March is National Caffeine Awareness Month

To celebrate National Caffeine Awareness Month, increase your productivity while combating your need for caffeine with these tactics:

1. Get enough sleep... Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as five hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep nightly.

2. Perform some simple stretches to get your body active, including your mind, your heart, your blood flow and your metabolism. For examples of such useful stretches, visit http://bit.ly/iL72d.

3. Sit up straight and take a few deep breaths from way down in your gut. Oxygen fuels your brain, and deep breaths get even more oxygen to your brain, activating it for work all the better.

4. Soak up some fresh air and sunlight with a quick walk outdoors or around your building... The vitamin D from sunlight is great for boosting moods; plus, as you move your body, you get a little more energized.

5. Move to a different location, whether it's moving from your office to a conference room, leaving your home for a coffeehouse or just shifting from one side of the room to the other.

6. Hydrate with lots of water... Since 60% or more of your body weight comes from fluids, staying hydrated is necessary for optimum performance. And, if you need some extra flavor, just toss in a Crystal Light packet.

7. Instead of letting it slow you down, fill "down time" with smaller projects that can be done quickly. Just like the saying of "a rolling stone gathers no moss", it's easier to be active when already active... So, if you don't have time to complete a project, at least get started and leave it out for when you can pick your work back up again.

8. Eat foods that increase your energy rather than those that cause a slump an hour after eating. Eating things like whole-wheat bread, strawberries, broccoli, pork and bananas will help keep energy levels more constant and consistent.

9. Listen to some energizing music. Music is a powerful tool, particularly for affecting emotion, so handle with care but utilize it fully. As a huge fan of music, I find it to be a very effective tool, like "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang or "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland. For other examples of energizing music, visit http://bit.ly/83Hh4k.

Are any of these strategies you are using right now to re-energize? And, if you have ideas for other ways to increase your productivity without the use of caffeine, please share those in the Comments section below.

The Power of One

As Three Dog Night explains in the lyrics of their 1969 hit, one can be the loneliest number. Sometimes, there is power in the masses, meaning a group makes more impact that just one; however, when it comes to certain organizing tools, one can be a very powerful number. It can be very important to "practice the power of one". Here are a few examples:

- One Calendar... Whether it's paper or electronic, a single planner enables tracking all commitments (personal and professional) in one place, making it less likely that appointments will be forgotten or that you will double-book yourself.

- One To-Do List... Are you jotting down reminders on multiple sheets of paper, in various different notebooks or via sticky notes posted all around your office? If so, how many of those actually get completed?!? Keeping all the action items needing your attention in one place makes it more likely they'll get completed and aids in prioritizing.

- One "Data Dump"... Our brains get filled with more and more information each day; keeping them in one place ensures meeting notes, ideas, phone messages, inspirations and the like are not lost and are easily accessible, regardless of whether that one place is the paper option of a spiral notebook or an electronic option, like Evernote or OneNote.

- One Address Book... For contacts' names, phone numbers, emails and snail mail addresses as well as any notes related to that connection, keeping everyone's information centralized within one system makes it easier to keep contacts' data up-to-date and to access those details quickly whenever they are needed.

Are any of these areas in which you can streamline? And, if you have ideas for other items that are more powerful when you have just one of them, please share those in the Comments section below.

Totally Terrific Tech Tools

When it comes to computers and what goes with them, I help clients tame technological needs daily, speaking Mac and PC as well as iPhone, Blackberry, Android and much more, but the available options are virtually endless for electronic tools that make life easier and help obtain optimum performance day-to-day. Here are just a few that I find most helpful:

- Customer Relationship Management Tool... While there are tons of options, like SalesForce, ACT!, Zoho, GoldMine and Kyliptix's KiBS, I find that BatchBook provides the best option for the most different industries, allowing you to create and sync contacts, invoices, eBlasts and communication logs online.

- Electronic Password Keeper... When not using a printed list, I prefer RoboForm for storing my online usernames and associated passwords, but other great options are Password Safe, SplashID and KeePass.

- Online Backup Service... To automatically backup everything on my computer with a service that encrypts my files during backup and storage, I rely on Mozy, but Carbonite offers a good alternative, too.

