Getting Organized: Got A Minute?
Submitted by Holly Uverity, CPO®, Office Organizers
281-655-5022 / Huverity@OfficeOrganizers.com / www.OfficeOrganizers.com
Interruptions are a fact of life, whether you work in a corporate environment or whether you’re a small business working out of a spare bedroom. It’s common to feel as if you are working but getting nothing done if you are always doing work on someone else’s agenda and nothing on yours. The truth is, however, that you have more control over how your day is spent than you might believe. The key is to decide to take that control back – accept what you can’t control but control what you can. If it’s necessary, handle it immediately; if it’s unnecessary, stop it or avoid it; if it’s untimely, reschedule it. Here are some strategies to get you started.
Adjust your Attitude. Think of an interruption simply as a part of your job and try not to be irritated when it occurs. You’ll be less frustrated and more able to see the situation clearly - and therefore more able to control it.
Leave Holes in Your Day. Don’t over schedule yourself – leave about 40% of your time “open” so that when interruptions do occur, you have time enough in your day to deal with both the interruption and the work you had scheduled to do.
Set Goals to Keep You On Track. Setting goals provide focus and direction and filter out extraneous demands. As each interruption occurs, determine how it fits into your overall plan and make a decision about how to handle the interruption.
Make the Info Available. Many interruptions happen simply because people need information, so they come to you to get it. Keep track of the types of information that you are routinely asked for and make it available to those who need it.
Plan your Calls. Outgoing phone calls can also be interruptions; it’s easy to move into trivial talk if you don’t have an agenda and time frame for the call before you pick up the phone. Begin your calls with ‘I only have a few minutes but I wanted to talk to you about . . . . ‘ which keeps you on track.
Use your Voicemail. Establish times of the day when you take phone calls; send your phone to voicemail and put on a message that says you return calls ‘between 10 am and 2 pm’ each day. Your clients and co-workers will appreciate knowing when they can expect a return call and you won’t be interrupted all day by the telephone.
Get Organized. Organize your papers and projects. If your work is organized, when Joe drops in to talk to you about items on his agenda, you can also cover items on yours, thereby saving another phone call or email to him.
Re-arrange Your Office. Remove guest chairs so people won’t be tempted to sit. If you have to keep the chairs, arrange them so a drop in visitor will have to move one to sit down. (If you are expecting someone, place the chair in the appropriate spot before s/he arrives.) Situate your desk so it doesn’t face the door. People will be less likely to drop in if they can’t catch your eye as they walk past your door.
About Our Show Advisor: Holly Uverity is the founder of Office Organizers. Office Organizers is The Entrepreneur’s Organizers. They are a professional organizing and productivity consulting firm; simply put, they help entrepreneurs gain and keep control over their clutter and lead more productive lives. They work with their clients in those areas that are causing them the most stress – whether it’s their office space, their time management skills, their filing systems or their electronic communications and records. Clients of Office Organizers enjoy more freedom to do what they want in their business and personal lives. They take time off to spend with their families, they go on vacations, they read for pleasure, they stay in contact with important people in their lives and are happier and more productive. They enjoy decreased stress and increased space. Holly has served in leadership positions throughout her career and is committed to her clients, her industry, her company and her community.
Professional Affiliations: Holly Uverity is one of less than 300 Certified Professional Organizers® in the world. She founded Office Organizers in 1993 and is a very active member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, (NAPO), having served on several national committees. She is the founding president of NAPO’s Houston chapter and is currently NAPO’s National Membership Chair. She received NAPO’s prestigious President's Award in 1999 and was a nominee for NAPO's Founders' Award in 2001. Holly has also served in leadership positions with the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, the Houston chapter of NAWBO (the National Association of Women Business Owners) and is a graduate of the 2006 class of Leadership North Houston.
About Office Organizers: Founded in 1993, Office Organizers is a full service productivity consulting firm and works with business people to create solutions to their organizational challenges. Contact them at 281-655-5022 or www.OfficeOrganizers.com.
