Most unpleasant tasks don’t take as long as you think they will. And most pleasant things tend to drag out a bit longer than you’d expect.

Use a timer to get an accurate gauge of the real time it takes to accomplish a variety of routine responsibilities. Then, use this information to help schedule future tasks. If checking and returning phone messages takes an hour each day (who knew?), then block off that amount of time for phone calls.

Clearing off your desk by filing papers may seem like an unending job, but in reality, it may take only ten minutes. Now it seems more manageable!

Master your time and you’ll be in control!

© 2010 Articles on Demand™.

I met with a prospective client this week and he had an interesting dilemma. He thought he needed to get organized. It was kind of apparent when I walked into his office as it looked like he possibly could have just moved in, but he had been there for a while. There were papers on the floor, unopened mail, a newly purchased scanner still in the box, a bulging briefcase on the floor — all signs of a disorganized office. I could certainly help him get organized, but my question always digs deeper to, “what’s going on here?”

Getting organized is not about putting things away or cleaning it up, it’s about understanding what got you into a state of disarray and chaos. This chaos affects people in different ways. In the case of this particular executive, it was holding him back from hiring an assistant and re-energizing his business development after the recession lull of the last two years. We didn’t even touch on how it may be affecting him personally.

All that being said though, it came down to him saying to me that he needed someone to organize him. Do you sometimes think that you need someone to just tell you what to do? I think we all look for someone to tell us what to do at some point in time or another, but are we listening? Not always.

I told this client that I understood his frustration, because when you’re in such a state of chaos, you’re also possibly dealing with “a running tape of thoughts” in your head, saying things like “no one understands me”.

A perfectly put together professional who has all the answers may get his office organized, but he may not understand the need to have someone to be accountable to — like a coach. I told about success stories we hear all the time — someone who loses a ton of weight and then coaches others and is extremely effective. The reason the former overweight person is so effective is that they understand when the client is dying for that banana cream pie, the coach understands that having just a taste is not satisfying the behavior to eat the whole darn pie — it is sabotaging their success.

Our Solution

I told my client that I’m like the former overweight person; I wanted the whole banana cream pie. I often made a mess of my world because I wasn’t brought up in a naturally organized, balanced life or family setting. I grew up thinking you had to work all the time and if you didn’t work hard enough you weren’t worthy. (You can learn more about that when you hear my keynote!). I learned best by people who understood my journey… or bumpy road.

We came to the solution with my client that he needed someone to manage him. Yes, I would come in and get the office organized to start. Then, beginning with a fresh office, we would identify all the projects on his list and set his priorities. As we go through this process, his habits will become apparent and I can start making recommendations of where he needs to delegate and where we can incorporate efficient tools and systems to maximize his productivity. Along the way, we’ll hire an administrative assistant, someone to handle the daily tasks of organization (filing, phone calls, etc… that are not money making tasks for this executive). This project will be an opportunity to supervise his behaviors and give him tools to learn how to manage himself. A good mentor is really what he needs and as a productivity expert, mentoring is a way to help someone learn how to move onto managing their own lives.

The Gracious Host: Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group.  Savvy New York restaurateur talks about how he stays productive using technology to connect with customers.    

Personally, I agree that we are all so busy and that the manual way of handling our “to do list” from the past, is not as efficient as it used to be. there’s so many more things going on and so many more people.  Danny Meyer has processes in place and thats what’s helping him maintain those relationships and getting things done!

Enjoy reading this article and see if you get any ideas.  If you’re inspired and go forward, kudos!  If you’re inspired and need help, let  me know how I can help.

(c) Strategize and Organize. Anne McGurty

Last night I went to an event to support a fellow colleague.  He is an investment advisor rep with a national financial services company.   (Due to compliance issues, I can’t promote or publish his info, so if you want a referral, please email me.)  I can refer to him as  Chris.  Chris and I are partners in a Mastermind Group.  For those of you who don’t have a mastermind group, I highly recommend it…  it’s a group of trusted colleagues who support you in the development of your personal success. 

I learned a lot from him as we all can learn something as we support others.  As a presenter educating the audience of his services… he talked about a phrase that many prospective clients say.. they’re wo’ busy.  You ask someone, how are you and they say.. wo busy… We are all so busy that we’re not taking the time to think about our future.. he was talking about the financial story of our lives.. I’m thinking about how that also relates to the efficiency in our life.  We get so busy we’re not thinking about where we’re going.  To plug Chris, he had an extremely compelling intro to why you should start getting less busy and think about your financial future. 

