Sales Octane #88

Father Time is just about to turn over the New Year.  You just about ready to lift a glass, kiss the first person you see, and make a resolution that you probably won't be able to remember how you worded it or keep due to lack of whatever. 

So now let's make plans ahead of time to create some needed extra time during 2009 for our business, our family, and extra water weight.

Unless your calendar is perfectly organized, you can pick up some valuable time by following these simple tips for beating office chaos (disorder and clutter).

•·         Mini Sessions - schedule 15 minutes each day to clean out, clean up, and dump junk.  This is the stuff that lingers on your desk, in your trey, and in your drawer.  Use an egg timer and keep to it.  You will be amazed at what you can accomplish by setting this small goal 3 times a week.

•·        Piece of Cake - Start with the easy stuff.  Grab a recycling bin and toss out flyers, calendars, magazines, catalogs, and company stuff.  If you can easily obtain this information again, get rid of it.  It is taking up space and time.

•·        Use Your Filing Cabinet - A huge reason for disorder is that your stuff does not have a home.  Use your filing cabinet to make frequently used items easy to retrieve and return. 

•·        Fire - This is one of my favorites.   Have a co-worker yell "fire" and take five minutes to grab everything you would absolutely have to take out of the office.  Nothing more.  Next get rid of the stuff left over.

•·        The Final 2 minutes - At the end of the day when the computer is shutting down or you are tweeting your tweets good day, use this time to wad up some clutter and shoot for "2".  Don't let it lay on your desk.  Just let'er go.

•·        Hot Spots - Most people hid clutter in a disorderly fashion.  They stack stuff and it will collect dust and other stuff that leads to more stuff.  Every time you recognize these "hot spots" you will need to trash can the stuff and put a picture of your dog, child, or spouse in the spot.  "Hot Spots" will continue to be found and you will need to continue to trash and fill until you no longer have any "Hot Spots".

•·        Repeat it - It is easier to keep up than catch up.  Establish a daily routine.  Make it a habit.  Purge quarterly.  Block an afternoon and just purge!

•·        One-time - This is the best way to beat disorder.  Touch everything OneTime.  Faxes, letters, flyers, e-mail, bills, newspapers, magazines, coupons, statements, etc.   Just touch them OneTime.  Get'er done!

Now you are ready to make that resolution about office chaos.   The chaos that takes away your most valuable asset.  Your time.

So drink up, pucker up, and uncross your fingers.  The time you will create will have you home on time, walking 30 minutes a day, and losing those holiday pounds. 

Maverick Rules!