Creating the perfect To-Do list

To-Do lists can be a blessing or a curse. They’re a curse if we don’t use them properly, or spend all our time making them instead of executing the tasks themselves. But they can be a real blessing, and enhance productivity is created and utilized properly.

Here are some tips for creating the best To-Do list in town!

Tips for creating your perfect To-Do list:

• Prioritize everything on the list. A list is of little use if the important items are all lumped together with the things that need to get done ASAP! Mark every item on your list with an A,B, or C (or 1,2 or 3) which each letter or number signifying the priority level of that item. This will give you a quick visual on what need your attention right away.

• Review your list every morning. Consult your list at the start of the day so that you can better prioritize your time.

• Cross items off the list when they are complete. There’s nothing more satisfying than looking down at your To-Do list and seeing all the important things you have accomplished CROSSED OFF. It’s a real motivator!

• Don’t mix lists! Keep one list for your work-related tasks and a different To-Do list for home-related projects.

• Review your list and look for ways to combine tasks. Often, there will be items on your list that overlap, or are related to one another and can therefore be knocked out all at once. Look for ways to group these tasks together.

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How to manage an unruly email inbox

How to manage an unruly email inbox

Unless you are genuinely dedicated to helping financially-strapped Nigerian royalty, or hording Canadian Viagra, chances are you have to sift through a lot of useless email in a day. Heck, even the non-SPAM from people you know and love can get a little overwhelming at times.

Here are some simple tips for managing your email inbox!

1. Delete the junk first. Each day, make a couple of sweeps through your inbox and remove all the spam. This will provide a clearer picture of actually needs your attention.

2. Separate by priority level. If you’ve got some pressing emails that need responses, put them in an URGENT subfolder and get on them right away. For important, but less urgent items (such as those from family and friends), set aside a folder to put them in, and reserve a time each day to review them.

3. If something only requires a quick response, do it! If you are performing step 2 (above) and you identify an email that only needs a two-word reply, just get ‘er done! It’s one less thing to worry about. Never let the simple ones linger.

4. Don’t save everything! For business, it is important to create a well-organized structure of sub-folders and keep a virtual paper-trail for as long as possible. But pet photography forwarded by your great aunt in Wisconsin? Not so much. Commit to regular clean sweeps of non-essential (but non-SPAM) emails.

5. Stop signing up for stuff! Really, do you need the monthly subscription to the Gold and Silver Futures Trading Investment Tip Email Newsletter? Check out everything you’re getting on a regular basis, and then “UNSUBSCRIBE” liberally!

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A brief history of the cubicle

Maligned by office workers everywhere, referred to by many as the “three walled prison”, the cubicle is not considered a favorite destination for any adult who has to find a way to pay the rent. But perhaps a little insight into great moments in cubicle history will help us see this faux-office in a different, more positive light…well, maybe not, but here’s the information anyway.

• The cubicle is to have made its first appearance in the offices of chipmaker Intel Corp during the 1960’s.

• Robert Propst designed the first office cube, while working for Herman Miller. “We need to stuff more people into these buildings”, Miller was thought to yell out one day during an adverse reaction to his medication.

• Author Douglas Coupland once famously referred to office cubicles as “veal fattening pens”.

• There is a punk rock band in Los Angeles called Cubicle that plays songs about office life.

• The term “cube farm” refers to offices that grow quickly and therefore need to be loaded to the max with cubicles.

• Research has shown that people who decorate their cubicles with cat photos are scorned by their co-workers at lunch with a 152% greater frequency than those without cat photos.

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How to set the best goals for you and your team

Goals drive your staff. And how well they achieve these goals is the difference between whether you end up in the profit or loss column. Here are some proven-successful tips for setting goals that motivate employees and help improve the bottom line!

Make sure the goals are measurable. Never be vague about what is expected of people.

Make sure the goals are attainable. Goals that are too ambitious can destroy worker confidence.

Make sure the goals are challenging. You don’t want to set the bar so low that nobody feels motivated.

Make sure that everyone knows their responsibilities.

Set teams goals AND individual goals. A seamless combination of both helps the team run at its best, and workers stay fulfilled.

