Home Office Organizer

Give Some Love to Your Workspace

2009-07-09T16:45:23Z

Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired! The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Sparking an Idea to Improve Your Workspace

_____________________________

Ok, confession, I’ve been on vacation for about 3 weeks. I’ve been ignoring my home office, because we’ve been having a great time. But now, it’s time to get back to the normal routine. My workspace needs some love, STAT!

Have you ever been there? Your workspace is uh, er, not looking it’s best. There are a lot of small things you can do, but the first thing you can do to improve your workspace is…

Organize it.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, I’m all about this. Some would even say I’m a little obsessed, and I honestly couldn’t really disagree. It changed my life a while back - seriously. An organized workspace helps you work better, feel better and gosh darn it, just makes you like where you work. People often wonder where they start. Here’s a few quick tips to whip your workspace into shape. (If you need even more help, you can get help with that too. )

Start with your desktop.

You’re looking at the mess, and it’s driving you crazy! So take a few minutes and deal with it. Put things away, recycle the junk mail and get on top of it. There’s that saying that a clear desk = a clear mind, I agree to a point, but it just makes you feel better. Right? Ok, then.

Is your workspace really working for you?

Is it too loud? Too cold? Too hot? Too dark? Take that one little thing and improve on it. Don’t discount this, you’d be surprised how much of a difference these little things make!

Get some systems in place.

Don’t be scared. It only means to have routines and things that help you stay on track, like a checklist that helps you stay on top of things. Need to file? Set aside a day of the week to do it. Need to update client records? Set aside a day of the week to do that too. Make it easy on yourself so things get done. This will help you with that nasty paper tiger problem as well - which just gets out of control way too easily!

Love where you work.

If you hate your workspace, you’re going to be miserable, and it will show. Improving your workspace doesn’t have to be expensive, but make it a place you love to be. Use what you have. Shop a garage sale. Cruise the clearance racks at an office supply store. Recognize the value it brings, the income it produces and the satisfaction that comes from a job well done. Your workspace is where that takes place, so take care of it and it will take care of you.

What can you do to improve your workspace?

Home Office Improvements: Start Small

2009-07-06T04:28:46Z

I’m so excited! My husband and I purchased some new flooring today, some of which will be going in my home office! It is a laminate product, which will significantly reduce the dust level in my office (read: goodbye dust bunnies). We’ve waited 5 years to make this “upgrade” and it’s so exciting to be doing it!

Is there an improvement you want to make in your home office?

Maybe you want a new floor, a new desk or a new laptop. But, even the small changes can make a big difference. Here’s some easy improvements you can do in one day on a small budget:

an inspiring piece of art
frame and hang your accomplishments
hang some new fresh summery window treatments
move your desk to a new wall, or float it in the middle of the room
paint one office wall in a bright color like red
clear off your desk and rethink your desktop
put a slipcover on your chair

What small change can you make in your home office?

_____________

Like this article? Did you know I dole out all kinds of home office tidbits on a regular basis. Interested? Signup right here:

Enjoy Your Holiday: Get Ready & Enjoy

2009-07-02T06:14:00Z

_____________________________

This upcoming weekend is a holiday weekend in the United States. Many people will take time off, and yet somehow the business of running their business will be in the back of their mind. How does one relax and enjoy an upcoming holiday? I’m a firm believer in taking time off, but you’ve got to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Here’s a few ideas:

Plan for it.

Have you heard that saying, “Plan your work and work your plan”? I love it! When it comes to taking time off on a holiday or vacation, you’ve got to plan ahead.

Set up an email auto-responder.
You know you’re going to get email, right? So why not let people know you won’t be around to answer them for a while? Set up an auto-responder to let people know when you’ll be gone and when you’ll be back. If you have a backup & clientele that may need help while you are out, be sure to include contact information for your backup person.

Simplify & make some decisions.
Are there things that can wait until you get back? What things must be done before you go? Simplify and make your life easier, but making some realistic decisions about what can and can’t be done before you leave. You may even find that some things really don’t need to be done at all!

Delegate or automate.
If you’re the type of person that will be thinking about work regardless, it might be time to delegate. Have a virtual assistant? Ask them to handle some things for you. The other thing you can do to make your life easier is to automate. Set up an email address specifically for the public to contact, and set up an auto-responder answering some FAQs. Tim Ferriss has some great ideas about this in his book.

