I give presentations on organizational skill building as it relates to paper, time, and computer file management. It seems that we all have too much paper, not enough time, and more than enough information stored in our computers if we could just find it!
Part of my job is to help identify the challenges an employee or organization is facing and suggest solutions. Over the course of time I have found that most individuals are simply unaware of the basics of paper and time management. It's not necessary to know all existing time management theories, but it is important to know the basics.
Appointment books and calendars are two tools that help guide you through your activities and commitments. Here are three basic steps you can take to use these tools more effectively.
Select a user-friendly appointment book
The selection of a type of appointment book and calendar is usually a matter of personal preference. Appointment books or planners come in several different formats and vary in size vary from ones that fit in a pocket to ones that fit in a briefcase. If you use electronics to manage your time that's great. If it's not your style, refrain from buying expensive handheld devices. You'll save time and money by being honest with yourself.
Maintain one and only one appointment book
I frequently find clients trying to maintain multiple appointment books or using scraps of paper as their time management tool. The result is double and triple bookings or completely missed appointments. Using one appointment book will cut down on conflicts and create a less-anxious environment. You can store calendars in several places, but maintain only one appointment book.
Take your appointment book with you?always
Most of us rarely leave the house without our keys and wallet. But I find many people who leave their appointment book behind. When this happens, appointments and commitments are made on whatever is available including napkins and a variety of other things that become misplaced or lost. This not only results in a precious loss of time but is unproductive and stressful as well.
Be prepared and less stressed by sticking to these basic tools and steps when building your time management skills.
Copyright 2005 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.
Cynthia Kyriazis is an organizing and time management consultant, trainer, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. Organize it, a division of Productivity Partners, Inc. is an organizational training firm she founded in 1995 and has been serving Fortune 500 clients ever since. Cynthia works with business and their employees to help improve performance and realize productivity gains.
Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of the Kansas City of the International Society for Performance Improvement ? (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.
* spreading yourself too thinTaking on too many things at... Read More
One of the most challenging aspect in life is time... Read More
Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More
My husband and I recently returned from a trip to... Read More
Work life balance is the new Holy Grail; that search... Read More
One of the most challenging situations people face when planning... Read More
Are you too busy to put yourself first? If a... Read More
?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me... Read More
There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More
Riding the subway home yesterday, my typically silent car was... Read More
Do you have plenty to do, but don't have enough... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
How can you get an extra hour out of each... Read More
Microsoft wanted to know how individuals around the world were... Read More
Any habit of mind or body that interferes with taking... Read More
Are you a worrier? Do you frequently spend time and... Read More
Many of the clients I work with in success coaching... Read More
Time is inelastic. Despite what some of us persist in... Read More
In this digital age, the importance of being able to... Read More
"I never seem to have any time for myself. What... Read More
Today, it is hard to open an e-mail newsletter, a... Read More
Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More
Having a home based business can be overwhelming. When you... Read More
Many of us spend long hours at our desk. To... Read More
"You will never find time for anything. You must make... Read More
"Because there will always be something more to do, we... Read More
Does choosing which time we do an activity really make... Read More
Are you too busy to put yourself first? If a... Read More
It's easy to waste time on things that seem urgent... Read More
"There is never enough time, unless you're serving it." -Malcolm... Read More
There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More
Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More
Handle small emergencies fast: When a small emergency does pop... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
Choose to be HappyHappiness is a choice. You can choose... Read More
Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More
Looking out through my picture window during a recent winter... Read More
According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More
People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More
A new client recently admitted to me sheepishly that she... Read More
I have worked with so many people over the years... Read More
Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More
The most powerful resource that we have is time. Everything... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More
There are two ways to start your day. The first... Read More
There is an old way of goal setting and a... Read More
At Home? Keep related items together, for example the coffee... Read More
We don't realize many things we do until we draw... Read More
When I was small, I have never considered the importance... Read More
Time Management |