Last year saw economic disaster, record joblessness, and a discouraging outlook for 2009. Though the outlook seems bleak, there are ways to manage the challenges ahead. BlackEnterprise.com‘s Janell Hazelwood talked with Peggy Duncan, productivity expert and author of The Time Management Memory Jogger, on how to better organize your life, both at work and at home.
BlackEnterprise.com: As people move into the new year, what are some ways they can make 2009 more productive–both at work and in their home life?
Peggy Duncan: People waste hours a day always looking for something. At home, one of the best things you can do is organize your closet. Go through everything. If you didn’t wear it last year and don’t love it, donate it. If you love it, save it one more year, but if you don’t wear it in 2009, don’t let it see 2010. Put like items together in your closet and sort by color (e.g., suits, light to dark). You’ll start each day with less chaos and stress.
At home and work, prepare for the next day the day or night before.
At work, clear the mess off your desk and create a logical system for paperwork, much like your closet, by putting like subjects together. Then create that same logical system for your computer files. Go through every project you’re doing and develop smarter ways to get them done. Use the right technology to speed everything up.
You have a background in technology. What are some ways people can better use technology to help in their productivity?
[Many] aren’t aware of features in the software they use every day that’s been there for years. Very few take classes, and still use the computer like it’s a typewriter. They don’t click the buttons, nor do they wonder what the buttons do. They spend hours doing something [themselves] that the technology they already have can do in minutes, seconds, or nanoseconds. You can
record a quick macro (a series of commands you can capture and run anytime you need to perform the task) that will handle mundane work with the click of a button. A formula in Microsoft Excel takes work you do by hand and figures it out before you can blink.You can link the information in a spreadsheet with a graph in PowerPoint that gets updated every time Excel changes. You can manage your entire life in Microsoft Outlook: drag from the inbox to the calendar or tasks, save multiple signatures to quickly insert information you send often, view multiple calendars in the background to let you know when everyone can meet, and so much more.
What do you tell someone who is so used to disorganization that it is difficult for them to get into a more streamlined and organized way of living?
They have to want it. A lot of times they’re working like that because no one has ever shown them a different way. They don’t even realize there is a better way.
What is the best way people can learn to balance both what they feel is a necessity and what they feel is needed but is not a top priority — ie., maximizing work time versus making moves to stay healthy (visiting the gym or taking time out for a doctor’s visit)?
You have to have a vision for your life. In your wildest wishes, what would you like to see yourself doing or being? You’ll set short- and long-term goals to attain that vision. Your objectives outline what you need to reach your goals. And you have to put an action plan in place to reach the objectives. At this point, you’ll understand how you should spend your time based on your vision and your values. If you learn how to work smarter, you’ll have time to do everything you want–within reason.
What are some elements to stay away from when trying to become more productive?
Turn off the TV and get off the telephone. Spend your time doing things that will help you reach the goals you’ve set for yourself.
With so many companies cutting budgets, how can managers and top executives increase productivity while not at the expense of their workers?
There is so much wastage. People are spending too much time doing busy work and putting out fires instead of having time to focus on work that adds value. If you organize everything so you can think more clearly, you’ll plan and prioritize better. If you streamline all of your processes and procedures, you’ll make better decisions. If you incorporate technology the right way and with more training, you’ll finish everything quicker and with fewer errors.
To get a head start on organizing your life, use our checklists: