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Welcome to the first issue of my newsletter. I've
wanted to do this for a long time and
am now making it a priority. I am a writer at heart
and want to share my tips, techniques and processes
with more than just those with whom I am consulting
or speaking. The articles will feature practical
solutions to issues or problems encountered in
running a small business. This newsletter is for YOU.
Let me know what you would like help with!
| Productivity for Your Business: Simplify Your Computer Files |
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Keeping your computer files in order can be as
frustrating to maintain, if not more, than your paper
files. You can save files in a million different places in
your computer and they are not easy to "see", much
less "find". So let's look at how we can make you
more productive by providing some order to your
electronic files. Our goal is to build a file retrieval
system not a storage system. We want to make it
easy for you, or someone in your office, to find the
file later. Specific computer instructions are for a
Windows environment but can be adapted to a
Macintosh environment. Note -- there are several
software tools on the market today that will assist
you to catalog and search for your electronic files. I'll
cover these in another article. I am a firm believer
that you should start with the basics first. Then,
you'll never be tied to a tool.
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| Productivity for Your Self: Getting More Done in a Day |
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Most people I work with think they need to get more
done. (Some of them do not! They just need to
acknowledge what they have accomplished so they
can give themselves a well-deserved pat on the
back.) For those who
want to increase their productivity, try these key
ideas:
- Use a daily to-do list to help you remain
focused.
When you create your list, only choose three tasks
you want to complete. When these are completed,
you can choose three more. This will keep you from
getting so overwhelmed with a long list. It also helps
you to choose the most important tasks to be
worked on. Click
here for a free daily to-do sheet you
can use.
- Schedule meetings with yourself on your
calendar. Start your day by first looking at your
calendar to see what is happening. Then plan your
tasks around your meetings. Blocking out time to
work on projects or complete critical tasks raises the
likelihood the task will get worked on (or at least not
forgotten).
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| Interesting News |
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- We are changing! After 10 years as Organize &
Computerize, the company name will be changing
to
Center for Growth & Productivity over the
next
month. Too many clients think I'm all about how to
use computers. Not so! I am a productivity expert
who uses many different tools and techniques to
solve business operation problems. Visit our new
website at www.C4GP.com
for
more details.
- Want to learn how to get started organizing?
Check out Debbie's article on the Pendaflex website
at Getting Started.
While you're there, see what the other experts have
to say about organizing. Join the I Hate Filing Club
for monthly updates and product ideas.
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"Ask Debbie" |
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Q: My employees aren't working
on what I want them to. What can I do?
A: First, do they have a written job
responsibility list? Having even a simple list of their
major tasks ensures you both are clear what they
should be doing.
Second, are deadlines and expected dates
clear? Create a schedule that shows when regular
tasks are to be completed such as making collection
calls, printing A/P checks or providing you with
special reports.
Lastly, do you have staff meetings to
review upcoming deadlines and discuss issues? Even
a 15-minute meeting can save time later and set
clear expectations. It starts with communication.
You have to work on the process first and then look
at the person. Have you done your part to clearly
communicate what you want done and when?
Ask Debbie your question...send an email to
debbie@c4gp.com.
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