His story got me thinking about my clients who are also.. wo busy.  I hear that so often that people are so busy with running their business, putting out fires, trying to make money and satisfy clients, that they are not being efficient… losing time and money.  Why not just stop, take the time to get organized, set up a system, document your processes and be prepared for the freedom of time due to you for working so hard.

Last night Chris also referred to a Forbes magazine quote, where highly successful people shared that the reason for their success was the common answer “someone showed me”.  I wonder why so many of us think we have to do it ourselves.  We are not the masters of everything, so trusting an expert, whether it’s a financial expert or a productivity expert, it’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of following successful leaders.  I thought it was very humbling and realistic.  I know I’m not running my life on all my brilliance and skill, people have been showing me every step of the way!  Thank you friends and mentors!

I’m grateful for my mastermind group for meeting people like Chris.  It also gives me a safe place to ask how to do something or to run a new idea by a diversified group. What are you doing today to improve the quality of your business decisions, are you making all the decisions or are you thinking outside the box seeking people who have gone before you.   Go ahead call someone and ask them how they are getting it all done, ask them to “Show You”!

(C) Strategize and Organize.  Anne McGurty

Stop!  I’m busy.  I couldn’t’ believe it, those were the words that were said to me by the receptionist at my optometrist office when I went up to the counter after waiting now thirty minutes to see my doctor.

Let me tell you what led up to this moment.  I arrived at my optometrist’s office at 8:20 for an 8:30 am appointment. Ok, I was early.  The receptionist and another gentlemen physician’s assistant were sitting behind the desk, no one looked up, but since I had been there once before I knew to sign the clipboard with my information.  I signed in, no word or look up of acknowledgement.  I sat patiently and quietly in my seat and it was now 9:00, still no word from anyone, other patients had come and gone, so I went up to the receptionist and had my words and thoughts gathered..  “Can you please tell me how much longer Dr. M… will be as I had an appointment at 8:30?”  it was now 9:00.. the receptionist put her hand up like a stop sign, and said,” I’m busy!  Have a seat and I’ll call you when the doctor is ready. ”

Are you friggin kidding me?  What on earth kind of customer service is that!  I was so distraught and taken aback,  I responded, I just need to know whether I should consider rescheduling as I had another appointment in an hour elsewhere.  She told me again she was too busy and to have a seat.  Well here I am showing up for an appointment to learn how to put in my new contact lenses, I’m completely shaking and thinking how am I going to relax enough to put those in my eyes.   A few minutes later the physician’s assistant came to take me to the area to help with my new lenses and I told him, I needed to speak to the doctor first.  He got my doctor I told her of this situation and how disturbing it was.  She was sorry.. as we all are when we her that our staff is not performing; however she asked me to relax to try out my new lenses.. of course, I couldn’t’.   I left and asked to reschedule.

 An hour or so later, the receptionist calls me later to say that she apologized the new process for taking clients with contacts lenses was a little disorganized and that it affected my appointment.  I couldn’t believe she thought the scheduling was the problem!  The problem was her behavior.  How rude and unprofessional to treat a patient and not be aware of it.  I told her that her behavior was the issue and that anyone can understand blips to new processes.    She didn’t apologize, she just asked if I’d like to reschedule. 

 Why I’m sharing this story is that the excuse for the bad behavior was because they introduced a new product and were not prepared for the work involved in the execution.  The poor customer service is a whole other issue, however, one that also needs to be addressed.  So before you think about rolling out a new product, spend a little bit of time planning out the processes, document them, maybe even inform your clients of the change, and refer to a process check list to help you through the process.  Also, spend a little time and money on your employees for customer service training. If you can’t take the time internally, hire a professional.  I know I could provide an inexpensive, value based program for this small office.  It would cost them less than they lost.  Their billing revenue with me is gone for good.  Lifetime value to them — maybe $2500.  And I’m just one patient!

 There’s more to this story and I’m not going to bore you with the details, but let’s say, I’m looking for a new optometrist as the receptionist is still there and behaving poorly and unprofessionally.  I cringed every time I called to schedule a follow up.  It’s been a couple of months and each morning as I put in my contacts, I think of this issue, so I needed to move on so I can see more clearly and work with people and professionals who eye-dentify with my values.    So I’m thinking, “Stop, I’m busy too and I deserve better customer service!”

(C) Strategize & Organize. Anne McGurty