- Scheduling Application... While I prefer using Doodle, it is also easy to schedule meetings or gatherings with groups of people using TimeBridge, Tungle.me or Meeting Wizard.

- Keyboard Macro Program... Although Macs come with all sorts of shortcuts built in, there are options like ActiveWords (which I prefer) or AutoHotKey that enable PC-users to associate select words with Substitute Text, Launch a Program, Open Document, Navigate to Internet Site, Send Email, Open Folder or Scripting.

- Online File Sharing... To share or sync files between computers, especially when email just can't handle those really big files, I rely on Dropbox, but Live Mesh, Syncplicity, SugarSync and SparkleShare work, too.

- Task Management Solution... While I prefer Outlook since it can combine email and calendar in the same tool as my tasks, other great options include Producteev, Toodledo, Remember the Milk and TadaList.

- "Remember Everything" Tool... To save images, text, audio and video somewhere I can access anywhere (including desktop, smart phone or Internet) through a quick search of keyword, tag or included text, I rely on Evernote, but OneNote offers an alternative that many others utilize, too... Evernote is such a fantastic tool!

Since these are just the tip of the iceberg for available tech tools, I'd love to hear what you like, too... What electronic tools do you use to make life easier?

How Do You Keep Your Computer Clutter-Free?

In past blog posts, we've discussed overflowing paper files and overwhelming email inboxes, but what about your computer's electronic files? Whether you use a PC or Mac, does your computer's electronic clutter make it difficult to quickly find what you need when you need it? Do you waste valuable time searching for documents and / or replacing those documents you cannot locate? In honor of today's Clean Out Your Computer Day, here are some practical organizing tips to start tackling this project:

1. Automate your computer updates and virus scans. Then, schedule time weekly on your calendar to delete any temporary files that have not been touched in more than that week. Particularly for PC users, run a disk cleanup weekly and a disk defragment every-other-week.

2. Be vigilant in removing documents that are not used or can be easily found online. With what remains, remove visual clutter by funneling desktop icons into just two folders: Documents and Software.

3. Mirror the names of your paper file folders when creating or maintaining your electronic files. To easily find filed items, start the name with the general category and follow that with the specifics. For example, file names could include INSURANCE - AUTO, INSURANCE - HEALTH and INSURANCE - HOME / OFFICE.

4. Be certain to back-up data regularly... If you have a system for remembering to back-up regularly via flash drive, disk or external hard-drive, those are viable options; however, I highly recommend a cloud solution that will automatically back-up your data in a "set it and forget it" manner. I prefer Mozy, but Carbonite is an excellent alternative, too.

5. Speaking of "the cloud", remember that you don't have to keep all electronic information saved on your computer's hard drive... Evernote is an absolutely fabulous way to capture anything (ideas, articles, to-do lists, shopping suggestions, photos, business cards and so much more) in an organized manner to be accessed anywhere. There are Evernote tools for your computer, smart phone or web browser, and they all enable finding whatever you need very quickly, whether that be through keywords, tags, printed text or, even, handwritten text inside uploaded images. For details, visit http://www.evernote.com today.

What will you do today to clean out your computer? What are your current processes for keeping your computer cleaned out? With which portions of your computer do you struggle most to keep clutter-free?

NC Auto Expo: Organize for Success in Buying a Car

As explained by ads running in the Triangle right now for this weekend's 2011 NC International Auto Expo, "people love their cars", and isn't Valentine's Day weekend a great time to fall in love with a new ride?!? If you're planning to head to the NC State Fairgrounds to find your next vehicle or just drool over the new Chevy Volt, Maserati Gran Truismo, Dodge Challenger and Aston Martin V8 Vantage, this is a great time to organize your car-buying process.

