organization | Frank Cianciulli

I hope you’re staying warm! It’s a new week and it’s pretty frigid in Toronto. So cold that it is 30 degrees below zero. That doesn’t mean that work cannot get done! As we’re close to the end of the first quarter one question I have for you is are you on your way to reaching your goals this year? One thing for me that’s always been essential to attaining my goals was to maintain a high level of organization.

I’ve learned that without being organized, you only add stress to your work, and with stress comes more issues. Gladly, spring is coming up so why don’t you start on getting organized now?

Here are some tips that I have come across to keep me steadily organized when it comes to completing tasks and keeping on top of my goals:

Get Rid of Junk – It’s important to always take away the clutter that you don’t need in your work space. Make sure that you make a ‘toss’ pile of things you’d like to throw away and a ‘store’ pile of things you’d like to keep. Be mindful of the value of things that will help you be efficient in the work place. Also, don’t forget to create and maintain a well-documented ‘to-do’ list.
Store what’s important to you – Do not hoard things for the sake of having them or else it will take away from what you actually need! Create a way to organize your materials in a way that makes sense to you. Everything related to what you need to be successful, ensure that you keep it in a safe place to allow you to refer to it when you need to.
Tackle your to-do list – This is where you should always invest your efforts for the biggest payoff in the long-term. Create file folders for each project. When you complete a project or tasks, go through the file and discard the unimportant documents from within then store and organize the file accordingly.
Keep your desk (work space) clear! – The surface of your desk should always be visible. Keep it that way. Deal with every piece of paper that crosses your desk immediately, to ensure that you are getting tasks done in the most efficient way possible.
Use Technology Wisely – Develop a method of storing phone numbers, and files on your computer and/or mobile phone. Online organizers which you can access via your computer or phone may take a little while to master, but will save you time in the long run.

Lastly, always remember to self-evaluate your progress to ensure you’re on the right path. Here’s an amazing article that I came across from Forbes explaining this: http://onforb.es/1hOBNaN

Have a great week, stay warm, and don’t forget to keep your eyes on the prize!

Frank.

To-do lists are a mixed bag for me. On one hand, they’re great for getting organized and prioritizing your daily tasks. On the other hand, if you’re not using them properly (like I’ve seen many entrepreneurs do) you run the risk of derailing your entire day.

Luckily, I’m not the only person who thinks this. I read a great article on Forbes that discusses “Organizing Tomorrow Today”. In his article, Jason Selk discusses the many benefits of planning for the future, something I’ve discussed in my previous posts. I encourage you to read the full article, but here are the two most important points I was able to take from it:

Your To-Do List Is Wrong: Like I mentioned, most people tend to make a massive to-do list full of both important and unimportant items. Simply listing off what’s on your plate is a waste of time. Instead, organize your list in terms that makes sense to you. Selk encourages that you list off your top three tasks of the day, followed by lesser tasks. What I do personally is organize my most important tasks of the day, and then group my lesser tasks into a separate category called “end of the week”. Whatever method you use, the main thing to remember is that you have to start off your day with your most important task, instead of tackling the less important items first. Otherwise, you’ll fall into the trap of constantly completing your simple tasks first, and never getting around to actually finishing what matters.

Take The Time To Plan Ahead: Arguably the most important thing that Selk says in his article is that no matter what, take the time to plan ahead. Don’t leave all of your future planning to the morning of said day. Take ten to fifteen minutes the day before to figure out what needs to be done first, what can wait until throughout the week, and what you can delegate. Selk summarizes this point nicely: “Highly successful people do not get everything done each day, not even close. They have learned to get the most important tasks completed, and then to do their best to get the rest done.”

All in all, the most successful entrepreneurs know the importance of prioritizing their tasks, and they also know the best method to complete them. Let me know how you tackle your important tasks and we can discuss it in detail in the comments below.