Saving Grace #1: Clear the decks - 1 views

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  #1 Apollo Sales & Marketing Group on 09 Jun 10

   

  Does it seem like being overwhelmed is a natural state of being in business?
  
  I have several "Saving Graces" that I think you'll find useful, or will at least make you smile.
  
  The premise of these techniques is that various self-help gurus and business consultants offer one of two things:
  
  1) Blindingly obvious advice - terrific, but time consuming, "shoulds" that only add to our guilt about being so out of control.
  Or
  2) Complex answers that may be smart, but are difficult to apply quickly and easily in real life.
  
  Saving Graces are small, simple ways to create some peace and order to help reduce the pressures in our lives to a livable level. I don't know about you, but for me, anything that provides a little more breathing room is welcome.
  
  Here's Saving Grace #1: Clear the decks.
  
  Who has time at work to keep all those papers straight? When paper, forms, mail and nonsense begin to spread like a glacier across your desk, give it the "DVD treatment."
  
  Get a banker's box - most offices have dozens of them. Toss every piece of paper on your desk and credenza in the box, along with the pencils and pens rolling around on your desk. And include a bunch of file folders. Slip a lid on the box and tape it shut if you have to.
  
  Take the box home. Stop and pick up a DVD on the way. Get something funny.
  
  Sit on the family room floor with your box and a waste basket. Start the DVD. Pace yourself to get through the whole box in the time it takes to laugh your way through the movie.
  
  If you do this right, at the end of the movie, you'll have a full wastebasket and a bunch of topic-specific paper piles. Stuff each stack in a separate file folder and put them all back in the banker's box to reintegrate into the work files at the office. (Now that they're grouped, it will be easier to delegate the task.)
  
  Before you quit, take a scrap of paper and test every pen and pencil. Toss out every one that doesn't mark. They won't heal themselves, no matter how long you leave them in the pencil cup.
  
  Here are the saving graces from this exercise:
  
  First, you will likely have found at least one wayward document or receipt. Plus you have the bonus of a clean work surface when you go to work.
  
  Also, you will save yourself the small, but very real, irritation of going through several pens or pencils before finding one that works.
  
  These are small gifts-to-self, but pay attention to the level of your whelm-o-meter.
  
  Apollo Sales and Marketing Group's blog is the central hub for up-to-date Small Business Lead Generation Services, Telemarketing Campaign Management, Marketing Campaign Development information and best practices.
  
  Our mission: To get your SMB marketing and B2B Lead Generation on auto-pilot.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Does it seem like being overwhelmed is a natural state of being in business? <br /> <br /> I have several "Saving Graces" that I think you'll find useful, or will at least make you smile. <br /> <br /> The premise of these techniques is that various self-help gurus and business consultants offer one of two things: <br /> <br /> 1) Blindingly obvious advice - terrific, but time consuming, "shoulds" that only add to our guilt about being so out of control. <br /> Or <br /> 2) Complex answers that may be smart, but are difficult to apply quickly and easily in real life. <br /> <br /> Saving Graces are small, simple ways to create some peace and order to help reduce the pressures in our lives to a livable level. I don't know about you, but for me, anything that provides a little more breathing room is welcome. <br /> <br /> Here's Saving Grace #1: Clear the decks. <br /> <br /> Who has time at work to keep all those papers straight? When paper, forms, mail and nonsense begin to spread like a glacier across your desk, give it the "DVD treatment." <br /> <br /> Get a banker's box - most offices have dozens of them. Toss every piece of paper on your desk and credenza in the box, along with the pencils and pens rolling around on your desk. And include a bunch of file folders. Slip a lid on the box and tape it shut if you have to. <br /> <br /> Take the box home. Stop and pick up a DVD on the way. Get something funny. <br /> <br /> Sit on the family room floor with your box and a waste basket. Start the DVD. Pace yourself to get through the whole box in the time it takes to laugh your way through the movie. <br /> <br /> If you do this right, at the end of the movie, you'll have a full wastebasket and a bunch of topic-specific paper piles. Stuff each stack in a separate file folder and put them all back in the banker's box to reintegrate into the work files at the office. (Now that they're grouped, it will be easier to delegate the task.) <br /> <br /> Before you quit, take a scrap of paper and test every pen and pencil. Toss out every one that doesn't mark. They won't heal themselves, no matter how long you leave them in the pencil cup. <br /> <br /> Here are the saving graces from this exercise: <br /> <br /> First, you will likely have found at least one wayward document or receipt. Plus you have the bonus of a clean work surface when you go to work. <br /> <br /> Also, you will save yourself the small, but very real, irritation of going through several pens or pencils before finding one that works. <br /> <br /> These are small gifts-to-self, but pay attention to the level of your whelm-o-meter. <br /> <br /> Apollo Sales and Marketing Group's blog is the central hub for up-to-date Small Business Lead Generation Services, Telemarketing Campaign Management, Marketing Campaign Development information and best practices. <br /> <br /> Our mission: To get your SMB marketing and B2B Lead Generation on auto-pilot.</div>

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