First and foremost, determine what type of vehicle you'll need and what equipment that vehicle will need to include by analyzing what you'll be doing with your vehicle... Do you need to haul furniture, gardening supplies, business equipment or some other large items in the bed of a pick-up truck or in the back of a SUV? Do you need a vehicle with really good fuel economy, like a coupe or compact sedan, or is towing a priority? Do you feel it's important to be able to check your Facebook newsfeed from your car or sync your MP3 player with your car's radio? Do you desire any bells and whistles, like heated seats, sunroof, navigation, rear entertainment system, parallel park assist or Bose speakers with your AM/FM/satellite radio? Does your extended travel make warranty coverage and roadside assistance important? Do you prefer leather or cloth, 4-wheel or 2-wheel drive and 4-, 6-, 8-cylinder or another option? The more you know with regards to what you like about your current vehicle, what you'd like to change about your current vehicle and what you'll be doing with your new vehicle, then the better prepared you'll be for the process of obtaining a new car, truck, van, SUV or crossover vehicle.

Speaking of this process, thinking about your buying and driving habits will help you determine if it is better for you to purchase or lease your next vehicle... How often do you want a new car? Do you prefer to change vehicles frequently or keep your car "until the wheels fall off"? How much do you drive? Does your annual driving fall within the 12,000 - 15,000 miles per year range allowed with leasing or do you tend to drive more each year? Do you use your car for business purposes, allowing more tax deductions with a lease? Do you worry about your car's resale value? Are you hard on your car and wear down the interior quickly, which might lead to penalties with leasing? Do you prefer to have equity in your investment as you pay off the vehicle's entire cost or to lower your payments by paying off just the depreciation on the car? Still, regardless of which automobile financing option you choose, a greater downpayment will lead to lower monthly payments so it's also a good idea to evaluate your downpayment options before heading out to shop for your new ride.

Then, you must tackle a really difficult task as you determine how much money you can spend... What payment will fit within your monthly budget's constraints? What sort of finance rate will your current credit situation allow you to obtain? There are tons of vehicles out right now that can fulfill both your automotive wants and needs while still fitting within your budgetary constraints, but it is important to be aware of that budget before starting the process of getting a new vehicle.

If you're replacing a vehicle, ensure you get the most money back from that previous investment... Gather together all documents for what maintenance work you've completed because that documentation will increase your vehicle's value. Then, check Black Book Online at http://bit.ly/eB4X6s to get a ballpark figure for the value of your vehicle, keeping in mind the final assigned value will depend on the dealership's assessment. Finally, thoroughly clean the inside and outside of your vehicle so it is in its best shape possible.

Now, it's time for the fun part... Shop online and in-store for the vehicle that you like best and that meets your needs best. Just remember that, although there's a great deal of information on the Internet, nothing can really give you a feel for which vehicle you should buy like sitting in the driver's seat. For more details on the Wake County New Vehicle Dealers Association's auto expo, visit http://www.ncautoexpo.com/, and I'll see you at the Jim Graham Building this weekend.

February is Archive Your Files Month

When working on Paper File Management, my clients and I typically establish three "zones" within the office space: DAILY USE or CURRENT PROJECT items get the "prime real estate" in fingertip files on your desk or in your immediate work area; ACTIVE FILES that are used regularly but not daily would be stored in a nearby file drawer or cabinet; ARCHIVE FILES that require reference rarely are stored further away from your work area. February is National Archive Your Files Month since it's an ideal time to focus on these three Paper File Management zones.

Why February? Well, by now, you should have received most (if not all) year-end statements and documents for the prior year, enabling you to prep your income tax return with plenty of time left to track down any missing documents. Plus, since the new year is well underway, last year's active files can be removed completely or moved into archive space, enabling you to open up space for the new year's files to be added.

Utilize this time for purging to prevent overfill of your filing solution so you can locate needed documents and find room for new ones... Using sorting options of KEEP, RECYCLE, SHRED and SEND TO OTHERS, do you know what really needs to be kept and for how long? Establishing specific records retention guidelines that apply to your unique situation can be vital. Furthermore, as you purge your paper documents, think about what are you really using and, for those not used now but that might be used in the future, whether the document be easily recreated or retrieved elsewhere... For details on what tax-related documents need to be retained, visit http://bit.ly/5m34JB.

It is imperative to stash the following items in your safety deposit box or fire- and flood-proof home safe: birth certificates, adoption papers, Social Security cards, citizenship papers, passports, marriage certificates, deeds, divorce decrees, insurance policy papers, lease agreements, loan documents, mortgage papers, personal property appraisals, stock / bond certificates, vehicle titles, copies of wills, powers of attorney papers and death certificates.

