentence, describe your intended successful outcome for this situation. Write down the very next physical action required to move this action forward. How do you feel?
The Five Stages of Work Flow Collect things that command our attention Process what they mean and what to do about them Organize the results Review as options for what we choose to do Do
Collect Physical in-basket Paper based note-taking devices Electronic note-taking devices Voice recording devices
STUFF In-Basket What is it? Is it actionable? NO Trash Someday/Maybe (file) Reference (retrievable) YES What is the next action? Will it take less than two minutes? YESNO Projects (planning) Project Plans (review for actions) Delegate it Do it Defer it Waiting (for someone else to do) Calendar (to do a specific time) Next Actions (To do as soon as I can)
Your Calendar Time specific actions (appointments) Day specific actions Day specific information Next Action Lists – (no more daily to do lists)
Weekly Review Gather and process all your stuff Review your system Update your lists Get clean, clear, current, and complete
Time Space and Tools
Time For the first time through: two days, back to back You need to get to the bottom of the pile first
Space Office Home
Tools Three paper holding trays A Labeler File folders Trashcan
The Filing System General Reference should be close to hand Have one A-Z system Have lots of fresh folders Keep the drawer less than three quarters full Label the file folder with the label maker Purge your files once per year
Collection 1.Desktop 2.Desk drawers 3.Counter tops 4.Cabinets 5.Floor/wall/shelves 6.Furniture
Basic Categories Projects list Project support material Calendared actions and information Next Actions list Waiting for list Reference material Someday/maybe list
Key Tips 1.Get the physical organization hardware set up. 2.Set aside time when you can tackle a whole area of your office. 3.Share anything of value you learned from this with someone else.
Revising Getting Ready The area I want to organize is: My purpose for organizing ________ is: The cost of continuing with my present state is: The benefits of changing are: My specific goal is: My new habit is:
Getting Things Done: The art of stress free productivity
More abstract Habitforge.com Release your pain – The Sedona Method by Hale Dwoskin Be here now – The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle