Module seven organizing your workspace. In order to effectively manage your time and to be productive each day, you must create an appropriate environment. By eliminating clutter, setting up an effective filing system gathering essential tools and managing workflow, you will be well on your way to creating an effective workspace. declutter. Removing clutter is itself a time consuming task, but a cluttered workspace significantly impairs your ability to find things and you will get the time back that you invest and more. To retrieve materials quickly.

You need an effective filing system that includes three basic kinds of files. Working files materials used frequently and needed close at hand. Reference files information needed only occasionally archival files, material seldom retrieve but that must be kept. For ease of retrieval organize files in the simplest way possible. For example, you could label files with a one or two word tag and arrange the files alphabetically. Once clutter has been eliminated and other materials have been filed, the effective workspace includes only what is essential.

A set of three trays to control the workflow on your desk see the next topic, standard office supplies a computer and a telephone. Everything else except for what you were working on at the moment can and should be filed where it can be retrieved as needed. Managing workflow, how do you process the mountain of material that collects in your paper and electronic in baskets? The answer is one piece of paper one electronic message at a time. Many time management experts agree that the most effective people act on an item the first time it is touched, although difficult at first to practice can become habitual and is made easier with the four DS Do if a task can be completed in two minutes or less do it immediately. Delete if the material is trash or junk deleted, or if it is something that you might use later on, file it and move on and defer.

If the task is one that can't be completed quickly and is not a high priority items, simply defer delegate. If a task is not yours to do, then delegate it. Remember to take the sting out of feeling overwhelmed about a task. Follow these steps. Select one task to do at a time. Time yourself using a clock for no more than one hour.

Ignore everything else during that time. No breaks or interruptions should be permitted. Give yourself a reward when the time is up. Dealing with email. electronic communication can be managed just as easily and as quickly as paper with the four DS that we just discussed. However, there are some other key ideas that will help you maximize your email time.

Like other routine tasks, such as returning phone calls, handling paper mail and checking voicemail. Email is best handled in batches that regularly scheduled times of the day. Ask your email contacts to use specific subject lines and make sure to use them yourself. This will help you to determine whether your incoming mail is business or personal, urgent or trivial. Once you know the subject of the message open and read urgent emails and respond accordingly. Non urgent emails like jokes can be read later.

Delete advertising related email that you have no interest in or what you consider spam. Use your email system to its fullest potential. create folders for different topics or projects or by senders. Most email systems also allow you to create folders and add keywords or categories to messages, which makes information retrieval much easier. Many email programs allow you to create rules that automatically move messages to the appropriate folder. This can help you follow your email plan.

Finally, don't forget to delete email from your trash can and junk folder on a regular basis. Using calendars to manage all the things that you have to do, it's important to organize your reminders into a small number of calendars and lists that can be reviewed regularly. A calendar paper or electronic is the obvious place to record meetings, appointments and due dates. People with multiple responsibilities and annual calendar are organized by areas of responsibility. Example budget, personnel schedule, planning and miscellaneous may be especially valuable. For each of these areas.

One can list the major responsibilities month by month and thereby see at a glance what tasks must be completed in a given month of the year. Don't forget the productivity journal that we discussed earlier. This can be a valuable tool for organizing tasks, identifying patterns Improving workflow and recording work completed.