Are you constantly running behind schedule? Is your paperwork out of control? Do you always feel that you are running around in circles? Here are some simple and highly effective ways to organise your life and achieve efficient workflow.

REMEMBER -
"The clutter of the room and the clutter of the mind are intrinsically linked"

1. USE ONE NOTE PAD
Do you write on scraps of paper, used envelopes, post-it-notes and have bits and pieces of paper stuck all over your desk? Are you forgetting things, missing phone numbers and ultimately losing business because you can’t find that piece of scrap paper you wrote on? Then write it down in one notepad - one that you can carry with you everywhere. When you want the information that you wrote down, you will know exactly where to find it.

2. WRITE DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS
We all have thoughts running through our minds day and night, so when a reminder or an idea comes to you, write it down in your notepad right away. If you wait until ‘later’ before you write it down, you may forget, and ‘later’ will never come. How can you implement an idea if you can't remember it?

3. PUT THINGS IN THE SAME PLACE EVERY TIME
Do you misplace keys, files or other important items? Do you spend fruitless hours searching for lost items? There is an answer… Designate a specific place to put specific items, so that when you look for them next time, you will know where they are, and won't spend endless amounts of time and energy looking. If you get into this habit, then remembering where things are becomes automatic and items will be easily accessible. Remember ‘a place for everything, and everything in its place!’

4. GROUP SIMILAR TASKS TOGETHER - WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Schedule time to make or return phone calls in one block during the day. Don't read each email as it comes in, set aside time to read a group of them at once, or at particular times of the day. Turn off the functionality on the computer that notifies you when a new email comes in.

5. FLOW OF PAPERWORK
To stay in control of communication, you need to gain control of your paperwork. Set aside time to go through your inbox only once during the day. Don't keep checking the inbox every time something is placed in it. Decide what to do with each piece of paper and then take action. File it, sign it, pass it on, action it or throw it out. Most importantly - handle it once only!

6. SPEND TIME PLANNING
Everyday, set aside time to plan and schedule your work for the next day, next week, next month, etc. With a little forward planning, you will have room to manoeuvre should the unexpected happen - as it often does! If you wait until the last minute to get your work done, it could come at a price! Write a ‘To do List’ for work to be completed each day, and for projects that are weeks or months in advance, record them in your computer or diary system that will notify you when tasks are due.

7. DO THE HARDEST OR THE WORST THING FIRST
When you delay working on something that is the ‘hardest’ or ‘worst’ task to do, then by putting if off, you may never get around to doing it. Schedule it for first thing in the day and deal with it straight away and finish it. The rest of your ‘to do list’ will seem easy by comparison!

8. WORK WITHOUT INTERRUPTION
Allocate time when you do not want to be disturbed. Advise your colleagues by either email or phone, that even though you are at your desk, you are not to be disturbed during the time of (start) to (finish).

9. STORAGE SPACE
Know the difference between storage and clutter. Get rid of things that no longer have meaning or value to you, go through your workspace and remove unneeded items or files. Most people think they need more storage space, when they just need to organise differently with the space they already have. Store like with like eg store current client files together.

10. CONSISTENCY IN FILE MANAGEMENT
Your system of filing on your computer should be the same method as you use for filing hard copies. Poor computer file management can cause you to waste hours searching for data and recreating documents and images that already exist – simply because you can't find them! Set up folders in your computer and give them the same name as your hard copies. For example, if your client is John Smith, set up a hard copy file called John Smith and a computer folder called John Smith. All documents created in the computer will be saved in the John Smith folder, and all hard copies for John Smith are filed in the hard copy folder.

Samperi Consulting Group helps to build and strengthen the foundations of your business to take it to the next step in the growth cycle. For further information on Samperi Consulting Group and articles on business efficiency go to www.samperi.com.au, ph 02 9977 3778 or email info@samperi.com.au

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