Also, as you remove old files and add new files, remember that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to set-up a filing system. The system that will work best for your unique needs & specific personality will depend on the way you categorize information, the type of information you keep, the volume of information with which you interact regularly and whether others in your office will need to access files in your absence.

Finally, make sure those files that you're keeping are labeled clearly and correctly. It can be a balancing act to make sure you have enough files for all your necessary papers while not having so many that it's hard to find what you need, but an effective filing system can significantly improve productivity and efficiency.

Is your filing system meeting your current needs and have you purged unneeded or outdated materials lately?

Startling Statistics Must Drive Action

Did you know that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America? Although they readily admit this number is probably low, the Identity Theft Resource Center recorded 662 data breaches in the United States in 2010, a nearly 33 percent increase from 2009. Our current economic situation, the increasing use of smartphones or other mobile devices and U.S. troops returning home to increased risks with which they are unfamiliar all contribute towards the continuing threat of identity theft, but there are things you can do to protect yourself.

[ ] Regularly pull FREE credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com. To have year-round awareness, pull Equifax in January, Transunion in May and Experian in September... Have you pulled your Equifax report this month?

[ ] Add security software to your computer, preventing illegal access to your network and computer. Purchase anti-virus software and install a firewall. When security levels are set at their highest, proper software can provide protection from spyware, adware, worms, Trojan viruses and hackers. Plus, always keep your operating system software updated.

[ ] Carefully guard your online logins, passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs). Use unique passwords whenever you can, and change those passwords regularly, making sure you don't use the same password in multiple places. Finally, do not set your computer to "remember my password" or have it preset in your system.

[ ] Look for the https at the beginning of website URLs before submitting personal information. Seeing the https beginning signifies a secure site, which means your personal data is kept secure as it's transmitted across the Internet.

[ ] Do not carry your social security card in your wallet. In fact, your social security card, birth certificate and other certified documents should be kept in a high-security location, like a safety deposit box or fire- and flood-proof safe.

[ ] Carefully guard your credit and debit cards. Do not regularly carry in your wallet any credit or debit cards that are not used on a frequent basis. For those cards you do elect to carry, keep photocopies of each card's front and back in a secure location. Do not write your personal identification number on the back of any cards. Instead of signing the back of each card, write "Check photo ID" in the signature block. Review monthly statements closely, looking for anything that looks irregular or that you don't recognize. Finally, opt out of pre-approved offers by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

[ ] If regular bills don't show up when you know they should, follow-up with the company. This may be a sign that someone has stolen pieces of mail from your mailbox. Likewise, when you reorder checks, arrange to pick them up at the bank instead of having them mailed directly to you, eliminating the chance of them being taken out of your mailbox.

[ ] Always be aware of protecting your general safety and security. Take precautions with wireless networks, especially those publicly available. Shred whatever paperwork is being discarded that might include personal information.

What steps do you take to protect your identity with all of today's challenges? What can you do TODAY to start making a difference?

Does your calendar help you focus on your purpose?

January is "National Be On Purpose Month", which is further outlined at http://bit.ly/eCj4Ts, and I firmly believe your calendar solution can help you stay on the path of your selected purpose, especially when that tool is utilized to its fullest.

Many available calendar solutions walk you through how to select your own specific purpose, determining how you want to be remembered and what kind of footprint you'd like to leave on the people you know, the world you've lived in and the future of our society. Almost any Franklin Covey option, whether paper or electronic, is a great example of calendar solutions that enable future planning, mission / vision development and analysis of your personal or professional goals. Have you used any such tool for your own future planning and, if so, what level of success did you experience or do you recommend one tool over another?

Whether you've selected a paper or an electronic option, your calendar helps you see how much time is available each day and, then, allows you to determine how best to fill your available time. When faced with more than one appointment option occurring simultaneously, you have to deliberately determine which opportunity is more in alignment with your own specific purpose, making a conscious decision as to how you'll spend that available time. Do you have a clear purpose and, if so, what questions do you ask yourself when determining if an upcoming opportunity aligns with that purpose closely enough to be added to your calendar?

