Quick Cures for 7 Common Challenges
Posted: Sunday, October 16, 2011
by Sue Becker
From Piles to Smiles
Happy autumn! It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to an end. As the leaves change color, you might want to consider which habits you can change to help you be more productive and efficient, both at home and at work. To help inspire you, I’ve noted some common challenges that you may be facing, and some ways to overcome them:
Call 1-888-567-8688 or go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com to opt out of unsolicited credit card offers.
Sign up free at http://www.catalogchoice.org/ to decline paper catalogs you no longer wish to receive.
Cancel subscriptions to magazines and other periodicals that you don’t have time to read or don’t find useful.
Not planning your day
Use a calendar or planner to record not only appointments, but things you have to do each day.
Plan and schedule your day the day before, identifying the most important thing you need to accomplish that day.
Review each upcoming week to see what’s coming up so you can adequately prepare. Use your planner to schedule related phone calls, remind yourself to complete necessary paperwork, purchase necessary supplies, etc.
Not emptying your in-box regularly
Make a decision about the next step for each piece of paper you touch, each email you read, and each voice mail to which you listen.
Do something purposeful with each of the above items to move them along on their journey.
Having too much clutter on your desk
Keep only the items you use every day out on your desk.
Stop wasting time looking for things by having a place for everything.
Having more than one day’s work on your desk at one time
Use the center work surface of your desk only for the papers on which you’re currently working.
Set up a desktop filing system so you can put away active projects, but feel confident that they won’t be out of sight, out of mind.
Letting interruptions get you off track
Don’t let urgent items (e.g., ringing phone, new email messages) get in the way of getting important things done.
Schedule time every hour or so to check email so that you can concentrate on the task at hand, yet know that you’ll get to your messages in a reasonable amount of time.
Wasting time in meetings
Make sure proposed meetings have a stated goal. If not, ask what it is before you agree to attend.
Volunteer to be the meeting timekeeper to help keep things on track.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Your suggestions are a wonderful, thanks! I've started doing some of these recently and it's really making a difference to my life. Planning and organization are so important and they relieve stress.That's great, Jennifer. Here's to your continued success.
Hi Sue,
As a life / career coach, I applaud you for this article. I especially like "wasting time in meetings" and "letting interruptions get you off track." Two biggies in my opinion. I wrote an article called How to write 4 books in 2 1/2 Years, which focused on focus. And if it weren't for what you've got listed here, that wouldn't have happened. Just had a call yesterday with a client in Saudi Arabia who is interning and looking to get into neurology, and his main issue was getting things done. Yes, someone who has accomplished so much in his young life. This is a lesson for all of us. No matter how far along we get or how organized, it's something we need to re-focus on again and again. Yes, even experts. ;o) Thanks Sue.
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