Ditch the guilt.
Everybody needs some time off. Don’t beat yourself up because you are enjoying family, sunshine or just some time by a nice body of water. Take care of business before you leave so you can check out for a while. You’ll come back refreshed and ready to hit the ground running again.

How do you prepare to go on vacation so you can enjoy yourself?

Mixed Bag Link Roundup: Budgets, Bookshelves, Business Cards & More

2009-06-29T06:42:04Z

It’s a mixed bag, just like me. Feel free to include your favorite link in the comments.

The Basics Behind a Budget That Works
Many of you have indicated you use your home office for family affairs. If a budget is beyond you, or needs a little tune-up, this is a great way to start!

DIY Inverted Bookshelf at Lifehacker
The picture alone is a mind bender, but then they give you DIY instructions to make the thing. Fun!

Spark an Idea About Email
Have you seen this week’s roundup? Great stuff!

Todoodlist
I had to share my fave new product for projects and related tasks. Fun to use and so, so simple!

Des Walsh on Business Cards
Perhaps one of the most interesting people I have ever met, Des Walsh, talks about his take on business card design and usage.

Filter, Delete & Deal with Your Email

2009-06-25T00:53:16Z

_____________________________

You’ve got it. We’ve all go it. It’s email, and despite what some people think, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. So, what can you do about it? Handle it, that’s what.

Filter to your heart’s content.

It’s not a crime to get rid of the email you don’t read. If there is a enewsletter you don’t particularly read, then unsubscribe. Keep the good stuff (like my enewsletter, right?) and ditch the others. Don’t feel one way or another about it. You’ve only got so many hours in the day, so use them wisely on things that matter.

Delete after you reply.

You don’t need every email you’ve ever responded to. Chances are, when they respond back to you, you’ll get a copy of the old email. Again, be selective and only keep what you need to. Brutally filter the rest.

Get it under control before it gets completely out of hand.

If your inbox is causing you to dread looking in it, take some time out to deal with it. Avoiding it is not the answer. Automated auto-responders are another way to cut down on the email. If you have a contact page, add some verbiage on it that says you may or may not be able to respond, but thank them for contacting you.

What’s your idea for dealing with email?

The O Myth Podcast This Month: All About the Guys

2009-06-21T05:09:47Z

Have you heard my podcast, The O Myth? If not, this month is a great time to jump in! We are talking all about the guys this month.

What’s “The O Myth”? Well, it’s not what you might think… The O Myth is a weekly podcast where we debate and debunk life’s organizing myths. I’ll bet you’d be surprised at how many there are!

So, go on over and subscribe on iTunes or in an RSS reader here: www.theomyth.com. Here’s one to start with:

The O Myth: Best Tools for the Job

Catch Up Day: Finishing The Small Details

2009-06-25T00:50:34Z

You know when it’s time. You’ve got a bunch of things all open ended, and it’s about to drive you right out of your tree. But, how do you finish all those little things you started, when it seems to take most of your effort to finish the job? How about a “Catch Up Day”?

Catch Up Day is simple, with very little commitment.

This is not a day for long drawn out projects. It’s a day to finish small details and close some things up. An afternoon or an entire day is great if you can swing it. First, make a list of the little things that are bothering you. Then, decide how long each one of them will take. Next, priortize them and decide how many of them you can fit into your Catch Up Day.

Focus, focus, focus.

It may also be helpful to shut the ringers and other distractions off for a while. It will help you focus and get things done more quickly. If your chosen task is taking too long, consider reassigning it to another day in the coming week. Catch Up Day is about blasting through a list of small things just hanging on the edge of being done, and feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end. Finishing little details will put your mind at ease and help you stay on task in the overall big picture. When you feel things starting to pile up, consider a Catch Up Day.

What could you do for your Catch Up Day?

I was on the StartupNation Podcast today!

2009-06-12T23:42:36Z

Can you believe it? I was interviewed by Rich Sloan of StartupNation’s podcast today! Woot! Check it out here:

7 Tips to Get Organized & Be More Effective in Business

Posted using a href=http://sharethis.comShareThis

What Are Your Odds of Success?

2009-06-18T07:00:48Z

Have you seen this? It’s Startup Nation’s new Odds of Success Calculator. You’ve got to go try it out!

Just a few quick questions.

This quick little series of questions gives you an estimated percentage of your success and failure chances in your business. Ack! Go give it a spin, and check out all the other fabulous stuff they have over there! I had NO idea!

Are you tough enough to take the challenge and find out what your success rate is? Do it! Here’s the link.