That same calendar solution often allows you to manage tasks on your to-do list. If you are using Outlook or another electronic calendar solution linked to your email, you can actually add the associated item to your to-do list as the email containing the action item request is received. If you are using certain paper or electronic calendar solutions, there are tools included for prioritizing such tasks on your to-do list. However, there are limited hours in each day, and one person can only complete a certain number of tasks, especially when intertwined with scheduled appointments. Do you delegate or discard tasks unrelated to your own specific purpose?

Still, enabling your selected calendar solution to be a tool in your staying on the path of your selected purpose depends on whether you take time to fully learn the bells and whistles of what that calendar solution offers and, then, keep the solution where you'll reference it frequently to fully utilize all of those available bells and whistles. Are you aware of all the options offered by your electronic calendar solution, like scheduling repetitions of activities at whatever might be your desired intervals, programming audio, text or email reminders of upcoming events / celebrations and easily updating directly from existing email applications? Are you aware of all the options offered by your paper calendar solution, like sections for meeting notes, built-in holiday notifications, areas for tracking expenses, auto service or medical records and references for toll-free numbers, weights and measurements?

Which calendar solution are you using for 2011 and how is it helping you stay on the path of your selected purpose?

Paper, Plastic or Reusable?

Okay... So we don't ask ourselves the same questions when picking out a calendar solution as we are asked in the grocery checkout line, but there are plenty of questions necessary for finding the calendar solution right for your unique needs. Are you struggling to pick your new calendar solution for 2011? Or had you previously selected a solution and are now finding that solution isn't really working for your current style and commitments? No problem... Let's evaluate your personality and scheduling needs to see what might be a better option.

QUESTIONS TO USE IN SELECTING CALENDAR FOR YOU...

Do you have tons of appointments each day? If so, a monthly view might be too overwhelming and might not allow enough space for all your commitments in each day's block. On the other hand, a daily view might make long-range planning more difficult since you won't be able to see the big picture of a week- or month-view to know all that is going on. Plus, if you don't have many appointments each day, a daily view might be way too much paper or

Do you know what size spacing works best for you and how it impacts which solution you should get? For paper planners, is your handwriting larger or do you prefer to write very small? For electronic planners, can you see your appointments in the program's available font sizes?

Do you spend more of your day sitting at a desk or moving around? If at a desk, can you keep an electronic program easily accessible and open on your computer's desktop throughout the day or would you have space atop your physical desktop to keep a paper planner visible, like maybe setting on a cookbook stand or one of Franklin Covey's Compact-Classic Planner Holder with Paper Storage? If more mobile, do you carry items in a briefcase big enough for a larger paper planner, do you need something smaller for a purse / shirt pocket or do you have a portable electronic device that can provide access to the electronic solutions available?

How many people need to have access to the selected calendar solution at any one moment in time? Are you the team's Chief Operating Officer, making you the only one that needs to access this calendar, keeping track of others' activities amidst your own as needed? Will all members of the office team and / or family be adding, subtracting and referencing this calendar equally? A personal paper planner versus a larger, wall-hanging calendar versus an electronic option will all offer differing levels of access, all depending on many variables.

How much time can you commit to maintaining your selected calendar option? Appointments must be added, regardless of whether the option is paper or electronic. Paper calendars need to be referenced since there aren't email or auditory reminders. Electronic calendars often need to be synced, particularly between team members' computers or your own devices, and always need to be charged or "powered up" to work.

Do you remember things better when you write them down? Can you look at a computer screen and memorize what's on tap for the day, visualizing that image throughout the day as a reminder? When you read a book, do you turn down corners of pages to mark content that needs to be referenced later? Do you enjoy the feel of flipping planner pages as the year progresses? Are you comfortable with tech gadgets? When you ask for directions, do you prefer a map drawing or turn-by-turn navigation provided by a GPS?

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS...

