Change your life in only 3 hours! Organization Plus is offering a Sweetheart Deal.

The first 10 people who book a 3 Hour Transformation in February will get a 10% discount.

This special offer is only for the first 10  new clients who book in February. For information call

Nancy Black today!  (978) 922-6136 or submit an inquiry at www.organizationplus.com.

A recent testimonial from a new client…

“Happy New Year – As I’m getting ready to leave for the long weekend I really notice how easy it is pull everything together on my desk and have myself set up for next week. Thanks so much for your help. Let’s talk in the next week or two about moving forward in 2012.”

Aurelia Nelson
Account Manager
North Shore 104.9FM

Gift Certificates from Organization Plus make a great holiday gift. Whether it be for a Gift of Time, Jump Start, Three Hour Transformation, or any amount! Click here to download a gift certificate order form.

Getting Down to Business
Business Growth Strategies and Ideas from a Professional Organizer

Many of the business people I’ve talked to recently are optimistic about 2012. While the last few years have been quite challenging, to say the least, many of my clients are expecting 2012 to be their best year ever!

What are your biggest challenges?

Here is what business owners and managers are telling me:

“Our last bill from Staples was for almost $500.00. I had no idea we were spending so much money on office supplies.”

“Staffing. I’m not sure how to bring on more staff and manage that added expense.”

“Expenses are going up but customers want even more aggressive pricing. It’s stressful.”

“We’re trying to figure out how to increase sales without breaking the bank. It feels a bit risky because of the expense.”

Managing expenses seems to be a common theme. So with that in mind, I thought I’d share some ideas to help you manage your business expenses.

Organize & Manage Supplies

Have a well organized supply area with an inventory control system to avoid purchasing supplies that you do not need. Designate one person to be in charge of it.

Submit Reimbursable Expenses by Deadlines

When I was meeting with a client, he told me that he needed to submit his travel expenses or he would miss the deadline to be reimbursed for them. It clearly was the top priority for us to focus on that day. I helped him organize the piles of receipts, by category, for each trip. He was amazed when he realized that they totaled over $15,000. If we hadn’t done this in time, he would have missed the deadline to be reimbursed and been out $15K!

Do You Have a Home Office?

Many of the people I work with have a home office and/or work one or two days a week from home. It is critically important that it is properly organized and you have all the systems in place to optimize your effectiveness – including minimizing distractions!

Here’s a note one of my client’s recently sent me after a Three Hour Transformation of their home office:

“Your advice on organizing my home office has helped me dramatically! You provided excellent product recommendations and offered logical solutions that work great! Within a week of meeting with you, my office was better organized and work flowed much better!”

The Right Stuff

Business owners waste a lot of money buying organizing systems and furniture that do not suit their needs. I help people select organizing systems and tools that will save them hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!

Eliminate Unnecessary Storage

Unless you are required to use physical storage by law, all of your old records should be scanned and stored digitally. This eliminates the high cost of storage space, externally or internally, resulting in decreased operating costs. You will also save the expense of purchasing additional file cabinets, and will need less square footage for your office space. I helped a bank manager create a schedule for having documents picked up by the facility that they store them at.

Consider Temporary Help

An alternative to hiring someone full-time is using temporary help. Temporary help agencies can be a great resource to find talented, part-time help while holding down costs (i.e. long-term commitments). You can hire people on a daily basis, weekly basis, or monthly basis. This will keep your employee benefit costs down.

Dues and Publications

One of the things I’ve been recommending to clients for years is to carefully review each organization where you pay dues. Do you REALLY participate? Is there really VALUE to being a member of that organization? Maybe you belong because you “always have.” Also, review the magazines and publications you subscribe to. If a publication does not really help you in your business, or you find you haven’t even read any of the last few issues, consider canceling your subscription.

Taxes

To avoid having to pay extra taxes, you need a well organized filing system with easily accessible folders for each category of deductions, and documents pertaining to tax related issues. Discuss with your accountant what documents they needed for your particular business.

Donate For a Tax Break

Donate equipment or furniture that you no longer need to a charity. You can get a tax break and eliminate the costs associated with dispensing it or storing it, while helping a worthwhile cause.

PROCRASTINATION.

