Christa Wagner

Last night I hosted a Biznik networking event where I shared with business owners some simple strategies to get organized at the office. Now listen folks, this is not rocket science, but the results can increase productivity greatly.  Problem is companies don’t dedicate time or energy to organizing and so it tickles down from the top that its not important.  Well, keep in mind the average employee loses one hour each day searching for misplaced information.  Add the number up based on your employees, number of hours worked multiplied by work days per year.  You have a lot of lost time and money. 

Get Organized at the Office

1. Process the mail every single day.
2. Create action files for paper requiring your attention.
3. Invest in quality furniture that supports your needs.
4. Use a calendar.  Doesn’t matter what kind; DayRunner, FranklinCovey, Palm, Blackberry or a good old kitty cat wall calendar, etc.  Get one and use it consistently.
5. Dedicate one day annually to office wide organizing.

Increase Productivity

1. Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to plan tomorrow.
2. Clear your desk at the end of each day so you can start fresh.
3. Reduce email.
4. Create a stop doing list.
5. Fully understand focus is more important than efficiency.  It doesn’t matter how much you get done if they are the wrong things.  Focus on the highest priorities from start to finish.

We only have 24 hour each day; make the most of it focus on what matters most to you.  Commit to adjusting some habits to get more out of life. 

Make it a great day!

I am sure it seems just about everyone wants a piece of you.  Your kids need a ride to the movies, their teacher wants you to work the fair, the coach asked you to host the BBQ, your spouse wants you to attend a business dinner, you pick up the slack for less experienced co-workers, your boss keeps piling on responsibility, your family wants you to visit for every holiday; the list goes on and on.   Activity overload is a syndrome and we continue to take on more than we could ever possibly get done.  Meanwhile, we neglect our highest priorities.  

Today I was asked to be “on the board” of an association I am a member of and it reminded me of my right to say no. As much as I would love to be more involved, I must have enough time for my top priorities; my family, friends, my business and me.  But, why is it so hard to say no?  We all want to be accommodating, the nice person, we want to move up the corporate ladder, we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feeling.  Well that’s nice, but studies show the most successful people know how to say no, without feeling guilty.   As with all our tips, here are some ways you can get started:

• Practice saying no in nonthreatening situations, when you have little at stake and success is almost assured. Then you’ll work up to resigning from the board of directors and stop volunteering for every committee.
• Know what you value. Your values help you make important decisions about your life.  You choose to do something or not to do something based on its importance to you.   Make sure you’re true to yourself. 
• Learn that allowing time for yourself and your family requires no reason and no apology.
• Avoid feeling as if you are going to disappoint people. 
• Keep in mind you don’t always have to be the leader, or in charge, you can contribute and be a part of something by having a smaller, more manageable role. 

So what action can you take from this information?  Look at all you do, all you participate in, all activities you contribute to; do these tasks add value to your life?  To make the best use of your time, and to increase your results, eliminate tasks, requests and time stealing activities that do not add value to your life or career.  Say no to one thing this week; I bet you will feel great!

One of the most common complaints I hear from women is how to get healthy food on the dinner table every night.  I recently came across a great tool to help you do just that.  Its called Hot By 6. 

Ladies, how cool is this?  Six (6) moms located in Oregon came up with a unique money saving solution by helping families prepare delicious meals economically through their Hot by 6 Membership.  You can browse their delicious recipes, create your own personal meal plans to fit your family’s food preferences, print categorized grocery lists, and much more all at the click of a button. 

I received an email from Hot by 6 yesterday and they are offering my clients a free trial so you can experience ‘Hot by 6′ for yourself.  You are invited to go to www.hotby6.com and sign up using the Promo Code… GetOrganized.  This promo code will stay active through October 31st, 2008.

The system is set up to where a promo code will allow you to sign up for a membership at no charge, but since it is a monthly service a credit card number is required at checkout.  No charges will be processed on your card unless you choose to continue membership beyond 30 days.  When you are ready to cancel it is as easy as clicking cancel.

One way to simplify your life is to take advantage of the tools available to you.  If you find yourself having trouble getting dinner on the table or tired of the same old recipes; give this a try.  Also, check out two of our favorite recipes: Chicken Noodle Soup or BBQ Kilbasa.