Seven Steps for Saving Time (by Organizing Your Life)
We all wish we had more time to do the things we enjoy. But the list of things to do seems to never end. Here are seven simple organizing techniques that can save you a few minutes every single day or week, and that's time you can spend doing absolutely anything you like.
1. Get a portable file box (which you can generally purchase for $10 or so) as well as a box of letter size hanging file folders. Create a separate file for monthly bills, bank statements, medical bills, a "To Do" file, and so on. Then hang these files in your file box so you can move your "file cabinet" to the area where you pay your bills. This type of box is easily stowed out of the way when you are not using it, too.
2. Stand in front of the shredder, recycling box, and file box when you go through the day's mail. Make a point to touch each item only once. Each piece of mail gets recycled, shredded, or filed in the "To Do" file of your file box. (You can save yourself even more time by reducing the amount of junk mail you receive. Simply send your full name and address, along with a $1 check or money order, payable to DMA to: Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512). You will also want to place in the "To Do" file any documents that need your attention in the short term, such as rebate offers and newsletters from the church or children's school.
3. Designate a particular day each week to handle the items in your "To Do" file. Pay the bills, catch up on your filing, and write down deadlines in your calendar for bills you aren't going to pay right away. For credit card bills, for example, I write down the payment deadline, and I also make a notation in my calendar ten days before the deadline (to make sure that I send it off in plenty of time for it to arrive by the deadline.) Store everything you need for paying bills in a separate file of your file box so you don't waste any time looking for the essentials: stamps, address labels, envelopes, calculator, and pen.
4. Organize items that you will need to reference occasionally, such as warranties and instruction manuals, in a three ring binder with clear plastic covers (which will let you slide papers inside). This will allow you to easily flip through the binder to find the one you need.
5. Set up a Chore Chart to help your kids learn the value of being organized. Assign each child's chores on an age appropriate level. You may even want to ask your kids how they would like to divvy up the chores. (Kids love to give their input.) Make a table in your word processing program for each child, so they can put a checkmark when they have completed each task on each day. We have our chore chart posted on the refrigerator, and I'm always amazed by how excited the kids get to check off their chores (even though they are earning nothing but a checkmark).
6. Keep a grocery list and a pen on the fridge. Don't use a dry erase board for grocery lists because you want to be able to rip off the list and take it to the store.
7. Make sure you have a good appointment book and write all of your commitments and deadlines on one calendar: work engagements, important things to do with the kids, carpool schedules, birthdays, due dates for bills and library books, etc. Schedule your daily workout, too.
Now take a break and enjoy the extra time you have saved by being organized.
(ArticlesBase SC #307905)
Article Tags:
Time Management
,Time Management Tips
,saving time
,organizing tips
,organizing your life
Managing Your TextExpander Snippets
While it may take a little while to truly unlock the power of TextExpander, it won't take long for it to be a part of your daily workflow. You may find yourself coming up with all kinds of uses for TextExpander and its Snippets. That's when it becomes important to manage and organize your TextExpander Snippets. (02:50)
The Dolan Guide to Organizing Your Finances
The key to financial success is organization! It's also a common resolution this time of year. We know sorting through all those papers doesn't sound like a lot of fun, so we simplified the process for you. Follow our steps to clearing out clutter and reclaiming your financial peace of mind. (03:04)
Buying and Selling on Kijiji - #6 - Managing Your Kijiji Ads
It's important to keep your Kijiji ads organized so you know what you have for sale, what you're looking to buy and also to let other users know when your item has been sold. You can also opt to get your Kijiji ad on the top of the page if you're willing to pay a small fee to do so. In the My Ads interface on Kijiji, you can see all your ads and get handy information like how many times your Kijiji ad has been viewed, when it was posted, your asking price and so on. (01:49)
How to Effectively Deal With Repetitive Problems
Develop simple systems for dealing with repetitive challenges, using the IF-Then Method. If X happens, then I'll do Y to resolve it. The If then method is the simplest way to create processes in an organization or to create new patterns in the mind. (01:43)
Use reQall on your iPhone to Never Miss Another Appointment
Sometimes you just need to remind yourself of something. A task for your child to do, a project for your team at work, or an item for your grocery list. With reQall on your iPhone reminders are quick and easy. (02:17)
Do you dread opening your email because of all the clutter there? Does the mail pile up and pile up until it has become unmanageable? Here are 10 organizing tips to get rid of electronic clutter.
