Do have a system for your work and home life. Business auditors make their living by helping businesses establish systems that work well because they know it is a key to saving costs and increasing productivity. You can devise mini-systems at work for yourself - ways to streamline, batch and manage your work and your time. At home, even a system for handling the mail (so it doesn't end up piling up around the kitchen and then you miss something important, and then you have to pay a late fee, and then....) can make huge difference in time and aggravation.
Until next time...
If your desk is covered with papers, pens, flash drives, post its and all the other paraphernalia, you're not working smart and your have made your desk a great big giant inbox. This kind of desktop shuffle has more to do with indecisiveness that it does with disorganization. The classic rule for this kind of clutter is: never handle any piece of paper more than once. It's a bit of a rigid rule, but it still can help you. It means you are going to have to DECIDE what to do with it before setting the paper down on your desk. By the way, same goes for your e-mail. Read it, and then either toss it, respond to it, or delegate it. Just let go......
Until next time...
You don't have to make major changes in your work life to get a big pay off in your home life. Start a baby step at a time. Commit to leaving work early one day a week. Allow yourself to laze in bed for an extra hour one off work day a week. Take a walk at lunch once or twice a week. A little relaxation can really give you a big energy boost, not to mention the positive feelings that flow when you are taking care of yourself, even in small ways.
Until next time...
You know just how it goes - you start on one committee, do well, then you get placed or volunteer for another and pretty soon, well, you are feeling great that you're in demand, but not so great because you are running a race you didn't want to enter. If you stick your hand up every time they ask for volunteers, you're doing to be running a triple marathon. You might believe it looks good to volunteer for everything, but it doesn't look so good when you can't keep your commitments. Practice physically holding one arm down with another when the volunteer patrol comes around. And, if your boss volunteers you, prepare for a discussion on your very human limitations and just where you think your strengths can be put to the best use.
Until next time...