Psst.. by the way, if you like these kinds of updates, you should be subscribed to my enewsletter. Oh, you’re not yet? Well, I’ll make it easy for ya:

Goal Setting: Be SMART About It

2009-06-10T23:30:28Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is:
Spark an Idea About Goal Setting
___________________________

Do you have goals you are working toward?

How the heck do you set them?

How do you get them done?

I’ve been a member of several professional mastermind groups. One of the most valuable things I learned was how to set clear goals. Goals are dreams with an action plan. There are many ways to go about setting them up, but here’s the simplest explanation I know. When setting a goal, make sure it is “SMART”:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

I set goals for 5 years out, and then break them down into yearly goals and then 6 month goals. During the summer, I look at my overall business, and take some time to reflect on how the year is going. Come fall time, I plan out the coming year. A simple spreadsheet will do, so don’t make it all complicated.

The trick is to check in and see how it’s going.

Look at your goals every so often (I like to do this every couple weeks). How are you doing? This is why measurable goals is important. Are you 40% there? Watching that number go up and up is motivating! Even if it’s 2.7%?, because at least it’s not 0%!

I’d encourage you to set some goals in your business. Make then attainable for this season of your life and business. Stretch, but also make sure you are able to believe in them. Then, get moving and put them into action!

Show a Little Appreciation: Notes & Phone Calls

2009-06-04T06:03:44Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is:
Spark an Idea That Shows Appreciation

How do you show appreciation?

When was the last time you picked up the phone or wrote an actual hand written note? Recently I went to hear a friend speak at a local chamber meeting. Her presentation was about networking and connecting with people. When she began talking about handwritten notes, it made me think.

When you get your mail, and there is a handwritten addressed envelope in the mix, what do you open first?

I bet you’d open the handwritten envelope first. Right? In this world of email and virtual conversations, it’s nice to get something more personal once in a while. What about sending a handwritten note to some of your best clients, business colleagues or mentors? It doesn’t have to be a long note, but maybe just a thank you or a note to say you were thinking about them.

Make it personal.

Don’t feel like writing a note? How about a quick phone call? Even if it’s just a 60 second voice mail to let someone know you were thinking of them. It’s small gesture that can really make someone’s day. Wouldn’t you like to get a voice mail like that?

How can you get personal and show some appreciation this week?

Win a Copy of QuickBooks Pro 2009!

2009-06-02T18:39:50Z

Alright ya’ll, remember my QuickBooks 2009 review? Well, check this out: Intuit has given us 5 copies of Quickbooks Pro 2009 to give away to Sparkplugging readers! That’s a $199 value, baby! One copy will be given to a lucky Home Office Organizer reader, and four others will be given away elsewhere on the Sparkplugging network.

So, now you can get your bookkeeping together and get your digits and customer information organized!

So, I bet you’re wondering how you win? That’s easy. Here’s how:

1. Leave us a comment below by the deadline, June 1, 2009 at 12:00pm (noon) PST / 3:00pm EST. (Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you if you win!)

2. Subscribe to this blog (if you haven’t already).

That’s it!

Bonus points:

Re-tweet: Are you following me on Twitter? Be sure to retweet this contest after you enter!

Winners will be announced Tuesday, June 2, 2009!

P.S. Remember, there are five copies of Quickbooks 2009 up for grabs on our network this weekend - so poke around the other blogs and enter as many giveaways as you like!

Please be sure to visit our giveaway sponsor:

They are running a Small Business Grant Contest - go and vote for your favorite HERE. There are some great small businesses up for some great prizes! Also, check out the Intuit Twitter peeps: @SharnQuickBooks, @kirasw and @rkeuretig

Good luck everyone!

Disclosure: Sparkplugging has not been paid to offer this giveaway.

Winners will be contacted via email, to “sender” email address used to enter the giveaway/contest, and the person receiving and replying to the winner announcement email will be considered the winner unless they specify another person within the reply email as the winner.

Update, June 2, 2009:

Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations to the winner: Teresa Hall!

Winner was randomly selected by Random.org

Feeling Shmeeling: Just Get Going Already

2009-05-28T04:38:11Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Spark an Idea to Stay Motivated

Do you have to FEEL motivated to get or STAY motivated?