We all do it, and to some extent it is simply normal. But procrastination can hurt you and your business in many ways. It’s best to be aware of it and manage it; versus deny it and become overwhelmed by it. That’s when it can become a very serious issue.

Defined at Wikipedia: “… procrastination refers to the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of low-priority, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time.”

Studies have shown that procrastination, or “putting things off,” costs businesses over $50 BILLION dollars per year. That’s a staggering number!

Many believe it’s getting worse, in part because of technology and our “plugged-in” lifestyles. For example, Facebook has more than 700 million members. 135 million of those are in the US and ½ of the people who have Facebook accounts login DAILY!

Procrastination often leads to:

• Problems in the workplace
• Loss of productivity
• Frustration
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Health problems
• Problems with personal relationships

Here are some of the ideas I share with my clients to help them with procrastination:

Planning

Take a few minutes each day, at the start of your day, to plan out your day. One of my clients calls it a “Day Map.” I also recommend that people take a few moments on Sunday night to plan out their week. Don’t try to do everything all at once and remember to delegate things to others if you can.

Prioritization

This is a critical part of eliminating or minimizing procrastination. You must focus on prioritizing your activities and to-do items. Have you heard about GTD (Getting Things Done). Stop by David Allen’s website for information about this incredibly powerful work-life management approach.

Little Steps

If you have a HUGE project you might find procrastination tugging at your psyche. If you break big projects down into little steps they suddenly aren’t as overwhelming.

Minimize Distractions

I know it’s very difficult, but the most successful business owners and managers I’ve met have learned how to minimize distractions. Set times when your staff knows you MUST NOT be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone (and text messaging). If you have a home office, get a “Do Not Disturb” sign for it!

Stay Clear on Your Goals and Outcomes

Keep your goals and desired outcomes close by you at all times. When you are focused on these two things, it becomes less likely that you will put off high-priority items for lesser priority tasks.

Reward Yourself with “Me” Time

We all work hard and many of the business owners and managers I work with are working harder than ever before. Everyone is doing more with fewer people. As a result, you may find yourself with less personal time – time for the things YOU like to do. I tell people to reward themselves for NOT procrastinating with “Me” time. It can be an afternoon off from work, a lunch at your favorite restaurant, or simply a walk in the park. Whatever it is, make sure you reward yourself for all your hard work by making time for yourself – “ME” time!

Have you been putting off organizing your office or clearing the piles of files and clutter from your desk? Maybe it’s time for professional help. Call me today at (978) 922-6136. I can change your life in as little as 180 minutes. I call it the Three Hour Transformation – and it works!

One of the common problems associated with summer-time clutter, and being generally disorganized, is a lack of specific places to put things. With the right “zones,” it is much easier to have a clutter-free organized home or home office. Generally speaking, there are ten (10) zones every home should have, they are:

Home Office Zone

If you work from a home office, full-time or part-time, you’ll want to be very clear about not allowing other people to use that space. Your business computer and office supplies should be “off-limits.” Your files should be locked to protect confidential information. Some states now require that level of security by law.

Kitchen Zone

Your kitchen zone is just that, a place for making and eating dinner. Too often I see it become a dumping zone for everything. If it’s not related to cooking, eating, and enjoying dinner, it has to be moved to the appropriate zone!  One exception is having a well-organized mail zone in this area.

Recycle Zone

Recycling is environmentally friendly and cuts down trash costs. Creating a recycle zone is easy to do. You can get low-cost or free plastic recycling containers at most local Department of Public Works, or you can find a wide variety of options at a department store like Target.

Mail Zone

The best way to manage mail is with a desktop action file. I have clients, from more than 10 years ago, who tell me they are still using the desktop system we created during a Three Hour Transformation. Be sure to add a folder for gift-certificates and coupons.

Shoes and Jackets Zone

If you live in a home with three or four others (adults/kids), and each has a couple pairs of shoes and sneakers, it’s not uncommon to see footware EVERYWHERE! Create a place where everyone can put their shoes and sneakers. Some people use a rack in the bottom of a closet while others have a large plastic tub where everyone “dumps” their shoes as they come into the house. Consider using a nickel shoe tree or cubbies for shoes. A jacket zone should be near your shoe zone and is usually a standard closet. Be sure to keep plenty of extra hangers in your closet so no one has an excuse not to hang-up their jackets. A coat tree, or hooks, are great if you have space near your entryway.

