When was the last time you thought to yourself, "I wish I was more organized?" Although many think the new year is the ideal time to start getting organized, it's never too late. The Wall Street Journal reports that the average American business executive loses six weeks a year (that's 3-5 hours weekly) looking for lost or misplaced items. This causes reduced productivity, efficiency and earning power. Simple changes will bring organization that can increase productivity and energy, reduce stress, and provide more control over time, to devote to those activities that increase income or provide pleasure. The following tips can help you get started with organizing your desk, office and time:

1. Make a daily to-do list, the night before. Number the items in prioritized order.
2. Clear your desk of only the most often used items.
3. Keep just one project on your desk at a time, to avoid distractions.
4. Keep phone calls to a minimum. Speak about business first.
5. When leaving a message for a return phone call, indicate what time of day is best for you.
6. Use only one calendar for both business and personal, so dates are not overlooked.
7. Make 2 copies of all the important items in your wallet, in case of loss or theft. Keep one copy at home, and one locked up at work.
8. When writing appointments in your planner or on your calendar, include applicable phone numbers (and addresses) so they are readily available, in case of the need to confirm or cancel the appointment.
9. Turn organizing into a continuous process. Clean your desk daily, and your files, drawers, and closets at least semi-annually.
10. Make small changes daily, so organizing does not become overwhelming or frustrating.

Be aware that becoming organized is not an overnight process yet making these small changes can bring a welcomed sense of relief and balance. A few hours spent organizing now, can help avert a larger, more complex problem in the future (such as missed deadlines or double-booking an important client). Compare this to the concept of preventive maintenance on a car. It can be kept up on a regular basis, or be certain to encounter a more serious, costlier problem later.

A professional organizer can implement a plan for a desk, a filing system, an entire department or office, as well as for employees.

Commit to getting organized today!

Read each statement carefully. Respond either "T" (true/mostly true) or "F"(false/mostly false).

1. ________There's never enough time to complete what I start.

2. ________I feel fragmented most of the time.

3. ________I have areas of clutter in my house that I never seem to get handled.

4. ________I have areas of clutter in my office that I can't put in order.

5. ________Sometimes I just don't know where to put things.

6. ________If I file a paper I may never see it again.

7. ________There's too much information for me to sort through at work.

8. ________I use the "kitchen table sorting system" to manage bills.

9. ________I don't know what papers I have to keep or what to get rid of.

10. ________My systems for storing and retrieving information don't work.

11. ________I can't decide what clothes/clutter to get rid of.

12. ________My closets are so full I don't know what's in them.

13. ________Incoming mail causes a problem.

14. ________There's no way to take time for myself each day to regenerate and relax.

15. ________I procrastinate until a deadline is looming.

16. ________My "to do" lists are seldom completed.

17. ________I have piles of papers everywhere.

18. ________I waste time searching for items in my office.

19. ________I am often late paying bills, getting to appointments or meeting deadlines.

20. ________I find it difficult to return phone calls in a timely manner.

Contact Diane Hatcher or call for results of your OQ. Happy Organizing!