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Dear Friends and Clients,

I'm always a bit sad to see summer slip away, but I find consolation in the feeling – engrained during my school days – that September can be the beginning of something new and exciting.

The symbol of fresh starts at this time of year is new school supplies. There is something about the first cool evenings that makes me want to clean my desk and make room for new pads and pencils.

This year, a friend gave me a wonderful birthday gift – a collection of French, spiral-bound notebooks in many shapes and sizes. My favorite is large with nice stiff covers and pages ruled in a quarter-inch grid. The pages are tabbed, so in the right margin I can see that they are divided into four sections, and each section is a different color.

I was inspired by this wonderful gift to start a new, 4-sectioned master TODO list, and now I'm basking in the sensation of being – for the moment – pretty well organized. New tools can lead to energy in your work, and that's what I'll write about in this issue.

Warmly, Bev


Want to Feel Like
It’s a New Semester?
Freshen Your Tools!

September 5th, 2006 * Number 44
Are you feeling jaded or bogged down?

Sometimes we are so accustomed to managing our tasks in the same old way that we don't realize that another approach could be more effective. Or we may become so used to a mess that we don't realize that it's wasting our time and sapping our energy.

Do you like the idea of a fresh start at work? One good way to bring new energy into your office is to reassess and reorganize the tools that you use every day.

Take a minute to notice the way you organize your stuff and the way you keep track of your tasks. It might be that new approaches or arrangements will bring you a new perspective and enhanced productivity. If you want to generate that “new school year” feeling, consider these strategies:

  • Create clean space . One of the quickest ways to boost your productivity is to clear out clutter. Get rid of stubby pencils, broken staplers, outdated computer manuals and any other supplies that you are unlikely to use again. After you decide what to keep, put away everything that you don't need to use immediately. Open workspace is a vital tool. Working with a clear desk can help you to clear your mind and boost your productivity

  • Control your paperwork . Your output is influenced by the way that you handle the paper that flows into your office. Examine the containers and processes you use for managing that flow. Are you holding onto documents that you don't really need? Is there a better way to arrange the paper that you choose to keep? Could some of those piles be replaced by stacked wire baskets or some kind of vertical file system?

  • Capture that thought . If your desk is littered with notes and messages, if you sometimes find yourself searching frantically for an important phone number, you may need a better system. Break the habit of jotting down information and ideas on loose paper. Create a capture notebook, where you can note telephone numbers and other information until you need them or have time to transfer them to your database.

  • Keep good lists . The lists you use for keeping track of your projects help to determine how much you actually get done. You can boost your productivity and peace of mind by developing the habit of always writing down tasks as they come to mind. Take a minute to reexamine the way that you organize your notes. You may opt for a single, comprehensive paper TODO list, or rely on electronic systems for tracking specific project and task categories. Trying a new approach to managing your task list may give you a new perspective on the work that must be done.

  • Color code it . One way to separate categories of projects, and to make all of them easier to retrieve, is to use color systems. You can use colored folders to organize certain types of files; colored ink or print to highlight important appointments on your calendar; or colored adhesive flags to designate one type of information within a document. If you develop a system and turn it into a habit, you will become quicker at spotting what you need. And having an effective system in place for your paperwork will help clarify the categories within your own mind.

  • Is it ergonomic? If working at your desk leaves your body aching, it's time to examine both your habits and your arrangements. Take a look at your chair, your keyboard, and the way you sit, and ask whether rearrangements or replacements would make you more comfortable. Consider using different pens, scissors and other tools that are easier on your hands and wrists. Get a headset if you find yourself scrunching your phone against your shoulder. Acquire better lighting if you find yourself straining to see. And make sure that you have room to stand up and move around.

    • Want to Read More
    About Reorganizing?

    Below is a brief book review, as well as a link that will allow you to buy the book directly from Amazon.com. For reviews of other helpful books, along with Amazon links, go to: ClearWays Books and Services. If you buy a book this way it will contribute to the cost of distributing Bev’s Tips, and be much appreciated.

    Organizing from the Inside Out, by Julie Morgenstern, Second Edition, 2004.

    Morgenstern says that being organized has less to do with the way an environment looks than how effectively it functions. She defines “organizing” as “the process by which we create environments that enable us to live, work and relax exactly as we want to.”

    Morgenstern describes herself as a formerly disorganized person who reached the breaking point and decided that clutter was driving her crazy. Today she is a professional organizer, and in this book she describes many applications for her system, which includes her “SPACE” formula for transforming a messy area:

    • Sort
    • Purge
    • Assign a home
    • Containerize
    • Equalize

    Click here to buy this book.





    Want to bring new energy to your work life? Bev offers leadership coaching and productivity consulting, and is available to speak about a broad range of issues related to your work life Visit her website at www.ClearWaysConsulting.com or email to Bev directly. Bev is associated with Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates.





    Bev’s Tips for a Better Work Life is published on the first and third Tuesday of each month by Beverly E. Jones of ClearWays Consulting, LLC.   Bev is a lawyer and former executive who now coaches accomplished CEO's, public afffairs executives, and other professionals to bring new direction, energy and enjoyment to their work lives.

    Copyright ©2006, ClearWays Consulting, LLC  & Beverly E. Jones

    All rights in all media reserved.  However, the content of Bev’s Tips for a Better Work Life may be forwarded in full without special permission on the condition that (1) it is for non-profit use and (2) full attribution and copyright notice are given.  For other uses please contact Bev Jones.

    Our address is: 2925 43rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016.