As the year passes by, there are several major events that always encourage us to "start fresh." First, there's the famous January 1st, when we all make our "New Year's Resolutions." Then there's the spring…signs of new life are everywhere, from the trees sprouting new buds to animals being born. We clear out our garages and our desks in a frenzy of "spring cleaning."
And then there's the fall. As the leaves begin to change colour and there's a new crispness in the air, I for one am always taken over by a desire to start things anew. With kids going back to school and the easy days of summer coming to a close, it's a great time to turn one's attention to business goals.
So let's start fresh this fall. First things first – tackle the desk and office. Step away from your work area and take a good long look at it. What does it say about you? Be objective. Is it messy? Orderly? Chaotic? Organized? How would others (co-workers or clients) perceive you based on your workspace? How do you perceive yourself? Is an unorganized workspace having a negative impact on your efficiency?
Clear off any old papers and remember the three key phrases when organizing paper clutter: Deal with it, Toss it or File it. Pretty much everything in your workspace should fit into one of these three categories. Grab a garbage bag, a stack of blank folders and a pen, and get to work. Depending on the pile you're starting with, this could take anywhere from an hour to a few days.
Now that your desk is cleared, it's time to get out the paper towel and Windex and do some good old-fashioned "elbow grease" cleaning. Sure, maybe there's someone in your office who generally takes care of this sort of thing – but the sense of accomplishment you'll get after you finish will be worth it. Plus, if you clean it yourself, you'll be more apt to keep it that way – which is half the battle.
Clean your desk, computer, monitor and mouse. Tidy up any personal belongings, removing outdated notes and cards from your workspace. Give your chair and the space under your desk a look and make sure there's nothing grimy under there. While you're at it, get out your cell phone and give it a good wipe with an anti-bacterial cleaner, being careful not to damage any electronics. I recently heard about a study that showed that your cell phone has more germs on it than the average toilet seat!
Now that your workspace is clean, it's time to clean out your headspace. It's likely that it's just as cluttered in there as it was on your desk. Now that your work area is tidied, you'll find it much easier to clear your thoughts without all of that "visual pollution." Sit down at your freshly cleaned desk, take out a note pad and a pen, and make your "To Do" list. Go through any of the papers you found while cleaning that were in the "To Deal With" pile, and make a clear, long list of the things you want to accomplish.
Think back to the beginning of January. Try to remember what your goals were for 2006 – after all, there are only a few months left in the year to attain them. Divide your short and long-term goals, both for business and for your personal life, and take some time to think of how you can live the life you want to live.
Imagine if you had a heart attack tomorrow – what would you change about the way you live your life? You would probably spend more time with your family and loved ones – so let's make that a priority. Work-wise, develop a specific list of targets, both qualitative and quantitative.
Some examples of goals, in case you need something to get those creative juices flowing, could be: Increase sales by "x" amount, focus more on corporate clients, do more advertising, have more team meetings, purchase that new program, re-organize the design studio and arrange financing for that new piece of machinery.
Some personal goals could be: Organize the garage, start an RRSP, call your siblings more, spend more time with the family, or volunteer at a local charitable organization.
Once you have completed this inventory of both your workspace and your "head space," go outside, take a deep breath of that crisp autumn air, and congratulate yourself for putting some order into your life. It's truly amazing what we can accomplish once we're organized!
MPR Communication is a design and print company located in Lachine, Quebec. Jasmine Brooks is MPR's Project Coordinator.
E: jbrooks@mprcommunication.com
