Five Quick Tips to Getting Organized

Feel like this?

1. Clean, organize and purge your desk. Update your files and replace all torn files. Buy new files, in different colors, and organize them by color: green for financial papers, purple for clients and so on. Be sure to label all the files, and then organize them alphabetically within each color scheme. And never, ever put the word “Misc” on any file—once you file it, you’ll forget what you put in it. If you can say out loud what the file is, you have your label.
2. Be like Santa every day of the week. Make a list and check it twice. There’s nothing more satisfying than checking things off your “to do” list! Make a list every night of all the things you need to accomplish the next day. Do this every night, including the weekends, so you get in the habit of relying on your to-do list to help you get things done.
3. Use only one calendar. Choose the one that works best for you: one on your computer, a handheld one like a PDA, or a paper one on your desk. Then get rid of all your other calendars and use just the one to record and keep track of everything. If you’re maintaining more than one person’s schedule, like your children’s, use different colored inks to record information for each family member.
4. Make a note on your calendar, one week ahead of any event, about what you need to do for that event. Do you need to buy wine to bring to a housewarming party? Do you need to send flowers for your mother’s birthday? Whatever it is, make a note of it in advance so you can stay of top of your tasks.
5. Make a list of your goals. Write down at least 10 goals you want to accomplish in your lifetime. Be specific. Then put the list away and update it again next year.