Organizing Yourself to Succeed Patti Waterbury Creative Growth Strategies, Inc. © 2010 Patti Waterbury

Organizing Yourself to Succeed You will learn how to: Motivate yourself (to do even what you dont really want to do) Organize information flow so you stop wasting time Avoid distractions that lower your productivity Stop procrastinating Fully leverage your talent and skills

Motivate Yourself (to do even what you dont really want to do) Decide what you want – Get clear on the what and the how will take care of itself Focus on your passion – Enthusiasm (entheos in Greek) – to be filled with spirit Live on purpose - reconnect what you do with your higher purpose – What is my why? What is the ultimate goal? Align your life and business goals – Am I doing what I love to do?

Organize Information Flow (so you stop wasting time) Create a productive work environment in your office with systems Design your vision – what do you want it to look like? How does it make you feel? What would you be able to do if it were in place? What is stopping me? (space, clutter, resources, etc.) Commit your resources to improve Select your tools Implement for min of 3 weeks

Information flow Decide whether to file, act, toss If you arent sure, ask… – do I need to take action? – Is it legal / tax related? – How difficult would it be to find again? Calendar – copy / paste between task, calendar, and – Color code calendar Contact Management

Information flow Action files – By date – use tickler files (1-31 & Jan – Dec) – Recurring (calls, waiting for response) – Topic or project Reference files – For physical & electronic files, if you cant find it, it has no value – Types of files Business Personal Archive - keep a (tax, legal, completed projects) – Ways to organize Alphabetical (category, name,) Numerical (phone, client, Index system ( platform, spreadsheet, index)

Avoid Distractions that Lower Your Productivity Finish one thing before you start something else – failing to complete robs you of valuable attention Use a timer to raise your awareness of your productivity Identify what issues are getting in the way – where systems and structures are needed to manage an area Say NO to the good things to protect your time for implementing the best opportunities Do NOT multi-task

Stop Procrastinating Identify your fear – failure, success Break projects down Get an accountability partner to check in with on a daily or weekly basis Create smart goals Identify the next thing you must do and get it done Leverage resources to do what you are not good at or do not want to do Prioritize your calendar – free time first, then revenue generating projects Regain control of your thoughts and behavior…make it intentional

Fully Leverage Your Talent and Skills Every outcome we experience is the result of how we have responded (our actions or inaction) to earlier events Take responsibility for your choices – what you think, images you visualize, actions you take (behavior) Know and play to your strengths Do most important tasks during your peak productivity time Pay attention to the results you are producing – results dont lie

Next Time: Structuring your Business for Success Your responsibilities as a leader and manager Critical components of any organization Sequential steps to designing an effective organization How to determine what to outsource