Next time you are around a group of people, just listen for a moment. Everybody talks about how they are rushing around, and how behind they are and well, let’s get together when things settle down…but do you notice, those “things” never seem to settle down? As a matter of fact, it is as if there is more “stuff” out there that needs to be done and you are just out of time, space and more importantly energy.

There are hundreds of time management courses, books, tapes, and seminars all promising to help us “harness” our time, but many of those instructors don’t live real lives.  Anybody with kids or aging parents will tell you the best-laid plans can be trashed with one phone call. About now you are thinking there isn’t anything you can do…but ahh…there just might be a solution.

According to the time guru Maynard Rolston, author of “Time Management is an Oxymoron”, it’s all how we handle the activity in the moment.  After a particularly intense struggle with piles on my desk, I recently heard Maynard, who gave a lecture on how assigning a category to activities can eliminate the paper shuffling we all face everyday. 

Here are a few of his tips that will make you tackle the challenge effectively:

1) Maynard says there is little or no chance we can eliminate the build up of email messages in our in box unless we have a plan.  He suggests that every email, piece of paper or task that presents itself is handled by assigning a category of action.  He offers this advice:  Do it, Delete it, Delegate it, Assign it a follow up date, and or file it electronically or print it for follow up.  Many of us open the message, scan it and decide to handle it “later”, only later never really comes, so it sits in the inbox with hundreds of others waiting to be reviewed at some later date.  Maynard’s system consists of 1-31 days hanging files and January to December files as well.  They allow us to “file” without losing the information. The only caveat is that we must train ourselves to check the date every day. In other words, the system works if you do!

Our biggest challenge is deciding what action is a real priority and what activities can be addressed at a later time.  So many of us give all activities and tasks a “now” level of attention, a challenge at best.  By assigning a specific level of priority coupled with a definite time of follow up, we can feel confident that we will handle the task and be less inundated with paper or getting the item lost in the movable piles on our desk.  Filing them either electronically or in a paper follow-up system depends on your preference, but choose one that fits your style.

2) For reports and periodicals that are impossible to read at the office, Maynard suggests that we have a file for reading materials.  All those emails with attachments that need to be studied are much easier to focus on when the phone and drop-in visitors don’t interrupt your attention.  By printing the attachments and putting all magazines, reports, and newspapers in an assigned file, you can be sure that you can find them and won’t miss reading them. Maynard suggests that we “time block” the time to read in our schedule.  This activity insures that we will more likely get to it when it is scheduled and we have the materials at hand.

3) Be sure to assign an exact follow up date when deferring or delegating an action item.  There is no “Friday afternoon” on your watch, so be more exacting.  If you are handing off a job action to a colleague, be more definite with the due date and time.  Friday at 2:00 is more actionable than Friday afternoon.   It gives both parties a definable deadline.

4) If you travel and aren’t able to use a hanging system, Outlook provides a task manager to help organize follow up activities.  Any tool is a good one to keep our focus on what needs to be accomplished.  However, electronic systems don’t provide the system for organizing the paper part of our business, so by implementing a system to categorize the other than electronic files offer us an option for organization.

The average office worker spends one and one half hour a day looking for things! Any system can work with sound implementation, but one thing is for sure:  The pile system functions poorly! By burying that important letter, losing that report, hiding that invitation until it has passed compromises your focus and effectiveness.  Right now is a great time to win the paper war.  Step one is you discipline yourself to get started.

For more information on Maynard’s book go to: http://www.MaynardRolston.com

For more tips, sign up for Terri’s newsletter: - visit http://wwwTerriMurphy.com click on Articles.   For information about Terri’s services for coaching, consulting and sales training contact her at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 901-767-0000 and www.WomensWisdomNetwork.com

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