Dealing With Paper And Interruptions

Getting Organized: Dealing With Paper And Interruptions

Daily, almost hourly it seems we get battered with messaged and demands on bits of paper. if that isn’t bad enough, the phone is constantly going off forcing you to stop and re-start tasks.

How are you expected to get things done with all of these forces working against you? In this

article we will look at ways to keep the interruptions to a minimum while you try to sort your life out. Most of us get something in the mail nearly everyday. If it isn’t junk, it is bills or other things that need our attention.

The highly organized person will check through their mail everyday and tackle those things immediately. Most of us just stuff it all in the drawer and wish it would go away. Something you can try is to get a small wicker or plastic basket. Make a deal with yourself. Put all of your mail in this small container and leave it. However, there are 2 conditions.

The mail must still be visible and once the container is full you need to go through everything

and tackle what needs to be done. This is effective for a few reasons. It does force you to look at your mail on a fairly regular basis. It also keeps it in a safe location so it is not cluttering up your house or office. Finally, keeping it visible will remind you it is there so it doesn’t fall into the out of sight out of mind trap.

How many times have you set aside time to do things only to be interrupted by a constant barrage of phone calls. The more times you have to stop and re-start a task the less likely it will get done. The best thing to do is set aside some time to return phone calls. If the phone keeps ringing, let it ring. Let your answering machine do its job. If you like you can even put a message for callers stating you are otherwise engaged and will return calls at this time.

It is important not to let outside forces stop you from getting your tasks done. The more times you have to restart the less likely you will finish. By keeping the mail in a safe place and setting aside time to return phone calls, you can devote your time where you need to, getting your life sorted out.