All Work-No Life? Organize for Productivity, Profit and Peace-of-Mind (Part 1)

Magazines, bills, memos, faxes, flyers, reports, newsletters, invoices. Paper here, paper there, paper everywhere. Internet, email, voicemail, Blackberry, pocket PC, Palm. Electronic files, presentations, spreadsheets all over in your computer. Information overload! 

You arrive in your office and feel like running away? Paperless office? 9 to 5 work days? Are you kidding me? What are the chances that you are actually going to read this article? You don't have the time. Your phone is ringing and your email is dinging. You are late for your appointment and long overdue with your most critical project. You haven't spent time with your family in weeks. Vacation? How do you spell it?

Surely, you'll agree, we live in a crazy, accelerated world. Work-life balance is but a fleeting dream. The main characteristics of our present society are the changes that occur at an incredible speed. Futurologist Alvin Toffler (in 1970) suggested that these changes would lead to a set of severe physical and mental disturbances, which he called the "future shock" syndrome. Today, we actually have a medical term for it: "Information Fatigue Syndrome". The "pain" is real and palpable. You are stressed. Your productivity and your business suffers. Your personal and family life is strained. What's one to do?

While the paperless office is rapidly becoming an affordable reality, it seems that paper documents just keep on coming. The electronic "data smog" is not about to dissipate either. Is there any hope?

I will shed light on the root-causes of the "pain", as described above. I will deal with the issues of clutter, the lack of organizational skills and time/task mismanagement. Surveys actually demonstrate these latter as being the most critical factors behind most of the problems described. We will look at organizing, in general, systems, tools and best practices as the remedy for the pain. I will also show you how to turn that pain into gain.

I will share with you valuable tips, tools and techniques. They will not only assist you in getting organized, but will help you stay organized. For life! The good news is that it's possible.