Stay flexible. Don’t be rigid about the goals you set. If the business climate dictates change, the make changes to your goal structure accordingly!

Be supportive. And last but not least, support your team as they work towards their goals. Let them know how they are doing along the way, and not just at their review every year.

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Getting out of the office…without the guilt!

If you think you’re improving your lot in life by working 60-plus hours a week without pause, you are sadly mistaken. This type of behavior is a quick ticket to career burnout. The individuals who make it to the corner office are the ones who realize the importance of striking a balance, and taking time off to recharge their batteries. These are the folks who return reinvigorated and refreshed…and more productive than ever.

Here are four simple things to keep in mind with regards to your next work holiday:

A working vacation is just not possible. This is a serious contradiction in terms. If you’re going to spend time outside the office, devote it to YOU and your family…and leave your laptop at home!

Taking time off is an opportunity to test your delegation skills. You’ve been trying to get more off your plate all year – and a vacation is the perfect time to bite the bullet and put key responsibilities in the hands of your capable staff.

Plan way ahead. Try and book your vacation as FAR in advance as possible. This will allow you to get all your ducks in a row at work, and have fewer excuses for NOT going when the time comes.

Go during off-peak season. Your vacation time is valuable. And you want to get the most out of it. So it makes sense to book during off-season. Your destination should be less crowded, and you’ll be able to get more for your money because it will cost less.

So what are you waiting for? Get online and book that MUCH NEEDED vacation today!

For the best office furniture at unbelievable prices, visit www.aceofficesystems.com. Call us at 1866-964-8457. Or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com.

Tips for avoiding interruptions in the office

One of the biggest time-stealers in the office setting is the interruption. A productivity killer, unwanted interruptions keep works from achieving peak performance…and are just generally annoying.

Here are some sure-fire tips to help you avoid interruptions from well meaning, and not-so-well-meaning coworkers:

Move your chair so that it can’t be seen from the door. This will cut down on the “Hi, How are you?” interruptions that can really bog down your day.

Use body language to convey that you are busy. Turn only part of your body towards the individual who is speaking to you to communicate that you are preoccupied.

Create a road block. Place a chair, desk or other object between you and your door. Crazy, but it works!

Screen your calls. Have the operator or your secretary take all yours while you are focused on a big project.

Place your computer monitor right in front of your face. By not offering up visual cues, fewer people will feel comfortable starting up a conversation.

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Annoying Office Catch-phrases: Volume I

Certain words and phrases enter the workplace and just seem to spread like a virus. The godfather of all annoying office quotes, “Let’s do lunch” started out harmlessly enough in some random Los Angeles talent agency mailroom, but by the time it had run its course, every CEO and maintenance man had uttered it repeatedly.

So with that, let’s all be on the lookout for any of the following overused catch phrases:

“Talk to it… “

Usage: “Bob, I can seem to get a handle on this new client” “No problem. We’ll talk to it after lunch”.

“Think outside the box”

An old-school classic that even predates that crazy Internet thing that all the kids have been talking about lately. Frankly, let’s all stay inside the box; it’s warm and cozy in there.

“Come to Jesus” meeting

Why would Jesus attend a sales meeting at a Nebraska box company? Well, according to this annoying catch-phrase, he’s been there and every other conflict-addressing meeting-of-the-minds from Albany to Zanzibar.

Any quote from the movie Office Space

Great movie. Love it to death. The guy who spouts on about “TPS reports” and answers every question with “Um, Yeah”? Not so much.

“Tipping Point”

Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book has become the explanation for anything that creates a business-related event. For example: “Eating lunch at Arby’s was the Tipping Point for Bob’s afternoon in the bathroom”.

“That’s what she said”

People, please leave the catch-phrases to the sitcom stars. Spewing a Michael Scott tribute to every co-worker who gives you an opening is a) ticket to a sexual harassment suit, b) two steps removed from saying “Where’s the Beef” in mixed company, or c) both of the above.

For the best office furniture at unbelievable prices, visit www.aceofficesystems.com. Call us at 1866-964-8457. Or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com.