Transcript Organizing Yourself to Succeed

Organizing Yourself
to Succeed
Patti Waterbury
Creative Growth Strategies, Inc.
© 2010 Patti Waterbury
www.pattiwaterbury.com
Organizing Yourself to Succeed
You will learn how to:
• Motivate yourself (to do even what you don’t really
want to do)
• Organize information flow so you stop wasting time
• Avoid distractions that lower your productivity
• Stop procrastinating
• Fully leverage your talent and skills
Motivate Yourself
(to do even what you don’t really want to do)
• Decide what you want
– Get clear on the what and the how will take
care of itself
• Focus on your passion
– Enthusiasm (entheos in Greek) – to be filled
with spirit
• Live “on purpose” - reconnect what you
do with your higher purpose
– “What is my why? What is the ultimate
goal?”
• Align your life and business goals
– “Am I doing what I love to do?”
Organize Information Flow
(so you stop wasting time)
Create a productive work environment in your office
with systems
• Design your vision – what do you want it to look like?
How does it make you feel? What would you be able
to do if it were in place?
• What is stopping me? (space, clutter, resources, etc.)
• Commit your resources to improve
• Select your tools
• Implement for min of 3 weeks
Information flow
Decide whether to file, act, toss
• If you aren’t sure, ask…
– do I need to take action?
– Is it legal / tax related?
– How difficult would it be to find again?
• Calendar
– copy / paste between task, calendar, and email
– Color code calendar
• Contact Management
Information flow
• Action files
– By date – use tickler files
(1-31 & Jan – Dec)
– Recurring (calls, waiting for
response)
– Topic or project
• Reference files
– For physical & electronic
files, if you can’t find it, it
has no value
– Types of files
• Business
• Personal
• Archive - keep a (tax, legal,
completed projects)
– Ways to organize
• Alphabetical (category,
name,)
• Numerical (phone, client,
• Index system ( platform,
spreadsheet, index)
Avoid Distractions that
Lower Your Productivity
• Finish one thing before you start something else –
failing to complete robs you of valuable attention
• Use a timer to raise your awareness of your
productivity
• Identify what issues are getting in the way – where
systems and structures are needed to manage an
area
• Say NO to the good things to protect your time for
implementing the best opportunities
• Do NOT multi-task
Stop Procrastinating
• Identify your fear – failure, success
• Break projects down
• Get an accountability partner to check in
with on a daily or weekly basis
• Create smart goals
• Identify the “next thing” you must do and
get it done
• Leverage resources to do what you are not
good at or do not want to do
• Prioritize your calendar – free time first, then
revenue generating projects
• Regain control of your thoughts and
behavior…make it intentional
Fully Leverage Your Talent and Skills
• Every outcome we experience is the result of how we
have responded (our actions or inaction) to earlier
events
• Take responsibility for your choices – what you think,
images you visualize, actions you take (behavior)
• Know and play to your strengths
• Do most important tasks during your peak
productivity time
• Pay attention to the results you are producing –
results don’t lie
Next Time:
Structuring your Business for Success
• Your responsibilities as a leader and manager
• Critical components of any organization
• Sequential steps to designing an effective
organization
• How to determine what to outsource