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Get Organized

Is your in-basket about to tumble over? Do you have messages saved on your computer that are more than 1 year old and, if you actually need to find a specific one, you'd have to waste time plowing through dozens of messages until you located the one you wanted? What a waste of valuable time! In addition, do you have a problem keeping up with the "fresh" information that keeps pouring in, no less trying to tackle piles of old papers and emails that seem have multiplied since the last time you looked! In other words, do you feel like you have to tame the "data monster" before it buries you alive under a mountain of papers, binders, folders, note pads and other "referance" material that probably out of date?

I know your pain and I have a few suggestions that I've tired and they helped. My office was so litered with pieces of paper with ideas scribbled on them and I had every spare surface in my office covered with file folders, articles, magazines and other "mystery" items. Part of this is an occupational hazard associated with being a writer, coach and seminar leader. I had a general idea where I put things but knew the "data monster" could overwhelm me at any time. I seemed as if I needed to put on a hard hat before entering my office.

It felt like I was getting buried under piles of papers and both my in-and out-boxes on my computer were overflowing with messages that contained information about past events and completed projects. Why was I feeding the "data monster" by saving these things? I'd never use them again. Because of all the clutter, every time I went into my office, the feeling of dread rose to the surface and paralyzed me. I was so far behind in my filing that I thought it was useless even to start.

Recently I felt courageous and decided to tame my ever growing "data monster" after I heard the saying that "the only way to eat an elephant was one bite at a time." I realized that getting organized wasn't an all or nothing proposition. If I was consistant and spent 5 minutes a day organizing "something" in my office, I'd make headway. And I did!

Here are some of the things that helped me:

* I spent the time when I was on hold on the phone deleting old email messages and creating electronic folders for those messages I wanted to keep. I can now located need information more quickly.

* If I hadn't read a journal in a month, I threw it out. The likelihood of my getting to old journals was slim to none since new materials constantly pour into my office.

* I spent 5 minutes each day tossing unnessary scribbled notes that were litering my desk. I often did this while waiting for a conference call to begin. I turned that "dead time" into something useful.

* I became more discerning about which e-zines I subscribed to and immediately unsubscribed from those that didn't provided me with anything more than a full inbox and more food for the "data monster." There's so much good information on the web that I could have easily spent hours a day just reading instead of actually doing anything.

* I established a "just in time" mentality. When I needed information I would quickly get it from the web and I gave myself permission to become only a "mini" expert on a topic. I didn't have to read everything that was every written on the subject. I just need to get the information I needed to immediately use.

* I use the delete key more often. If a friend sends me a joke or motivational message, I hit the delete button before reading the message and without guilt! If I read and responded to every joke that's sent to me, I'd start the day in overwhelm and that wouldn't get me off to a good start.

* "When in doubt, through it out" became my mantra.

I have to be deligent or my "data monster" will resurface. However, I know I can quickly tame it once again by focusing 5 minutes a day to getting organized. Phew! That's so much easier than believing I have to do it all at once.