1-2-3 Sort

Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" by Eve Abbott

1 - 2 - 3-SORT!

Every time you start to clean up your office so you can work better instead of harder-that big backlog of information is just too overwhelming. Sorting can actually put you into a better working space in very short time!

The good news is you don't have to do it all at once. Use the first cut to trash, recycle, shred, and archive leaving just the items requiring Action on your part.

Now do the Action sort beginning with your desktop, desk drawers, then, wall mount shelves or cupboards at your desk. You'll have a clean Action zone to put these items back in better working order. Then, it's 1 - 2 - 3-SORT!

Sort and only sort-no reading a newsletter or making one quick call. Also, work for two hours or less, take a break, then, finish it off with another two hours at the most. Otherwise, our stone age brains overload and start putting things in the wrong place. There are three essential Action domains: 1) to Do 2) to Read 3) to File.

TO DO: In the to-Do domain there are some basic categories: Call, Pay, Sign, Schedule, Correspond, Read, Review, Write, Research, etc. Everyone has unique information categories in their work and lives, but, these will get you going and you can add Actions as your piles take on definition and turn into Action files.

When a piece of info is sticking to your fingers, ask yourself: Am I past the due date? Trash or if you need other info from it, file it. Will anyone care if I do or don't do this? If not, why spend time on it? Trash

Do I really need to do this? If no-trash. If yes, into an Action file and calendar it.

TO READ: Set up magazine files to sort your reading material as it arrives. Label these by topic, project or subscription. Do not read anything yet! This the time to decide which articles are really worth your time and energy to read.

First, scan the table of contents for relevant articles and ask these questions: Is this out of date? (If older than 3 months it has to be a classic to be timely) Is this significant in my current work/life? Do I have time to read it? Or, Do I have more important stuff to read that I can't get to?

Once you triage your incoming newsletters, and magazines to decide which are the keepers; cut out and staple only those articles, and discard the rest. This will shrink your reading pile from three feet to three inches!

Keep the trimmed articles in a file you can take with you to read in bits of in-between time. If you decide to keep for further reference, sort them into your magazine files.

TO FILE: Your first choice is to separate out your personal from your business filing. Then, it's 1 - 2 - 3-SORT in filing as well. 1) File in this year's current filing system 2) File into archive file boxes (financial/legal audit trail) 3) Scan into electronic document storage (put it all on CD!)

If you don't have a filing system, check out the cost-effective Home and Small Business File Kits that I use in my own business, which makes it easy for me to guarantee your satisfaction. (www.organize.com)

Current business filing domains:
People: clients, staff, teams, vendors
Things: projects, programs, products, property
Administration: the business of doing business.

Current personal filing domains:

Personal/Family
Household
Finances/Insurance

Place only current years records into your office filing system. Archive filing can be boxed and kept out of your office in a secure dry storage place-you just need to maintain it.

Now, you can manage your information more successfully at work and at home. Just do it, 1 - 2 - 3-SORT!

You'll find more free time-saving tips at http://www.organize.com

---

Common Clutter Culprits- How to Bust Through Clutter

Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing important papers. Protect your manicure by weeding out your filing system at least once a year, purging... Read More

Organisation - Getting Back To Basics

If you look at any major organisation, there is this trend for executives to use "palm pilots" in conjunction with software schedulers such as Microsoft Outlook.What's really... Read More

Overcoming E-mail Overload Using Microsoft Outlook

Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail? If you're like me, some days you just don't know where to dig in. Fortunately, I've found... Read More

Kids Clutter: Organizing at Every Age

Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have in our homes -- even more so than the dreaded paper flow. It starts out innocently, when... Read More

The Balance of Balance

Life is about maintaining a balance of all aspects. At times some areas might receive more focus than others, but remember we're always undergoing constant change. It... Read More

Balance- What Does It Really Mean?

Balance- what a popular topic these days! Finding a work-life balance, being balanced in body, mind and soul, eating a balanced meal, balancing work, play and learning.... Read More

Effective Closet Cleaning Tips - Let Go of More Than Skeletons

I know I have a problem when I have to battle with the overflow every time I try to shut my closet door. Well, okay, it's not... Read More

What Clutter Clearing Can Do For You

You can get a pretty good idea of the benefits of clutter clearing simply by imagining your life free of all the negative effects of clutter: lack... Read More

How Clutter Affects Your Love Life

Clutter in any area of your home is a sign of stuck, stagnant energy. The more clutter you have, the more sluggish the energy becomes. When the... Read More

The Natural Law of Attrition

I'm cheap and proud of it.I use and re-use things carefully. It pains me in particular to waste food. The Buddhist/Catholic in me wants to find a... Read More

Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written by Stephen Covey with Roger and Rebecca Merrill, is a story of the man in front of... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 1

Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like a daunting and insurmountable task. Let's face it, paper can be intimidating and overwhelming. It comes relentlessly... Read More

Memorabilia -- Use It or Lose It!

What do you do with those special items that have been passed down to you? Put them in the hall closet and hope the door will shut?... Read More

Sticking to Your New Years Resolutions: Ten Tips for a More Organized Life

1. A calendar is an essential organizing tool ? start the year with one that works for you! And whether you use a paper or electronic version,... Read More

Essential Tips for the Kitchen

* Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped together.* Store items where you use them. Put your plates near the table, knives near island or... Read More

How Can I Deal With It All?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile long? An in-tray that's about to collapse? Closets that are jam-packed with junk and a stack of... Read More

The 4-Keys to Clutter Free Living - Design a Space that Nurtures Your Soul

Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down into manageable steps. Tackling too much at once, or underestimating the time and effort it will take... Read More

Organizing Your Day

One of the hardest things for most individuals working from home is to stay focused. One of the best ways to stay focused is organization. In addition,... Read More

Getting Organized for Achievement

Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals. A well organized person is more productive, has more free time, wastes less money, and experiences less... Read More

Organize Your Children & Save Your Sanity

It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization but the two terms really go hand in hand. If you are able to organize right down... Read More

Creative Storage Solutions

When the things in your home start crowding in around you and you're short on cash, it's time to come up with some creative storage solutions. Don't... Read More

7 Little Things That You Can Do to Organize the Kids Rooms

1. Sink to their level. Get on your knees in their room to view things from a kid's level. Convenience is an important factor in getting anyone... Read More

Declutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start on a smaller scale instead and it will be a whole lot easier.For example, instead of starting... Read More

Clutter-Clearing and Your Authentic Self

Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control, the universe so unresponsive to your needs and desires, that you couldn't help it: you just had... Read More

Too Many Unfinished Projects? 7 Time Management Strategies to Move Stalled Projects to Finish Line

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but I never seem to finish them! I'm pulled in so many different directions -- and I end... Read More

The Problem With To-Do Lists

Do you use to-do lists? Do you find it satisfying to check off the items on that list? Too satisfying perhaps?More than once I've found myself adding... Read More