Top Time Tip #106
Manage Your Desk or it Will 'Manage' You
23rd July 2008
Hello
I'd just completed training programmes on delegation and email management for a large law firm. A few days later the Human Resources Manager was on the phone.
' One of the partners has asked if you could please work with one of her young solicitors. He seems a bit 'stuck' on various things, including meeting deadlines.'
Let's call him Tom. We worked together on a number of issues, including how to use his Outlook calendar to prioritise better. But there was also another contributing factor to his problems - and it was very easy to fix.
Here's what he told me at the first appointment.
' I know I miss deadlines. I think it's at least in part because I constantly feel overloaded with the sheer volume of files. There must be a better way to manage my workflow.'
I looked around his compact office. It was somewhat cluttered (although I've seen worse!). As with many lawyers and accountants, large piles of files were stacked all over his desk, behind his desk, on the shelves behind him and some were stacked on the floor. Every available space (and more spaces that shouldn't have been available) had residents!
If you can identify with this scenario you might like to consider the question I threw Tom.
' How would you like your office to look? What specifically in this situation makes you feel overwhelmed?'
He thought for a moment. Then he came up with a very interesting angle.
' The stuff behind me doesn't bother me so much, although I'm sure you'll help me organise it better.' (And we did create a more logical flow to everything, including the wall shelves near the door.) ' However, now you ask I realise that when the desk space to the left of my computer is covered with paperwork I feel cluttered and can't think straight. When it's empty of all but the task I'm engaged on I can see where I'm going and that sense of overwhelm isn't there.'
From that point on it was really easy to re-arrange his environment. Previously his PA had placed the new work for the day in that spot on the left side of the desk - close to hand. To put new matters close at hand would seem logical, I'm sure you'd agree. But for Tom, that was the wrong place. For him it only needed to be just inside the door, in a spot that he looked at each time he entered or exited his room.
Tom and I have been in touch since and he's a much happier camper - the clarity that comes from structure and order in his environment flows through to more timely work and a less overwhelming workload.
Track the energy:
Of course your paper flow needs might be different. The key point in this story is - notice your energy in different sets of circumstances.
- What drags down you down, makes you feel heavy, overwhelmed, less effective?
- And what lights you up?
- What 'stuff' or equipment can you move around so you'll feel more efficient?
Another simple tip to give you control over your files and paperwork:
Get a stacker for current work so that files are upright instead of ugly piles slip-sliding all over your desk. This is a key paper management strategy. Think about it. The minute you start making piles the items underneath are 80% more likely to be overlooked or forgotten.
After our first discussion Tom set up his most active files this way - on the right-hand-side of his desk where he could reach them in a second but they didn't dominate his vision. (Most lawyers and accountants have big files so a file stacker with a flat metal base and metal or wire uprights about every 15cms works well.)
However, most of us don't work with such big files. You might only need something like the Quefile to do the job perfectly. The beauty of the Quefile is that items are tiered and you can see your nicely labelled files instantly. Things are then not only fast to put away the first time but also fast to retrieve and return if you're still working on a project.
Have fun taking control of your files.
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