Purge the Mess

Quick: What’s the best way to boost your productivity?

No, not by upgrading to a newer Mac, installing some whiz-bang software or programming another hotkey. It’s the low-tech task of cleaning up your messes.

You know: that pile in the corner that you keep shifting around to make a clear space to work on; the little notes of “things to do” that somehow don’t get done; the blizzard of sticky-notes on your monitor and on your wall. Don’t delude yourself into thinking that they’re helpful memory aids. They’re screaming evidence of bad work habits, and purging them will save you time and prevent problems You can be masterly in using the technology and still mismanage the stuff in your life, and therefore the time you spend.

The problem I’m talking about is not in your Mac, even if it’s blazing fast and incredibly efficient; even if you follow the rules and back up often, clean out your cache files, defragment your hard drive, dispose of email promptly, run Disk Utility regularly. That doesn’t address the non-computer clutter that can clog your workflow and slow results to a trickle. 

Many otherwise competent people work and reside in disaster zones of cluttered stuff—in their workplace (ancient mail, files, memos and articles, sticky notes and takeout menus, books and software boxes) and in their homes (old clothes, long-unused skis, out-of-style furniture and a hardware store’s worth of stuff that might come in handy). The detritus of life.

True, a box of old books under a desk may not really get in the way. But it is symptomatic of a counterproductive mindset. When you hold onto stuff because you might need it “someday,” or because you’re too busy at the moment to decide what to do with it, you take another step in a self-defeating spiral.

To the extent that you are disorganized, you waste time and resources. You forget and have to repeat things. You make more and more costly mistakes. Others may see you as less reliable and not as smart as you really are. You may or may not lose opportunities but you’ll surely have less to show for your efforts.

This doesn’t have to be. Even a little organizing can help a lot. By rethinking your workspace you could

—get more done in less time,

—connect and collaborate with more people,

—expend fewer resources to reach more and bigger goals, and

—enjoy the work more and have more time and energy to savor the fruits of your labors.

In short, much of your success and quality of life depends on how well you manage yourself and your workspace. Here’s how to get it in shape.

1.    Dig quickly through the piles and put critical items in a “Top Priority” file. Schedule time to process them, and stick to the schedule.

2.    Clear surfaces by loading everything else but current work into boxes.

3.    Look around and make a visual inventory. What do you really need? What else can you jettison and not miss?

4.   Whatever you’re not truly attached to—sell, give away or throw out, but get rid of it! Don’t keep it “just in case.”

5.    For the boxed-up stuff, schedule at least 30 minutes per day to sort like this:

Do an “immediate clear” with any task of five minutes or less.

Delegate, and schedule follow-ups and see things gets done.

File other items for later and note them in a memory-jogger.

Or toss them—without regret.

6.    Congratulate yourself and resolve to stay clutter-free from now on.

We like to keep our offices clear of stuff. It feels good. Sure, we keep some personal items around—photos, golf-bag desk lamp—but very little clutter. Being human, we occasionally slip and then we de-clutter before the stuff builds up.

The Physical Aids to Good Work Practices

This requires good, non-technical tools and the habit to use them. Like these:

In-and-out trays, shelves and bins—but not clutter collectors.

3-ring binders for any hard copies you really must have.

A Rolodex or Palm Pilot.

Holders for CDs, DVDs, and magazines.

A pocket planner or electronic organizer, with back-up.

Project-planning software.

A tickler file (or its software version) for auto-reminders of follow-ups, renewals and such.

Large erasable calendars and corkboards for long-range plans and creative tableaus (but don’t let them degrade into tattered messes).

And, if you work cooperatively with a number of associates,

Wall trays near your work area, in which others can put non-urgent questions and requests. (Maintains access while minimizing interruptions.)

Retool Yourself

The tools will be only as good as you make them. At first that means discipline. Compel yourself use them. When something works, stick with it. When it doesn’t, tweak it instead of quickly dumping it. Build a daily routine to process mail and email, make calls and meet with associates. Delegate as much as you can.

One of our clients, president of a project-management firm, said that he stood amidst his employees one day and found he "had nothing to do.” Actually there was plenty. By delegating the tasks of day-to-day management—thus engaging more of his employees’ brains—he had made time for the true work of his position: research and representing the company in the marketplace to create new opportunities and build equity in the firm.

Do you ever find the time for that kind of relaxed assessment of where you are and where you’re going? Ridding yourself of physical and mental clutter can get you to that clear, calm place.

With repetition and positive results, you’ll build better habits of thinking and acting. You’ll have more time for work, play and gazing out the window. You’ll enhance your creativity, boost productivity, and you’ll enjoy it all more.

Then, whether or not you have the newest Mac and the latest software, you’ll get more from your tools and yourself.

         —Ken Stark
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Since 1994, Excelera Consulting has helped companies to grow and individuals to better their lives. Its principal,MetroMac member Ken Stark, advises clients locally and nationwide by phone, email and in-person. With expertise in both management coaching and cognitive/behavioral counseling, he helps them to improve both practical and interpersonal systems and enjoy the results more. Visit www.exceleraconsulting.com for more on its services and products, and for your Ten Dilemmas of Business, Relationships, and Life survey at a special price for MetroMac members.

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Metropolitan New York Macintosh Alliance