Wet Towels Zone

Towels after a shower should go on a rod to dry so they can be used a second time – which is environmentally friendly! Beach towels can be hung up on a clothes line or over the railing on a deck. Every house is different so do whatever works for your home, but they can’t just be thrown on the floor! Create a wet towel zone and make sure everyone knows where it is and uses it!

Wet Bathing Suits Zone

One of my clients was telling me about wet clothes all over their home. In the kitchen area, on the front deck, at the top of the cellar stairs, on the floor in the laundry room – everywhere! This created a lot of clutter as well as created a place where mold and mildew could start. A wet bathing suit zone is a must during the summer months. It could be as simple as a plastic hamper near your washer and dryer. Wherever you create it, all wet bathing suits must be put there!

Sports Zone

Golf clubs, kids sports gear, and other equipment should always be stored in your sports zone. If you see tennis rackets in the driveway, tell the kids to put them away (i.e. train them!) and have a sports zone where everything belongs.

Garden Zone

Having quick access to your gardening equipment makes managing your garden easier and more enjoyable. I know so many people who love planting vegetable gardens in the summer. Create a garden zone for your equipment, supplies, and hand-tools. A heavy-duty bag for smaller garden tools is very convenient.

Quiet Zone

Last, but not least, is a quiet zone. Everyone needs a place that is free of clutter where they can relax peacefully. If you have the luxury of a spare room, you are fortunate. If you don’t, find a small place where you can create your quite zone. It might be just a corner of a room where you can sit, look out a window, and relax in a comfortable chair while listening to your favorite music.

Need help getting organized or removing clutter from your home or office? Hiring a Professional Organizer has many benefits for your personal life and for your business or career. Call me today for more information about my Jump Start Program or myThree Hour Transformation where I literally have changed people’s lives in as little as 180 minutes! Call me today at (978) 922-6136.

I recently came across data that showed interruptions at work cost the US economy more than 1/2 TRILLION dollars per year ($588MM).

The average employee spends 28% of their time dealing with unnecessary interruptions. The average manager is interrupted every 8 to 9 minutes.

What do you think interruptions and distractions cost you each day, week, or year?

Many of the business owners I speak with tell me they are interrupted or distracted from what they SHOULD be doing, or PLANNED on doing any given day, for about two hours.

With two hours per day of lost productivity, it’s no surprise that many business owners tell me they are under a lot of pressure, stressed out, and even getting burned out.

But there is good news!

It doesn’t have to be this way and you can fairly easily take control and manage interruptions and distractions at work, whether you have an office, home office, or both.

There are three things you need to do for starters:

·    Allow for interruptions
·    Identify the source
·    Minimize their impact using specific strategies

When you do these three things, you become more focused and enjoy a more productive work life.
Here are some strategies to help you avoid and manage interruptions.

Identify the Culprits

Identify who, or what, causes the interruptions. Start by keeping a time log and track your interruptions for one week. At the end of a week, analyze who or what interrupts you most and then create a plan to manage and minimize this.

Stay on Track

Prioritize your daily to-do list and if you do get interrupted ALWAYS go back to where you were before the interruption. Use a Post-it flag to mark papers you were working with, or highlight a line on your computer, so you can quickly and easily get right back to what you were doing.

EMAIL Management

EMAIL can be a huge interruption. Don’t hit “Reply All” to an email unless you need a reply back from everyone. Turn off your email notifications and only check your email at specific times of the day.

Open Door Policy

An “Open Door” policy that allows employees to stop by at ANYTIME with their ideas, opinions, or suggestions can create multiple interruptions during the day. State your policy clearly in your employee manual. Managers should always have the option of telling unannounced visitors that they understand their need to see them immediately, but cannot meet with them at that exact moment. Suggest an alternative time. Stand up to talk to drop-ins.

Other Suggestions…

Arrange your office furniture so you can’t make eye contact when people pass by.

Schedule weekly staff meetings and individual meetings to discuss miscellaneous items “that can’t wait.”

Have everyone set up a folder on their desk for items to be discussed at meetings. Encourage them to request an item be added to the meeting agenda BEFORE the actual meeting.

Do not be the “Go To” person for facts, figures and files. Encourage everyone to have their own system so they can find what they need when they need it. Leverage the power of technology and put this information on a company INTRANET.

