Organizing for Success : More Than 100 Tips, Tools, Ideas, and Strategies for Organizing and Prioritizing Work

by Zeigler, Kenneth

• ISBN13: 9780071457781
• ISBN10: 007145778X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-27
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

You will save up to two hours per day with new and innovative tips, tools, and strategies from a top time-management trainerOrganizing for Successprovides you with a new approach to handle all the demands that bombard you both at work and at home. It shows you how to develop fundamental skills such as: How to set the right goals How to use the "veggie" principle to accomplish priorities on deadline How to manage time effectively using anything from a simple pad of paper to the latest electronic gadgetAuthor Ken Zeigler has personally trained thousands of professionals, providing him with great exposure and even landing him on the cover ofInvestor's Business Daily. Here, he supplies you with: Techniques for developing a master list to focus on what's important Hands-on methods for getting off to a fast start Strategies for controlling interruptions, e-mail, the phone, and the desk

Author Biography

Kenneth Zeigler is a veteran trainer, consultant, and speaker on time management and productivity. His clients have included the Hertz Corporation, the Federal Reserve, Fidelity Investments, and numerous other blue chip organizations.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction: How This Book Is Different and What It Can Do for You	1	(6)
The Goal of This Book	2	(1)
The Best Way to Start	2	(1)
Give Reality a Hug	3	(1)
How to Use This Book	4	(1)
Lights, Camera, Action	5	(2)
Chapter 1: Taking Control of Your Day: Becoming the Ringmaster Instead of the Beast	7	(8)
The Ringmaster's Strategies	9	(6)
Chapter 2: The Keys to Successful Goal Setting and Meeting Deadlines	15	(8)
What Is a Goal?	15	(1)
What a Goal Isn't	16	(1)
The Purpose of Goal Setting	17	(1)
How to Identify Obstacles to Achieving Your Goal	18	(3)
To Set Achievable Goals, It's Important That You...	21	(1)
How to Develop Your Goal	22	(1)
Chapter 3: Nine Easy Steps to Establishing a Goal	23	(10)
1. See the End Result in Your Mind	23	(2)
2. Identify When You're Going to Work on It Daily and/or Weekly	25	(1)
3. Make Your Goal Measurable	25	(1)
4. Is Your Goal Realistic and Achievable?	26	(1)
5. Break Large Goals into Manageable Chunks	27	(1)
6. Write Down Start and Completion Dates	28	(1)
7. Write Down a Reward for Finishing on Time	29	(1)
8. Identify What Could Go Wrong	30	(1)
9. Identify Who You're Going to Need	31	(2)
Chapter 4: Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing: Daily and Weekly	33	(14)
Using a Master List to Create a Plan That Works	33	(11)
Take Breaks between Tasks	44	(3)
Chapter 5: Apply the Veggie Principle	47	(12)
The Benefits of Using the Veggie Principle in the Morning	48	(1)
Making an Effective Daily List	49	(1)
Plan the Following Week on Friday	50	(1)
How to Put Together a Powerful Morning	51	(3)
Use Your Energy Cycles to Your Advantage	54	(1)
Stop Working Late at Night	54	(1)
Monday Morning Is Critical	55	(1)
Get to Work Early and Leave on Time	55	(1)
Before You Leave Work	56	(1)
Don't Overplan	56	(1)
Start Your Morning the Night Before	57	(1)
Batch Like Items	57	(2)
Chapter 6: Prioritizing and Multitasking Quickly and Accurately	59	(10)
The Big Three	59	(1)
Determining and Handling Priorities	60	(3)
How Human Nature Affects the Way We Prioritize	63	(1)
How to Negotiate Requests	64	(1)
Successful People Do One Thing at a Time	65	(1)
See if You Can Fit It into Your Schedule	65	(1)
Write Down the Task and Circle the Deadline	66	(1)