Paper calendar solutions work well for visual folks who process information by writing it down, often more "global thinkers".
--- Always on and ready: there's no on / off switch to make sure is flipped in the right direction, no battery to charge and no syncing to occur.
--- Often less expensive, keeping track of appointments, big events, annual celebrations, to-do items and addresses in a cost-effective way.
--- Since a paper planner can't "crash", the only way to lose your data is to lose the entire system itself.
--- Offers sharing between team or family members with a larger, wall-hanging option, but that is not as mobile as a personal planner.

Electronic calendar solutions work well for detail-oriented folks who remember things without really looking at them all at once, often keeping track of tons of appointments by focusing on one day at a time.
--- Includes options like scheduling repetitions of activities at whatever might be your desired intervals, programming audio, text or email reminders of upcoming events / celebrations and easily updating directly from existing email applications.
--- Offers sharing between team or family members with web- or server-based options, but requires additional devices for mobility.

A hybrid solution that is often ideal for groups or individuals encompassing both personality types would be to enter things electronically and, then, print the daily, weekly or monthly calendar to carry with you or post on a wall, which is especially important when info must be shared.
--- Requires training yourself to always add data to the electronic solution, using the paper portion simply as a printout of what's in electronic

THE BOTTOM LINE...

There is no "right" or "wrong" answer to which calendar is best for you. In fact, when selecting a calendar solution, there really is only one "requirement" per se... Pick only one tool that will hold everything in it. That means all your personal and professional commitments are noted on that one calendar, not bouncing between different solutions. People that use more than one calendar have a much greater chance of something falling through the cracks, and we really don't want that to happen. Along those same lines, though, I do recommend incorporating color so different facets of your life or different projects in process have different colors, making it easy to see what's happening with each at a glance, and that tip is easy to utilize in any calendar solution, regardless of whether your chosen option is paper or electronic.

Then, once you have settled on the calendar solution deemed best for your unique style or personality and current commitments, I highly recommend allocating time to really get to know all that is offered by that particular option, training on its associated tools and applications so you take full advantage of what is available in getting and staying organized for your ultimate success.

What type of calendar solution do you use? How well is it working for you right now? What do you like best and what would you change?

Ready, Set, GO!

As outlined on http://www.2011resolutions.org/top-10-new-years-resolutions-for-2011/, the new year brings a variety of focuses for folks worldwide. Maybe your 2011 resolutions include "spend less, save more" or "quit smoking, get fit and stay healthy" or "enjoy life to the fullest", but many people have "get organized" atop their resolutions' list... and now is the time to GO towards Getting Organized!

The average worker admits to wasting 2 hours per 8-hour work day. However, getting and staying organized helps everyone maintain productivity, which has become more and more important as businesses streamline and employees must continually do more with less. With that in mind, it really is no surprise to me that "be organized" tops the list of new year's resolutions for many folks. To help, January is National Get Organized Month, otherwise known as GO Month, and there are many ways you can start being organized right now.
As you tackle the various tips that best meet your unique organizing challenges, there are a few things to keep in mind:

- Every person is different so it can take different amounts of time for different individuals to turn actions into habits, but simple, repetitive tasks require a timeframe of approximately 21 days to condition. Furthermore, most people require 30 to 40 repetitions to firmly adopt a habit. Stay focused... Success will come with time.

- Since people are different, there is no right or wrong way to get organized. Organizing is not "black and white" with one system that meets everyone's needs. Instead, what works best for you will depend on your unique needs and your own personality traits. For example, when things are filed away in a drawer, do they fail to get accomplished because it's "out of sight, out of mind" or does leaving things out in the open lead to inactivity because the visible things feel like clutter? Do you remember things better when you write them down or is an auditory reminder from an electronic device more helpful? Are you more energized early in the morning, mid-day or later in your workday? Would you prefer more to get organized with regards to to-do lists, space management, best utilization of your available time, communicating with others, optimizing the skills available on your team or something else? Success will come best when you know yourself well.

- Seeking help from others can be a very good thing. If you delegate a task to someone else, you are freed up to do something else while the original task is being completed. If you hire a professional whose services are in an area outside your expertise, the task will be completed much more quickly, maybe even more thoroughly. If you utilize a team in the completion of a task, the end result will benefit from different skill sets, different thought processes and different knowledge bases. Success is richer when you delegate, outsource, partner with others and simply seek assistance.

