Simplify Your Life, Streamline Your Business – Part 3 of 3

May 2011 by Sharon Dillard

I hope everyone made the opportunity to read “Simplifying your Life for the New Year,” Parts I and II. Part I looked at how we could improve our overall personal lives. That led us forward to Part II – our home life. In Part III we will streamline our businesses to operate at optimum levels. You’ll enjoy more wealth and happiness in less time, money and effort than ever before.

We live in a world of “too much.” We’re bombarded everyday with messages to buy, consume, collect and need. This leads to clutter and stress. Because of that we can’t see how we have reached our goals over the mess we’ve accumulated in our lives. Consequently we feel swamped and continually pressured trying to make the “right” choices. Unfortunately, there are too many choices to make. But simplifying is like cleaning the house, we’re never really finished. Accepting the fact you need to look at these areas again and again is the first step on the path of simplifying.

The solution? Hans Hofmann, an artist who is an acclaimed abstract expressionist said, “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” The answer is definitely to “eliminate the unnecessary.” Here are my tips on eliminating the unnecessary to simplify your work life.

Toss/File/Act. Organization will be a breeze if you toss, file, or act on those papers immediately. Use this strategy to first tackle the paper piles and then any paper that enters your office after you get it organized. Once you get the piles of papers under control, keep them under control!

At Close Range. To organize the desk, you will want to think about what you use on a daily basis and keep those things within close reach. So, organize whatever you need to grab often. Warning! Don’t keep too much stuff on your desk, or you won’t have room to move and work.

Avoid Extra Supplies. Do not store extra supplies in or around your working area. Store extra supplies in a cabinet or store room.

Out of Sight. When you have a big project to focus on, the quickest way to do that is to clear away the junk around you. (Remember Hoffman’s mantra?) Move the papers, mugs, notes, and other distractions. Anything you don’t need for the project, get it out of your line of sight.

The Social Network. The computer based social network is one of the greatest inventions ever. But there are limitations. I have made a rule to check Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn ONCE in the morning while I’m drinking my coffee, around 6 am. Checking it throughout the day can be a real time siphon. It’s so tempting to check in several times a day to laugh and connect with your friends. Don’t give in. Notice how much you get accomplished at work when you give yourself clear cut boundaries.

Reading Material. Collect articles you want to read from magazines and newspapers in a folder marked “Reading.” Take the folder with you wherever you go. Read through it while waiting for appointments, planes, or eating lunch alone.

Go Paperless. I know this can be a huge task. Once you move into it, it can really free you up. Microsoft Office has got to be the greatest invention ever. It has everything you need to run a productive business. Also, I have my Outlook hooked up to my Blackberry so that I can receive my contacts, my calendar with reminder notices, and email messages on my phone.

Add Plants. Add a few fresh indoor plants in your office. Plants help in clutter control and help make your office a nice place to work.

Give yourself a break. Some days we just don’t have the Zen mojo to accomplish everything, or even anything. Don’t be afraid to put your work aside and enjoy some time relaxing with friends, family or by yourself. Life awaits you on the other side of risk. Sometimes it’s a risk to do nothing and let your energy recharge.

Keep it simple. Each day, spend about 10 minutes keeping the office space well organized. Go through the mail and toss, file, or act on it. Throw away things you don’t need at the end of the day and reorganize your desk before you quit working. Write out a “To Do list” at the end of each day. When you walk into your office the next morning, you’ll have a handy reminder list of things to work on.

Organizing your office will help you be at your best. So, to increase productivity and keep you on top of your game, use these simple tips to keep your office humming along.