Show Your Leader and Team Members Your Plan	66	(3)
Chapter 7: Finding More Time in a Day	69	(4)
The Law of Subtraction	69	(1)
When You Review Your Journal	70	(3)
Chapter 8: Control Your Desk	73	(10)
Take Everything off Your Desk	74	(1)
Have a Clock Visible	75	(1)
Organize Your Tools	76	(1)
Remove the Future and Past from Your Desk File	76	(1)
How to Set Up Your Working Files	77	(4)
Stop Using Post-its	81	(1)
Put the Future and the Past in the Reference File	81	(1)
File a Little Every Day So It Won't Get Out of Hand	81	(1)
Leave Work Every Day with a Clean Desktop	82	(1)
Chapter 9: Prevent and Limit Interruptions	83	(8)
When We Are Interrupted...	84	(1)
Criteria for a Worthwhile Interruption	84	(1)
Try to Control the Noise around You	85	(1)
Turn Your Monitor	85	(1)
Chairs in Your Office	85	(1)
Have a "Selective" Open-Door Policy	86	(1)
Put a Sign outside Your Cubicle	87	(1)
Work Somewhere Else	87	(1)
Tell People	87	(1)
If Your Computer Schedules Your Time	88	(1)
Learn How to Tactfully Interrupt	88	(1)
Stand Up	88	(1)
Arrange a Later Time	89	(1)
Don't Prolong the Interruption	89	(1)
Agree to a Group Power Hour	89	(1)
Delegate the Interruption	90	(1)
Chapter 10: Manage, Control, and Write More Effective E-mail	91	(14)
Turn off Your E-mail Notification and Check E-mail Periodically	92	(1)
If You Have to Check Your E-mail First Thing	93	(1)
Don't Use Instant Messenger	94	(1)
Use Colors to Code Your E-mails if You Have Outlook	94	(1)
Flag Messages or Drag and Drop Them onto Your Calendar	94	(1)
Do It Now, Delete It Now	95	(1)
What to Do with "Spam"	95	(1)
Just Say No!	95	(1)
Don't Use Your In-box as Your To-do List	95	(1)
Create Rules to Move and "Block" Certain E-mails	96	(1)
Set Up Electronic "Folders" and Subfolders	96	(1)
Clean Out Your Files Regularly	96	(1)
Batch Your Responses to E-mail	97	(1)
If You Must Forward a Message, Give Instructions	97	(1)
Rules for Using E-mail Rather than the Phone	97	(1)
Create a Signature to Help Your Recipients	98	(1)
If You're Going to Be "Out of the Office"	98	(1)
Set Up "Spell-Check"	98	(1)
Use Your Calendar to Show Your Schedule	99	(1)
Set Up Auto Archive	99	(1)
Write E-mail That Gets Results and Saves Time	100	(1)
What Is the Purpose of Your Letter or E-mail?	101	(1)
Have One Key Point or Issue per Message	101	(1)
Consider Your Reader or Audience before You Write	102	(1)
Your Message Should Have These Three Characteristics	102	(1)
Other Suggestions	102	(3)
Chapter 11: Managing the Phone and Using Voice Mail	105	(10)
Keep a Phone Log	105	(1)
Outgoing Calls	106	(3)
Incoming Calls	109	(2)
How to Effectively Use Voice Mail	111	(4)
Chapter 12: Delegation That Empowers	115	(10)
Why Don't We Delegate More? (The Obstacles)	116	(1)
Benefits of Successful Delegation	117	(1)
The Ten Steps to Delegating Successfully	117	(5)
Another Suggestion	122	(3)
Chapter 13: Planning an Effective Meeting	125	(14)
Characteristics of Unproductive Meetings	126	(1)
There are Three Types of Meetings	126	(1)
What Is the Goal or Purpose of Your Meeting?	126	(1)
Do You Really Need to Schedule This Meeting?	127	(1)
Ask, "Do I Really Have to Be There?"	128	(1)
Include Only People Who Need to Be There	128	(1)
Have an Agenda and Distribute It Early	128	(8)
Other Meeting Tips	136	(3)
Chapter 14: How to Recognize and Manage Procrastination	139	(6)
Major Causes of Procrastination	139	(1)
How to Manage Procrastination	140	(5)
Appendix A: Timekeeping Journal	145	(12)
Keeping Your Daily Time Record	146	(1)
Completing Your Time Management Improvement Report	147	(1)
Time Management Improvement Report	148	(9)
Appendix B: Time Management Action Plan	157	(2)
Appendix C: Goal Form	159	(2)
Team Performance Planner	160	(1)
Index	161