Whatever might be your resolution, today is the first day of the rest of your life and a great time to get ready, get set and GO towards Getting Organized... I wish you ultimate success in a joyful, prosperous and organized 2011.

What's Sitting In Your Email Inbox?

If someone were to peer over your shoulder right now to look at your email Inbox, what would that person find? Do you keep just about everything received in your Inbox, making it such that you have several hundred emails in there right now? Do you keep action items in your Inbox, meaning the number of messages varies depending on how many items would fall on your to-do list? Well, here's a little tidbit that I've found can have an immense impact on increasing one's productivity: Your email Inbox is definitely not your to-do list. I recommend using your email Inbox as exactly that... an "In Box". New items funnel through as needed while action items are moved accordingly. A brief glimpse at how that concept plays out day-to-day is as follows:

- What has yet to be read is what remains in your email Inbox, an area to be dealt with when most convenient for you so that you control your technology rather than your technology controlling you.
- Any action that can be completed in less than 5 minutes after reading the corresponding email should be done at that time, particularly since it's common in such instances for the time to re-engage in the action to take longer than simply doing the action when first made aware it needs to be done.
- What requires more action gets moved to your electronic to-do list by creating a Task with subject indicating action and with a due date included OR to your paper to-do list by adding to your notebook of action items, a running data dump of to-do items, assigning to your daily tasks when appropriate.
- What indicates an upcoming appointment or specific time commitment gets moved to Calendar, allowing the subject to convey what action is to happen and outlining its set date, time and location.
- What has been completed but might need to be referenced later gets moved to Personal Folders, naming those Personal Folders to mirror your paper + electronic file management systems.

When adopting this approach, it's important to note that simply dragging an email from the Inbox to Tasks or Calendar folders will just copy the item in question, not actually moving it, unlike dragging an email to any of the Personal Folders for retention. Instead, to create a new Task or a new appointment in the Calendar, either right-click on the email in the Inbox or double-click to open it and click the "Move to Folder" link for selecting the appropriate folder, i.e. Tasks or Calendar. Once the email is officially moved, it's important to adjust the included components to accurately convey desired information (like Subject line to action or appointment description, Due Date, Location and Recurrence fields). And always hit Save when done.

At the end of each day, there should be no more than 10 emails sitting in your email Inbox. Following the approach above will get you there, but remembering how the Delete key is your friend will make it even easier... If it's a notification of something that has passed or if it's something you can find elsewhere (like on the sender's website), there is no need to keep that email. What is your current approach to processing emails arriving in your Inbox? Do you think adopting this approach might make life a little easier?

Happiness Happens Month

Posted by Emily Parks on August 29, 2010

August is "Happiness Happens Month", where you notice, discuss and promote your happiness while helping others to do the same. Isn't that a great concept?!? There are so many health and productivity benefits that come from being happy. Therefore, I suggest taking a moment right now to think about what makes YOU happy... I love music so I always gravitate toward a great song, but what song makes your toes tap? What TV show always makes you laugh? What was your fave food as a kid and does it still make you smile when you're about to eat it? What's your favorite holiday? What's the happiest moment you've ever had in your life? And who makes you smile just thinking about him/her?

Taking a moment to think about questions like this can be enough to boost your happiness quotient quite a bit... Yet, do you incorporate happiness in your day-to-day activities?

Simple options for making happiness happen include raise your activity level, do a good deed for someone else, learn something new, rid yourself of a nagging task, adopt a healthy diet, try to be more organized, think of the best scenario instead of the worst and seek out a hobby or passion.

What will you do today in order to make happiness happen? Have fun celebrating "Happiness Happens Month" throughout this last bit of August!

Overwhelmed By All That Needs To Be Done?

If your memory is anything like mine, it's just not possible to remember every little thing that pops into your brain, let alone all the requests, to-do's, phone calls, etc. Some things pop in and out of my brain fairly quickly, making it so very important to write things down. In fact, I've found the saying "what is written down gets accomplished" to be very true but only when done in a way that works for me. Operating directly out of my running list on a day-to-day basis can be quite overwhelming; however, I've adapted the process into a technique that has proven effective for many of my clients and might be helpful for you, too.

