ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Files vs Piles
I recently read an article that had some interesting but not surprising statistics. Harte-Hanks published a survey in December, 2001 which reported that 96% of businesspeople interviewed were frustrated by their companies' information management. It's no wonder. An IDC white paper published in August, 2001 told us employees can spend up to two and half hours a day looking for information. It's about retrieval The truth of the matter is that information in large organizations is stored in huge electronic databases and archival files. However, a great deal of it is also found in the individual employee's workspace?on their desktop, in their file cabinets and in their heads. Coopers and Lybrand estimates U.S. Executives spend one hour a day just looking for misplaced files. But as I tell my clients, it's all about finding files, not just storing them. Can the information you are looking for be retrieved quickly? If needed, can it be found when the employee is absent from work? What if the employee leaves the company...does the ability to find information leave also? Systems to the rescue Taking the time to create a workable filing system works to the advantage of an organization. They become strategically prepared for the future and can maintain a competitive edge. However, development, management and maintenance of a filing system at the individual desktop level seems to be a hurdle for most. The truth is that it doesn't have to be difficult?it just takes focus and time. A well thought-out filing system simply provides a user-friendly structure or path. Better yet, the same key elements for developing a paper files can be used for digital files as well. The rewards include increased personal performance, productivity and reduced stress levels. If employees took the time to begin developing a customized, workable system, their retrieval problems would be greatly diminished. And so would that of the organization. Technology to the rescue There are at least two software products in the marketplace that help employees retrieve information stored within their own workspace. The programs aren't particularly complicated or expensive however they take time to set up. But let's face it--a workspace in disarray didn't get that way overnight. So the 'fix' most likely won't happen that quickly either. After investing the required time, management and maintenance of the system tends to be easy and painless. And the productivity gain enormous. As Neil Larson said?'the value of information lies in how it is organized.' Can you find your organization's valuable information quickly? Copyright 2001 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved. Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file management. Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International Society for Performance Improvement ? Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Simple Steps to a More Organized Household 1. Divide big jobs into smaller jobs. Make a list of all the places in your house that you would like to see become more organized. Now you may seem overwhelmed by some of the jobs so break those jobs down into smaller jobs. Now each task is more manageable. Take each job one at a time and before you know it you'll be done. Organization Tips - How To Get Things Done What stops you from 'getting things done?' How Much Is Your Time Worth? Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work? 3-Step Clean Sweep Program to Organize Getting Started Create A Working Mail Center I talk about the mail a lot in my newsletter, Organewz, and to my clients. I write about it again because I have seen so many people still without one place for their mail. The worst part is the anxiety that goes along with not knowing where a bill or water shut off notice is! It is just too nervewracking! Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks as you do of the spices they contain. Spice racks are wonderful kitchen home organization gadgets. And a spice rack is a wonderful gift too for a cook. In our household, my husband is the chef. But I'm the shopper. And we own three functional and handsome spice racks that are in use every day. Before you buy your next spice rack for yourself or as a gift consider these factors: Taking Care of You: De-Clutter De-Cluttering our lives can be an extremely liberating exercise. There are many types of clutter than can hinder us having the quality of life we want and deserve. There is clutter that is in our minds as negative self-talk. There is the clutter that physically exists in our homes, cars, offices, such as old newspapers waiting to be recycled, stacks of magazines you will never read, old clothes that are destined for the good will because they no longer suit our style or size, etc. There is another form of clutter often referred to as "tolerations" that refers to all those nagging little things that drain our energy every time we encounter them. This type of clutter can encompass the other two types and also includes things such as the broken toaster that only toasts one side of the bread, the whistling kettle that no longer whistles, that phone call you've been meaning to make for two weeks. This type of clutter or tolerations, fill up time and space in our lives by their very existence. When we are able to reduce and then eliminate most clutter, we have so much more energy for what we really want in our lives. Five Simple Tips to Get Organized Today! Take time to declutter this summer... 10 Simple Ways to Clear Clutter from Your Home and Office There is nothing worse then spending ten minutes looking for something to accomplish a three minute task. Clear the clutter and clear your mind. Basic Organizing Principles So you've decided to get organized, but you just don't know where to begin. Here are four basic organizing principles that will help you regain control over your schedule, your environment, and your life: Organized Living in a Disorganized World We are bombarded with so many factors that perpetuate disorganization. Computers, fax machines, cellular phones, and on-line services enable us to do more - and require us to do more. The speed of the microchip doubles every 18 months, with no end in sight. There is also a greater sense of urgency due to rising expectations. If I can e-mail you a question in 20 seconds, why can't you return my e-mail just as quickly? Calendars and Personality Type I recently conducted a survey to look at the relationship between an individual's personality type and his or her organizing and time management style, and noticed that the majority of participants said they have a calendar system that works for them. As there are so many time management systems available, both paper-based and electronic, I thought it would be interesting to find out which calendar systems are most popular with each personality type, and asked my ezine subscribers and visitors to my website to describe their time management system, what they like and dislike about it, and their personality type according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). The MBTI measures your preferences in four areas: Do You Have Scatter-Brain-Itis? In your quest to get 'up and running' so to speak with your online ventures do you find yourself getting distracted by things that have nothing to do with whatever it is your trying to accomplish? Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually How to do keep track of all you have to do on a daily basis? How about things that have to get done this week?.. How about for the month? I used to be a pen and paper guy..everything I had to get done was written (notes) in the yellow pad that sits in front of me. It still sits there, but it's not used as much, except for when I'm taking notes when on the phone. Four Easy Steps to An Organized Closet The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to clean out those closets, but don't wait for January -- now is the time. Exciting this task is not, but by devoting a couple of afternoons this month you can reduce unnecessary search time and you may even find some extra storage in the process. Clutter Control Remember when you charged into the office that first day, all primed to make the new year the best ever. You made a New Year's Resolution that you would definitely get organised to start the coming year with a bang! So what did you do? You cleaned out all the clutter that had accumulated throughout the past year and in some instances, the past decade! Can You Make a ?Torpedo? Out of Personal Junk? How to Optimize What You Have "Junkyard Wars," a TV series showed two teams of experts contending for a title. The aim of the competition was for teams to construct a torpedo that can hit a target. But the challenge was more than just the process of construction. The challenge was creating a torpedo out of a junk. 10 Organizing Tips for Road Warrior Parents Parenting is always a challenge, but particularly so if your work requires that you travel. Don't be too hard on yourself or on them when you find it difficult. Here are some tips you may find helpful: 5 Tips to Banish Clutter From Your Life For Good Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes from 20 percent of what we own. That means that 80 percent of the things in our homes are rarely or never used. Follow these tips to de-clutter your life. Get Organized -- Every Home Needs An Office EVERY HOME NEEDS AN OFFICE
|
|
|
|
|