Myth: You can save time. There is no way you can bank unused hours. Each hour gets spent. Time is the most democratic of resources. Everyone is given the same amount every day.
Everyone has a drawer, room or filing cabinet full of documents. How many times have you plowed through them, searching for a critical item, to no avail? There are ways to avoid this stressful search.
Traffic jam is always being a problem, specially when we are in hurry or late for a meeting. The time which we waste in the traffic jam could be our productive hour to complete our agenda for a day. In this article we will find some tips to save the time.
Time management skills are not only essential when doing physical tasks or activities, but they can also be helpful when spending time online. This article gives some great tips that can help you make each minute count online.
A solid waste management program in your home can help you "Go Green". Adopting a Reduce, Reuse, Recycle way of life can go a long way in making your home healtiier and safer and is a good thing for the environment.
After you clear the clutter, the next step is to design systems that will work for you. When you are working with files, the key to successful paper management and organization is not to ask yourself "where should I put these papers," but instead, "where will I find them when I need them?" You need to have systems that work for you, not against you.
When operating any business, increasing your productivity is critical to your success. In this article we'll identify several obstacles that may be standing between you, your productivity, and ultimately your success. We’ll also discuss the impacts of distraction, how your environment influences your productivity, and how to find your ideal environment in order to maximize your results. Lastly, we'll show you a quick formula to accurately determine your hourly worth.
As my clients and readers know, I strongly advocate starting each day by devoting 15 to 30 minutes to plan out the unallocated hours before you. Those who do plan usually run through a sequence like this: they look at their calendar, scan a task list (whether mentally or written), and prioritize intentions for the day. And while this is better than just diving into the maelstrom without any planning, it’s not as valuable as it could be.
In his book, The Power of a Positive No: Save the Deal, Save the Relationship – and Still Say No, William Ury, Co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and coauthor of Getting to Yes, suggests that we confuse the issue of whether to say no with how to say no. As he puts it, “Since the how seems impossible, the whether seems predetermined.”
It is hard to find a person that has never need to deal with procrastination problem. It s so usual because most of us naturally hold over activities that we do not enjoy. Sometimes, procrastination can be a tougher problem for you to overcome than others. There will come a day that you might go along smoothly and then you may not feel like leaving your bed. Although everybody has a awful day from time to time, it is a good idea to conquer a procrastinating mindset as well.
When we’re caught up in the rat race, we often fall into the trap of taking on too many things. We forget that we have limits. Taking on a thousand tasks or projects doesn’t mean that you’ll do all of them equally well. Productivity isn’t all about quantity. Quality is even more important.
Time to End Procrastination with EFT. Find out how you can.
Most online entrepreneurs are aware how time consuming certain tasks related to marketing on the internet can be. For most working alone puts tremendous demands upon increasing productivity just to be able to keep the business running. Read further to discover 5 tips that will increase your personal productivity and business output while saving you much valued time.
Going through life each day we are forced to juggle many different tasks. Many times these tasks can pile up and before we know it, it is out of control. "With all of these pressure to succeed, achieve, meet goals, make a contribution builds inside of us until one day we are locked in the throes of overwhelm, numb to its debilitating effects on our bodies and quality of life(Managing Overwhelm/ Time Pressure).”
Renting a car when you're on vacation or while you're waiting to get your car repaired can cost a lot of money if you are not careful. If you need to rent a car, follow these 8 tips to make sure you're getting a great deal.
We all know how easy it is to put off exercise, especially if you have a busy life, but here are five key ways to keep yourself motivated:
If you want to have a bright and happy garden when the snow melts, you need to take the following steps before the temperature starts to drop.
Just as you change your wardrobe for winter, your car needs a winter wardrobe. Use the following steps to help ensure your car operates safely during the winter.
It's no secret that most of us need to get more exercise on a daily basis. But if you think that this means scheduling time at the gym and spending all your free hours on a treadmill, think again! Here are some simple ways to incorporate more movement into your daily activities.
Get the services you need without spending your entire paycheck on your teeth. Here are four tips for saving money on dental care.
After years of suffering wearing high heels or other elevated shoes, many people are experiencing the relaxation and rejuvenation that can be experienced when wearing negative heel shoes. Here's why you might want to consider a pair for yourself.
Recent scientific discoveries have shown that the body is not the only thing that ages as we grow old. Your brain can also experience the effects of aging, especially if you don't take steps to keep it healthy. The following five suggestions will help you stay sharp.
0