Train employees to minimize their interruptions OF EACH OTHER.

Get organized and keep a clean, clutter-free desk. People have very little confidence in your commitment when your office looks like a cyclone hit it. The clutter will actually distract you. When you sit down to work something in a pile will catch your eye, and your attention, and next thing you know you are interrupting yourself.

If you’d like the support and help of a Professional Organizer, call me today at (978) 922-6136 or drop me a line via this online inquiry form at my website. I’ll tell you more about my Three Hour Transformation and the positive impact it has had for other business owners and managers.

Do you find yourself frustrated and stressed-out? Are you buried in paper? Are you having trouble finding paperwork, bills, receipts, or invoices? Maybe there was a time when you enjoyed Mondays, but now you dread Monday morning!  My name is Nancy Black and since 1983 I’ve been helping people get more organized, become more effective at work, have more fun at work, and get more done in less time. I can change your life and all it takes is…. 3 hours! For more information call me today at (978) 922-6136 or use this online inquiry form.

Are You Suffering From the “Terrible Too’s” ?
Top 10 Tips On How to Manage Them

The Terrible Too’s are a term I coined a few years ago to describe having too much to do and too little time to do it in. In this newsletter I thought I’d share some of the advice I’ve given to clients over the years to help them manage the Terrible Too’s.

1) Goals and Priorities

One of the most effective ways to begin managing the Terrible Too’s is to set goals and determine your top priorities. Make time daily, ideally first thing in the morning, where you can sit quietly to create and review your goals for the day, week, month, and year. Some people like to do that at the end of the day, before they go to bed. Do whatever works best for you. When you are clearer about your priorities you’ll be less likely to get distracted.

2) Time Management

We all have 24 hours in a day. The difference is how we choose to use that time. One exercise I’ve recommended to my clients involves writing down everything they do over a three to five day period. Then we look at it to analyze if they are using their time effectively or wasting it on activities that are not priorities.

3) Focus on Top Priorities

Once you have gone through the exercise of analyzing how you’ve spent your time over the past several days, take a moment to determine if your activities are related to your top priorities. Are the activities moving you closer to your goals and objectives or further away?

4) See, Think, Live Your Priorities

Keeping your top priorities in front of you, literally in front of you, will help you stay focused on the most important things to do. List your top priorities on a white board in your office, carry them on a card in your purse or wallet, keep them on the first page of your daily planner, or on an electronic program.

5) Delegate

Now that you have a better idea of what you should be doing, versus not be doing, it’s time to delegate. I tell my clients to live by these words: “Do what you do best and delegate the rest!”

6) Say NO to Multi-Tasking

Study after study shows that multi-tasking is most often NOT an effective way to get things done. The best way to consistently reach your goals and objectives is to start one task and focus on it until it is complete. Use your daily/weekly planner to schedule time for specific items – and stick to that schedule!

7) Computers

Many people have turned to their computers as a tool to help them save time. Unfortunately, some computer programs and Internet activities actually waste your time. Make a list of how you spend your time on your computer or on the Internet. Which things waste your time? Are you spending time on Facebook when you should be returning customer calls? Are you building a new website when you should be prospecting for new clients?

8) EMAIL

Managing EMAIL can become a very time-consuming and distracting process. I recommend that my clients set specific times for checking and responding to email. If you do this for just a few days I think you’ll be amazed at the results. After 21 days it will become a habit.

9) Ask: “What’s More Important?”

Distractions are inevitable, that’s just how it is. But what you can do when distractions occur is be more discerning as to whether the task you’re working on, or the interruption, is the top priority. Based on my years of experience working with clients, in the majority of cases, interruptions can usually wait, or wait long enough so that a more highly prioritized task can be completed.

10) Rewards

Most people focus on what they have not done and do not give themselves credit for their accomplishments.

The human mind responds to incentives. As a result, you’ll find you are more fulfilled if you reward yourself for completing your prioritized goals and objectives than if you do not . You should reward yourself for your accomplishments. It might be as simple as going out for an ice-cream! It could be a round of golf on Friday afternoon, or maybe a walk in the park after you’ve accomplished what you set out to accomplish for the week. Whatever the case, rewards are an important part of managing your time as well as your life!