I know I’m guilty of staring down a task and saying to myself, “I don’t feel like it right now…” Know what I mean? There are a wide array of excuses I could use:

not feeling well
my child is ill
my laptop is on the fritz (this is a really good one)
I haven’t had coffee
my mojo is down
it’s that time of the month
_____________ insert your favorite here*

So, do I have to feel motivated? Uh, no. Feeling has nothing to do with motivation, it’s got much more to do with action. There have been times I have a speaking engagement and I’m not even close to feeling like I’m ready to take the platform. I’m not feelin’ it. Do you think that client or room of people really care? Uh, no. So, I load up my gear, get in the car and head on over. I do it anyway, I put myself into action. You know the funny thing? My best workshops & presentations are usually on the days when I don’t “feel” like doing them. I just do it anyway, and before I even get to the door of my gig to start, I’m ready to rock and roll. Weird, huh?

Feeling, shmeeling. Just start doing.

Let’s all just get over what we “feel” like doing and just get doing. It’s like priming the pump, and motivation will flow soon after. So…
Get the article started.
Get a pen and paper out and start planning that next big adventure.
Pick up the phone and start that conversation.
Solve a problem.

Put something on paper, make a plan and then work your plan. You won’t always feel like it, but I’ll bet you’ll be more motivated once you get going. Go ahead, start moving…and you might even start with the thing you’re not “feeling” like doing today.

What are you going to do?

Filter the Noise on Twitter

2009-05-27T17:27:16Z

Twitter is an excellent marketing and communications tool, yet it can quickly reach a point where it may feel like there is far more noise than value. Instead of giving up or starting over, try out some of the following tools to help keep yourself and your followers organized on Twitter.

TweetGrid
Setup a grid of automatically updated Twitter keyword search results. This isn’t used as a current contact management tool, but more for monitoring specific keywords or hashtags. I personally use this frequently when attending conferences.

TwitterSnooze
TwitterSnooze allows you to push the snooze button on specific people for a preset period of time. Know someone who will be live-tweeting a conference and you really don’t care? Snooze them and you won’t see their updates. A great tool for filtering out the incredible amounts of Twitter noise.

Friend or Follow
Check to see if people you are following are following you in return. Also use this tool to check to see which people are following you that you aren’t following. Included are a variety of sorting tools to better narrow down your lists to ensure you are following the people you want to be and aren’t suffering from any type of auto-follow mistake you may have made.

Mr. Tweet
Find new and interesting people to follow using Mr. Tweet. Recommend people you follow and receive automatic matches based on a variety of factors.

TweetDeck
The current leader for desktop applications to integrate with Twitter and Facebook. Upload images, shorten URL’s and conducting searches are some of the basic functions. Create groups so you can categorize the people you follow as well as using the additional filtering tools to find when those people talked about certain topics.

Seesmic Desktop
Seesmic Desktop is the upgrade to Twhirl. It is still in a beta (just subscribe to the email list to get the download info) and has many of the functions of TweetDeck including groups and searching to filter the noise. The only advantage I have found of Seesmic Desktop is the ability to manage multiple Twitter accounts from within the one application.

Tweepler
Similar to FriendorFollow, but with the ability to make batch edits of your follower/following lists. Greater ability to search and sort as well to determine who should stay on your list.

MyCleenr
Find out who you are following and sort them based on the last time they updated. This is definitely more of a simple clean up tool than something that will dramatically help you filter the noise. I typically take a moment to see if something catastrophic happened in the persons life before unfollowing just because they haven’t updated in a while.

Tweepular
This is easily the “prettiest” of all of the contact management tools for Twitter. Sort by mutual following, followers only, following only and soon recent unfollowers. Batch follow/unfollow people, search by keywords and sort the individual categories by several different criteria.

If I were to narrow it down, I would strongly suggest Tweepular for fast and easy list management, TweetDeck for desktop interaction and sorting/filtering and TweetGrid for monitoring specific keywords quickly and easily.

As always, exercise extreme prejudice when sharing your username/password with these sites/services and if you feel you may have a security breach, change your password directly at Twitter.com.

Spark An Idea: Is Business Personal?

2009-05-22T20:41:53Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Spark an Idea from the Movies

It’s Not Personal, It’s Business

One of my favorite movies is “You’ve Got Mail”. Needless to say, I cry at the end everytime. That being said, the movie is very interesting from a business standpoint. As a woman entrepreneur, it’s easy to let me feelings get in the way of doing business. As a solo-preneur, it’s all me out there in the world. Can you relate?

Here’s one of my favorite quotes from the movie:

‘It’s not personal, it’s business. It’s not personal it’s business.’ Recite that to yourself every time you feel you’re losing your nerve. I know you worry about being brave, this is your chance.

