November - December 2006

Welcome to the November issue of the Strategize and Organize Business Newsletter. The new format of our newsletter is the 3 P’s of Productivity:
Paper
People
Process
Once you register that there is a problem with organization you have to check in with yourself and assess, "What's going on here?" and get the three keys mentioned above. Then you can get organized and check out of the office on time.
Enjoy this month’s tips on the three keys!
Anne

Here are some changes you can make in your daily routine to help tame the paper tiger:

• Take the time to put papers into their proper places - remember FILE, ACT or Toss.
•This means, for instance, taking a bill that comes in and either paying it immediately (ACT) or filing it in a tickler for later (FILE)
• Respond to invitations and notices as they arrive and mark any dates on a calendar immediately. (ACT and FILE)
• Open your mail near the trash can and TOSS what you don't need.
• Making those tough decisions about what to keep and what to throw away is a constant and daily process. That's where the maintenance comes in, organization is never a quick fix!

Thinking about hiring an assistant - the right person - to help you get the job done?

Let’s look at excuses that might be holding you back:

Excuses
Hiring and/or replacing employees can be a costly and time-intensive process. Studies indicate that the expense of replacement can range from 25% to 200% of the position’s annual salary! Hiring is also subject to the skill set of a single department or manager, and decisions can often be made based on emotions instead of objective decisions. The impact of a poor hire can have exponential ramifications on all areas of your business. Another issue is the productivity impact – even when a good candidate is hired, your company cannot expect maximum performance from someone on the learning curve.

Before you embark on the process of hiring, consider these costs, and some alternative solutions. Maybe you don’t need a full time employee.
Consider:
• Hiring an intern
• Hiring students part time on short term work
• Hire telecommuters/virtual help
Outsource some work

The Monkey Trap -- Learning to Let go!
When you read the following story about how hunters trap monkeys, you may think--monkeys aren’t too smart! However, read on before you judge monkeys too harshly.

There are several versions of the monkey trap story, but they all have one thing in common. The monkey gets his hand in a tight place, such as a jar, vase or coconut and can’t seem to figure out how to get it out. He gets trapped!

As one story goes, the monkey hunters cut a small hole in a coconut and fill it with rice. Then they tie the coconut to a tree or attach it to a stake in the ground. The hole in the coconut is big enough for the monkey to get his hand in, but not big enough to get his hand out if it is full of rice. As the hunters approach, the monkey desperately tries to get his fist out of the coconut. but can’t seem to understand that gaining his freedom is simply a matter of letting go of the rice.

Of course, the most important element of the monkey trap is the monkey. The trap will not work without his full cooperation. Keep this in mind:

YOUR MONKEY TRAPS
Letting go of outdated and unproductive ways of doing things can be a monkey trap for you. For example, there is a file maintenance product on the market that is extremely impressive. It is a piece of software that works like an internet search engine. Imagine having all your files set up with a Google-like search engine. The product advertises that you can find anything in your files in five seconds or less. I have been using it for several years and it has never let me down. The only issue I have with their advertising claim is that it usually only takes me a one second or less to find files in my office! This product can save you a tremendous amount of time every day! Why doesn’t everyone use it? It is totally counterintuitive for most people. For one thing, you file items by number instead of alphabetically. I often compare it to a book catalog in a library, the books are all numbered. Once you use this file management system for just a short while, it makes perfect sense. But most people are caught in the monkey trap. They can’t let go of their old way of finding things. So they give up the opportunity to easily free up huge blocks of time and get rid of huge amounts of frustration.

How many people do you know who are caught in monkey traps? They can’t let go of the old ways of doing things. How many corporate perks are keeping people in jobs they hate? How many large mortgages or car payments are serving as monkey traps for people? Monkey traps are everywhere!

What’s holding you back? Look for old ways of doing things and other life issues that are holding you back and let them go! It’s the equivalent of letting go of the handful of rice and pulling your hand out of the coconut. Don’t keep thinking like a monkey!

Click here to learn more about the file management program, The Paper Tiger.

This tip is adapted from The Go System.

The Process of Taming The Paper Tiger An intuitive "how-to" for The Paper Tiger software.
Tuesday, NOVEMBER 14th at 12:00PM-1:00PM (ET)
Free
To register...

Anne's keynote speech gets people energized about the benefits of personal productivity and the readiness for corporate change.

What Others Are Saying:
Anne’s presentation of “What’s Going On Here?” as a training was one of the best seminars I have ever attended. She provides practical solutions for organizations. Her personality makes the program delivery exceptional.
Angela Long, COO
Sextant Technologies
Commerce City, Colorado
Learn more and book Anne for your next event. To find out how organized and productive you are – or can be, take one of our Productive Environment Scorecard assessments.
Take it now online and you may qualify for a free 30 minute telephone consultation.


Pass It On
You may pass this information on - Please feel free to copy in whole or in part, any of the information provided in this newsletter only when the following statement is included in its entirety:
"Founded by Anne McGurty in 2002, Strategize & Organize (www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com) is a business process consulting and professional organizing company specializing in systems to improve paper management, people's behaviors, and business processes. We offer Assessments, Training/Seminars, Coaching, and Organizing to help individuals and businesses become organized and work more efficiently. Anne McGurty is also available as a Keynote Speaker. Copyright 2006 Strategize & Organize. All rights reserved."