Picture this: It is Monday morning. You oversleep. You are trying to get everything moving. There’s a stain on your shirt, the kids are fighting, and you can’t find your keys. You remember as you pull out of the driveway that you needed to drop off the dry cleaning this morning, but you are already 10 minutes late, so you get that nasty sinking feeling in your gut and tell yourself you are just going to have to “make do” without those clothes for your meeting tomorrow.
Hey, let’s face it. Most of us have been there. And it ain’t pretty. But there is a simple organization tip organization tipthat can save you every morning. The PM Prep. There is nothing worse than starting off your day chasing your tail. I know. I have had enough days doing just that. Instead, when I practice the PM Prep, everything seems to go better. This is not really about time spent, it’s more about intention.
The PM Prep is planning for the next day with intention. Simple really. I know we are tired by the time the end of the day rolls around, but a few minutes of intention will make your morning run so smoothly.
Try these simple PM Prep strategies.
1. Check your planner and look at your schedule for the next day.
2. Make all lunches the night before.
3. Lay out clothes for the next day. Don’t forget shoes and socks. It’s the little details that burn us.
4. Prep all bags, briefcases, book bags, etc.
5. Charge the cell phones.
6. If there are clothes in the wash, make sure they make it into the dryer.
7. Make sure you have all the documentation/files that you need. I.e., school picture forms, that file you need for work.
8. Errand prep. Take a minute to make sure you have anything you need for errands the next day and place it by the front door.
Consider printing out this list and keeping on your fridge. Practice the PM Prep and see how much smoother you morning goes. A good momentum in the morning can last all day long.
You can get tips like this every day. Check out my book, 365 Days to Simplicity.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
5 Ways to Handle Filing
Paperwork. Did you know paperwork is one of the biggest struggles in organization? Why is that?
1. Volume!
Some of this is just a numbers game. When you get a giant wad of mail every day, a pile of graded homework every week, even the news delivered, well, it just becomes a matter of numbers. As in way too many numbers.
2. The Ick Factor
Let’s see; bills, filing, piles of meaningless junk mail….. Who even wants to face it all?
3. The lack of expertise
I’m sorry; I’m not a CPA, are you? Not having expertise in accounting can get us in trouble.
These are the systems I have had success with. See if some of these will work for you.
1. The 3-Ring Binder
I am a 3-Ring Junkie. This is how I use them for organizing paperwork.
a. Receipts
Take a binder and add a bunch of plastic sheet protectors. Type categories onto the top of sheets of paper. One category for each page and slip them into the sheet protectors. Filing receipts is not my idea of a good time. But I keep a pretty container on the bookshelf by my desk and I drop in receipts as I go. When I am in the mood (not often,) I grab the container and the binder, head to the living room to watch TV and file. It is actually pleasant. Try it!
Category examples include: Gift Shops, Gas, Post Office, etc.
b. Important paperwork
Copies of everything important, think birth certificates and the insurance on the house, are in a binder in file pockets (not plastic sleeves) for each category. It can even fit in the safe. Much easier to go through than a file system. And hey, if there is an emergency, pick up your binder and go!
c. Bills
I love my 3 ring bill binder. I keep a month at a glance calendar in there. Real easy. Pockets, expense sheets, you name it. And, of course, all the current bills.
d. Warrantees and Such
Owner’s manuals and warrantees are all in their own binder. In 5 minutes you can find the “how to” guide for the weed wacker.
2. The Sub-Category System
For the things that I file in a cabinet, I use a sub-category system. Each category has its own hanging file and the specific files go inside of it. “Volunteer Work” will have several different file folders in it based on the different projects I have going. At my work, I have several different categories, like “licensing,” “writing” and “website.” By creating category pockets, you take a lot of the searching out of filing. That makes it easier and more pleasant which leads to greater COMPLIANCE. Well, at least some of the time, right?
Try any one of these tools and see how much it can clean up your filing and organizing world.
What works for you, what do you struggle with in filing your life? Add a comment below!
1. Volume!
Some of this is just a numbers game. When you get a giant wad of mail every day, a pile of graded homework every week, even the news delivered, well, it just becomes a matter of numbers. As in way too many numbers.
2. The Ick Factor
Let’s see; bills, filing, piles of meaningless junk mail….. Who even wants to face it all?
3. The lack of expertise
I’m sorry; I’m not a CPA, are you? Not having expertise in accounting can get us in trouble.
These are the systems I have had success with. See if some of these will work for you.
1. The 3-Ring Binder
I am a 3-Ring Junkie. This is how I use them for organizing paperwork.
a. Receipts
Take a binder and add a bunch of plastic sheet protectors. Type categories onto the top of sheets of paper. One category for each page and slip them into the sheet protectors. Filing receipts is not my idea of a good time. But I keep a pretty container on the bookshelf by my desk and I drop in receipts as I go. When I am in the mood (not often,) I grab the container and the binder, head to the living room to watch TV and file. It is actually pleasant. Try it!
Category examples include: Gift Shops, Gas, Post Office, etc.
b. Important paperwork
Copies of everything important, think birth certificates and the insurance on the house, are in a binder in file pockets (not plastic sleeves) for each category. It can even fit in the safe. Much easier to go through than a file system. And hey, if there is an emergency, pick up your binder and go!
c. Bills
I love my 3 ring bill binder. I keep a month at a glance calendar in there. Real easy. Pockets, expense sheets, you name it. And, of course, all the current bills.
d. Warrantees and Such
Owner’s manuals and warrantees are all in their own binder. In 5 minutes you can find the “how to” guide for the weed wacker.
2. The Sub-Category System
For the things that I file in a cabinet, I use a sub-category system. Each category has its own hanging file and the specific files go inside of it. “Volunteer Work” will have several different file folders in it based on the different projects I have going. At my work, I have several different categories, like “licensing,” “writing” and “website.” By creating category pockets, you take a lot of the searching out of filing. That makes it easier and more pleasant which leads to greater COMPLIANCE. Well, at least some of the time, right?
Try any one of these tools and see how much it can clean up your filing and organizing world.
What works for you, what do you struggle with in filing your life? Add a comment below!
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