Ironically, this advice is given by one main character, Joe, to the other main character, Kathleen. It just so happens they dont’ know each other’s identity, and Joe’s advice to Kathleen is about putting up a fight against him and his business. Kathleen is defending her business from going under, and she’s not sure what to do.

When is business personal? Is that a bad thing?

I feel a couple different ways about business and personal mixing. On the one hand, I see the logic in not taking business decisions personally. If you’re running a small business, the whole point is to make money, or you shut the door - as did Kathleen. She didn’t make the money she needed to and had to close. Smart business decision.

On the other hand, the store had been her mother’s. She was flooded with memories of her mother in the store, and closing was very painful…. and personal. It was the right thing to do from a business standpoint, but not at all easy because it was very personal to her.

So, I wonder what you think? Is business personal?

Psst….. In case you haven’t seen the movie, here’s a little preview:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“White Space”: Build in a Little Breathing Room

2009-05-18T17:40:44Z

: Image by bkajino via Flickr

When you’re organizing your space or your calendar, did you know that “white space” is important? Take a look at a garden or museum. Are there things crammed together everywhere, or are there places on walls and rooms that give your eye a place to rest?

When I’m planning out my calendar, I leave some “white space” around appointments. I also leave entire days where I have no specific plans. It gives some flexibility to my schedule. It also makes sure I’m not overwhelmed. Here’s a few ideas on how “white spaces” can help you:

Take a breather. Drink a cup of coffee or just be. In our fast paced society, sometimes things are just moving to darned fast. Take a break once in a while.
Allows you to catch up. Whether it’s an appointment that was late or something else completely out of your control. Back to back appointments can be very challenging when (not if) something goes awry.
Gives a little peace of mind. A crammed room or schedule can quickly overwhelm. Give yourself a little breathing room.

Do you need more white space in your home office or schedule?

Make a New Business Ally: Connections Over Coffee

2009-05-14T03:48:53Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Spark an Idea to Make a New Business Ally

“12 oz. soy caramel cafe au lait…”

“16 oz. green tea…”

This is the beginning of a business meeting in a coffee shop. Although these days it’s not too unusual for this to happen, did you know that conversations over coffee can help you gain new business allies? I’ve used conversations like this to build some really fantastic partnerships. You can do the same.

Who do you know?

Look through your business card file. Is there someone you would like to get to know? Is there someone you have never followed up with? Is there someone you admire and have a common acquaintance with who could introduce you?

How can you work together?

Think about how each business or person relates to you and your business. Do you share a common choice client? What other things do you have in common? How could your businesses or services compliment each other?

How can you help each other?

Can you refer to one another? Can you articulate what this person or business does, and pass that along when you see a need for their product or service? What do you have to offer them?

Now, pick up the phone.

: Image by bkajino via Flickr

Call one of these people this week. Get the ball rolling! Pick a place and talk with them. 30 minutes is a great amount of time. It’s not too long, and yet long enough to get a good conversation going. Have some good questions to ask them. (Here’s a good place to start if you’re stuck.)

Most importantly, don’t be self-serving when seeking out new business alliances. Nobody likes a snake oil salesman, right? An alliance should be mutually beneficial to both sides. When approaching someone, keep in your mind how you can help them. If they are a worthy alliance partner, they will be thinking the same thing.

What connection will you make over coffee next week?

Spark An Idea: 8 Ideas to Keep the Kids Busy

2009-05-13T17:28:27Z

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Spark an Idea to Entertain the Kids While You Work.

If you work from home, and you have children you’re already familiar with how difficult it can be to keep the kiddos busy. When I started my business, my son was only 3. Here’s some things I’ve done over the last few years to keep him entertained (and keep an eye on him) when mom was busy workin’ it in the home office.

