Get Organized Month

Who moved my stapler?

by Danielle on November 23, 2012

Who moved my stapler…my files…that report…my desk?!

Doing business during a tough economy has been a challenge. The obvious cost cutting measures such as downsizing, outsourcing and eliminating the ‘extras’ has become common business practice. You may feel you’ve examined every line item leaving no stone unturned, but were you aware that a disorganized workplace and poor time management within your business is costing your company up to $11,000 per year- per staff person?

There are many costs associated with operating a business in a disorganized fashion. In 2010, Brother International Cooperation released survey results about workplace disorganization. Disorganized offices create a much larger issue than simply dollars lost. Do you see any of the following behaviors or actions in your workplace?

Respondents reported….in brief…

Lost or misplaced material – 1 workweek – 30 minutes per week- lost annually per employee. Others report having lost mobile phones, flash drives, a briefcase, laptop or PDA.

Staff report feeling ill-prepared for a meeting as a result of lost information.

Disorganized and cluttered workplace appears unprofessional.

Disorganized workplace “hurts productivity”.

“A cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind”.

The cost of disorganization is clearly much more than duplicate spending. Lost time on wasted activities- looking for items, lacking time-management systems, and feeling distracted, frustrated and non-productive as a result of the clutter and disorganization is an added cost. Not to mention the scattered plans and ideas that never develop. Add to those costly outcomes the amazing intern biding her time or the client that knew immediately upon entering into your office that her companies contract would not be one lost in the piles. Everyone feels the crunch of competition and if the perception is a disorganized workplace then the reality is missed opportunities and unnecessary costs to the company.

We often hear “well, I really didn’t see the mess as being so terrible”. Whether it is you or a colleague, workspace disorganization will impact your bottom line. Point it out. Your staff and clients will thank you.

Take a critical look around your office. What do you see?

Let the S.O.S. Crew help you recreate your office space. Send the right message to your staff and clients.

Visit Signature Organizing Service and call 765-427-2785 today for a free in-office assessment.

The S.O.S. Crew

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Organize your Emails

by Danielle on January 7, 2012

Tips to help you manage your emails

If you feel you spend too much time reading emails this is a great opportunity to consider a more efficient and effective email system. The average email user receives between 48 and 80 emails per day. One could spend hours sifting, reading, deleting, replying and contemplating before realizing that the afternoon has whizzed by and little work was accomplished. Consider that….

Your emails typically fall under the following:

Delete! 50% of emails can be deleted. Who doesn’t love the Delete option?
Delegate 15% of emails can be delegated – forward that email!
Decide

Need Immediate Response- 15% of emails can be handled in less than 2 minutes. The “2 Minute Rule” applies here. Do it and Done.
Take Later Action – 20% of your emails require action or can be filed. This is when a filing system is necessary. You can either place the email on your calendar or build an “Action” folder. Revisit this folder daily.
Read, Review and File- File in the appropriate folder. Email folders that are labeled by Topic, Category, Project, Person etc.. will help you find emails quickly.
Add to your calendar – move the entire email to your calendar- appointments, meetings etc…

Other considerations when planning your new effective and efficient email routine:

Schedule a time to read your emails and stick to your Uninterrupted schedule. Perhaps 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour after the lunch hour.
When are you most focused and ready to tackle your correspondence? If most of your emails require a detailed response then plan for a time when you are mentally on your game.
Are there certain times during the day when there are fewer staff in the office? Perhaps that is a great opportunity schedule your email time.
Communicate to your staff, colleagues, committee members etc.. that you can not be chained to your computer and if they have an urgent message to call.
Skim conversational email messages. Read and write fewer words in your messages.
Consider how you may be contributing to the onslaught of emails in another persons in-box.
Also consider whether your ‘in-box’ filter makes sense. You can set up your filter to receive by date, category, sender or a number of other options.

If you incorporate a system to effectively attack your in-box, you will be able to process 100 emails within 1 hour. If you have tips that work for you please comment on this message and share with our readers know.

Sincerely,

SOCS Crew

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January is Get Organized Month

January 1, 2012

Hopefully the holiday season has allowed you some flexibility with your work schedule and, with any luck, your professional demands have allowed you some time to think about how you can organize your office space for the new year. January … Continue reading →

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