Everywhere I go, I always have with me a small, lined notebook. From a psychological perspective, it's important that the notebook is in a color or pattern that makes me happy and puts a smile on my face, making me more likely to use it and not avoid it. A good example of something that would work for this notebook is Franklin Covey's Floral Lined Journal, which can be found at http://bit.ly/azyfPl, or Wellspring's Flip Notes, which can be found at http://bit.ly/auIkcQ. For individuals that prefer electronic solutions over paper solutions, the Notes or Evernote applications on any smart phone can work, too. My notebook serves as a "master to-do list", basically a data-dump. When a to-do item, an idea, a voice mail message I must return, meeting notes or the like arises, it gets written in my notebook, freeing my mind for what pops-up next or, better yet, to focus on the day's priorities.

Then, at the end of each day, I review my "master to-do list" for what are the next day's priorities, pulling 3 - 5 items which absolutely must be completed. In my strategy session, I review upcoming appointments that require planning, pending deadlines and what appointments are scheduled the next day requiring certain preparation or that I take related items with me, taking into consideration anything impacting what are those 3 - 5 action items. With all that gets thrown at me (and my clients) during any given day, I find that 3 - 5 action items are about all that can be planned in advance while realistically expecting them to be completed. Finally, those 3 - 5 action items are written on a 3"x5" index card, something to keep in front of me when working on my computer or carry with me between that day's appointments.

If you take just a few moments at the end of today to plan for tomorrow, it could make a world of difference in how your day goes, enabling you to accomplish more and avoid overwhelm from what's not important or not time-sensitive. How do you currently handle your to-do items? Is your system working? If it is working, what do you like best about your system? On the other hand, if it is not working, what frustrates you most about your current system for handling to-do items?

How'd You Simplify Your Life This Week?

As we come to the end of national "Simplify Your Life Week", what do you think it means to SIMPLIFY? Think you'll need to give up all your worldly possessions to become a hermit and live in a cave somewhere?!? Luckily, simplifying is really all about having enough without having too much... Cutting back on physical clutter is part of the picture, but the emphasis is on slowing down and focusing on your true priorities. For some, this may mean working fewer hours and taking a cut in pay to have more time with friends and family. For others, this may mean buying a smaller home that is closer to work so as to lessen the daily commute while cleaning out unused items throughout the home. Meanwhile, others may take this as the opportunity to simply say "no" to more of each day's endless requests from others, saying "yes" to only requests that fulfill personal & professional goals.

Did you celebrate this "Simplify Your Life Week" by making a change to simplify your life? If not, where do you see excess in your life? Whether physical objects, paper in your files, commitments made or emails arriving in your Inbox, is there something you can purge and begin to simplify? To eliminate overwhelm and ensure success sticks, start with ONE change in ONE area of your life... What can you change today?

Don't Give Up... Get Better Odds in the Change Game

A fresh calendar each January inspires us to do what can become impossible by July... "Get organized" often ranks high on folks' lists of new year's resolutions, but things don't always pan out the way we envision. Each new year's resolutions come at the wrong time of the year, surrounded by excessive calendar clutter amidst great fun and frivolous celebration, making change a very difficult thing to accomplish. Therefore, the inevitable bit of backsliding we experience can make us feel like we've blown it or the game's over. Hold on! Rather than waiting until next January, let's take a moment to really think this through... If you were driving from Florida to Maine and got lost in North Carolina, would you simply turn around and return to Florida? Not likely. Instead, you'd probably find your way and continue traveling to your destination. Getting organized is the exact same thing: it's a process, not just an event. A little bit of backsliding doesn't mean we give up on the goal of making our desired changes; instead, take today as your New Year's Day and start over with your resolution to "get organized", understanding that "good enough" is so much better than "perfect" in the process of organizing. Your best bet for long-term success is small, slow, realistic steps with transformation coming from incremental change. Take it easy on yourself. Don't feel guilty if you backslide, and do not give up. Try a moderate approach that will produce better results in the long-term, and stay tuned to this blog for tips and ideas about how to make that happen. Here's to a great, more organized remainder of 2010!