Be realistic. If you have small ones in the house and you’re working, be real with yourself about what you are (and aren’t) able to do. Probably meeting clients at your office is not going to be possible for most. When I started working from home, my son was in preschool for about 3 days a week. I knew I had about 8-10 hours a week to work with. I scheduled client appointments during those hours, and on Saturdays. I also got myself a laptop and parked myself at the coffee shop down the street from the school. I could get in some writing and administration tasks this way. Be realistic about your time and the season of your life. You’ll stay saner that way.
Make your home office work for you. If you haven’t picked out a location for your office, put it somewhere centrally located. Mine overlooks the cul-de-sac so I can look out at my son while he is playing in the sunshine (don’t worry, he’s not a toddler anymore). It’s also in the main traffic flow of the house so I can keep an eye on things. I also have a small bistro table and chair on my patio. Add that to my wireless router and my office moves with me where I need it to.
Schedule a playdate. I have an only child, so playdates are great fun for him. Added bonus? It keeps him entertained and busy while mom gets some work done.
Hire help. This year I am employing some help at the house during the summer. We’ve got about 10 weeks of summer, and on the weeks where we don’t have a trip or an activity planned, I will have a helper about once a week. This makes it easier to schedule client appointments and keep an eye on things.
Trade with a friend. Do you have a friend who works from home? Consider trading playdates. A friend of mine once had a mom’s group that allotted a specific number of poker chips for babysitting. It was a small little co-op and everybody won! Each time someone needed babysitting, they subtracted a chip. I thought it was a great idea!
Read Wendy’s post. Have you read Wendy’s post, “94 Ways to Keep Kids Busy for the Work At Home Parent”? No? Well, get on over there and read it! She has more ideas than you can shake a popsicle stick at!
Workbooks. My local warehouse store has a great selection of activity workbooks. I usually pick a couple up every few months. They are great for conference calls or those times when you need quiet. Bonus: they are also great for the car and the kiddos are learning something too!
Planned activities. Playing with a tub full of beans or rice, a box of tissue or crayons and paper are all great ways to keep little ones entertained. I also found this book to be a complete lifesaver. It’s got a wealth of creative ideas!

You’ll notice I haven’t included television in this list, and I won’t even begin to preach about that. I have employed a movie or two when I am desperate. However, I’m the type of girl who doesn’t want my child in front of the boob tube all day long. That said, in a pinch, a movie works great!

What do you do to keep your kiddos busy?

The “Productivity Toybox”: Know When It’s Time to Get Out

2009-05-13T17:29:03Z

Ok, I must rant today. I was reading Leslie’s article, “Busy vs. Productive” and it resonated with me. Maybe it will with you too. Is our culture obsessed with getting more stuff done and not with actually doing something with a point? Maybe.

Productivity for producitivity’s sake is not productive.

It may well be true that many of us are obsessed with how to do things faster, better, smarter and more effectively. Maybe you’ve heard some of these things:

“Oh yeah, I cleaned out my inbox in 15 minutes. I rock. ”

“Have you tried this new xyz software? It’s totally helped me get more stuff done.”

“I love my new ABC system. I spent the whole week getting it all in order, and my office looks amazing.”

Ok, that’s all well and good, but what was actually accomplished? Now, confession: I love finding new tricks and ways to get things done. However, I’m an Organizer by trade - I help home office professionals find their stuff and get what matters done. I’ve been known to try out new software, tools, books and other systems. (It’s kinda like a test drive I do for my clients so I can give them a good assessment of what will work well for them.) The problem comes when using these things gets one nowhere.

Keep your eye on the ball.

Sure, it’s fun to get a new tool, but tools need to be useful - they are a means to an end. Organization and productivity are tools for living and business. Projects, goals and objectives are key, otherwise those tools are just toys and we’re just playing around. Make sense?

So, let’s all take a deep breath and start thinking of productivity as a tool to be tweaked here and there once in a while. Then, get on with the work at hand. Afterall, isn’t that what it’s really all about?

Are you getting things done that really matter, or have you been playing too long in the “Productivity Toybox”?

Fallen Off the Bandwagon?

2009-05-13T17:31:34Z

This year I decided to walk a half marathon. This won’t be my first race, or half marathon, for that matter. The difference this time is that I’m actually training for it!

I got myself a schedule to follow, so I had a roadmap to follow. Now the confession: I haven’t done every training day. I have every training walk details entered on my daily calendar, so I know exactly what to do. But, I have fallen off the bandwagon a couple times. So, what did I do? I got up the next morning and recommitted myself to the process.

Have you ever fallen off the bandwagon in your home office?

Oh sure, it happens now and again - you fall off the bandwagon. The mail doesn’t get sorted, your email inbox is out of control, the filing cabinet has taken on a life of its own and you can’t remember the last time you saw your desktop. So, what do you do?

Get back up & start again.

If this is you, recommit to getting your home office in shape again. I’d even be willing to bet you know exactly where to start. So, take 5 minutes and get started. Get back on the bandwagon, and remember that next time you get a little behind, it’s ok. There’s always tomorrow.