| You know you need to learn this method:- If you | | | | place in "OUT"4. Tickler file (email me if you don't |
| use your email and voice mailboxes to store | | | | know how to set one up) or action |
| things you need to do | | | | file ("to be read" file, "to be copied" file, "to be |
| but don't have time to address right now- If | | | | faxed" file, "computer |
| your brain swims with all kinds of ideas and things | | | | entry" file, etc.)5. File it in a corresponding project |
| you need to do- If the location of your stacks of | | | | file near your work area or "to be |
| paper on your desk determines its | | | | filed" bin to go into a reference file6. Remove |
| contents (the upper left hand corner of the desk | | | | yourself from mailing listsEMAIL 6-D Equivalents1. |
| means something different | | | | Delete it2. Forward it3. Reply if 3 minutes or less4. |
| from the upper right hand side of the desk. And, | | | | Move (or copy, depending upon your software |
| of course, items angled | | | | package) to Tasks (Action |
| sideways carry an altogether different meaning.)- | | | | items) or Calendar (time-sensitive meetings and |
| If you are constantly searching for things. You | | | | appointments). OR, print and |
| find yourself saying | | | | file in tickler file if you prefer a hardcopy. OR |
| things like, "I know it's right here." (By the way, | | | | copy email to your contact |
| the average professional | | | | management software and schedule an activity |
| spends 36 minutes a day looking for | | | | to follow up5. Drag to appropriate personal folder |
| things!)Indecision, by its very nature, causes | | | | (only if no action is required). OR |
| clutter and creates pile-ups. Many | | | | save to a Word document on hard drive.6. |
| of the piles on your desk and files in your email | | | | Unsubscribe from mailing lists and tell your friends |
| box represent postponed | | | | to stop sending you |
| decisions. The keys to successful information | | | | their "joke of the day"! Or use OfficeAssistant to |
| management are: (1) have a | | | | filter email.VOICEMAIL 6-D Equivalents1. Delete it2. |
| "home" for each category of information, and (2) | | | | Forward it3. Reply or call back if less than 3 |
| decide immediately where | | | | minutes (best if your voicemail system |
| each items belongs and (3) put it away. It | | | | has an automatic "reply" feature that sends a |
| doesn't mean you have to do it; | | | | message right to the person's |
| you just have to put it where it belongs. | | | | voicemail)4. Write a note in your planner on the |
| To help put these principles in action, I teach my | | | | day you need to respond, OR make a |
| clients a system I've | | | | log entry in your phone log, OR write the |
| developed called the "6-D" System. Each piece of | | | | information on an index card and |
| paper, each idea in your | | | | file in your tickler file; then delete it5. Transcribe |
| head, each email, each voice mail, each fax...these | | | | the information (only if no action is required) and |
| are simply pieces of | | | | file in |
| information.There are only 6 things you can do | | | | appropriate project or reference file6. Contact |
| with any piece of information:1. | | | | the caller and remove yourself from group |
| Discard-Permanently get rid of it. Ask yourself the | | | | distribution lists or |
| tough questions-do | | | | give them the correct person who handles that |
| you really have the time to read it? What's the | | | | requestACTION ITEMS/IDEAS 6-D Equivalents1. |
| worst that could happen if | | | | Daily To-Do List or Task Pad if today, or Master |
| you discard the item? Can you get another copy | | | | Task List (or dateless |
| if necessary? You must be | | | | Task) if more than 30 days out2. For things to |
| ruthless in this stage! Studies have shown we | | | | discuss with others, write an entry in their |
| only refer to 20% of all the | | | | Communication |
| information we insist on saving. Today, the | | | | Log, make a note to call them in your planner, or |
| question is not, "Can I throw | | | | send an email to schedule |
| this away?" but "Why should I keep this?"2. | | | | a meeting3. Do it if 3 minutes or less4. Drop a |
| Delegate-Refer the item to someone else. Get it | | | | note in tickler file or fill in "start date" on task in |
| going "out the door" to | | | | the Task |
| that person right away. We cannot "manage by | | | | Pad for when you want to see the item again5. |
| doing" in the DigitalAge, so | | | | Transcribe and file in the appropriate project or |
| give away as much as possible.3. Do-If you have | | | | reference file6. Give yourself permission to stop |
| the time to complete, review, sign, or reply to | | | | worrying about itGetting started with the "6-D" |
| the item, | | | | system1. Get your organizing equipment ready. |
| do it immediately. Then get it going back out the | | | | Surround yourself with the trashcan, |
| door to the requester. | | | | recycling bin, envelopes, routing labels, tickler file, |
| This step is generally for action items that will | | | | planner, "to be |
| only require two to five | | | | filed" folder, phone, and pen2. Get your hanging |
| minutes to complete. Investing the time now will | | | | file folders and set up the tickler file3. Post a 3x5 |
| save time in the long run | | | | card with the "6-Ds" printed on it. Process new |
| because you won't review the item over and | | | | information |
| over again.4. Date-For items you can't work on | | | | (paper, email, voice mail) through the 6-D |
| immediately, determine when you need to | | | | system4. Take 30 minutes each day to organize |
| see the item again and put in the appropriate | | | | old piles of information5. Start with your paper |
| dated storage system.5. Drawer-File items you | | | | in-box, because it's usually the newest. Touch |
| can't toss, delegate, and that don't require any | | | | each |
| action.6. Deter-Halt the information; keep it from | | | | piece of paper and run it through the 6-D |
| getting to you in the first | | | | system6. Start sorting through the miscellaneous |
| place. Stopping reports, memos, letters, minutes, | | | | piles of paper that have |
| catalogues, magazines, and | | | | accumulated in your office, 30 minutes at a |
| junk mail that you don't need or have time to | | | | time7. When your paper piles are gone, start |
| read.If you think of these options each time you | | | | going through old emails, bottom |
| look at a new piece of | | | | up, and run them through the 6-D systemOnce |
| information, it will create one seamless system, | | | | you've got the old stuff cleaned up, the key to |
| rather than several | | | | maintaining your |
| disjointed methods for individual items. The key is | | | | organized office is to have ALL of your in-boxes |
| to keep your "in-boxes" | | | | empty before you leave the |
| empty each day-paper, email, voice mail, and | | | | office each day. The old adage "a place for |
| your brain! Let's go through | | | | everything and everything in its |
| the corresponding "6-D" equivalents for each | | | | proper place" is indeed true. Don't shuffle |
| category of information.PAPER 6-D Equivalents1. | | | | information, decide immediately, |
| Toss or Recycle2. Route it (interoffice envelope, | | | | and be disciplined about putting things away the |
| routing label) and place in "OUT"3. Complete and | | | | first time you see it.Make it a productive day! |