Step 1 - Sorting the Post
- Accept that this takes a little time, and don't put it off.
- Open post near the bin and throw away unwanted items immediately. Sort the remainding post into stacking trays labelled:
- respond now
- needs action before responding
- for reading
- for filing
- As you read post, annotate it (eg "book tickets", "check with so-and-so before accepting") to avoid re-reading.
- Tackle the "respond now" tray daily, and empty it.
- Before keeping any communication, ask yourself whether you really need it. Is there any real likelihood of you going to the event, or buying the item on offer? Could you get the information elsewhere if you did need it?
- To make retrieving important e-mails easier, and free up memory space, create folders in your e-mail inbox and file there only what you really need to keep. Set your computer to empty your 'delete' file every time you log off.
Step 2 - Responding to Post
- Stockpile items that can wait a while, and deal with them every weekend.
- Note non-confidential details that you may need when filling in forms - such as National Insurance number and doctor's address - in your diary or personal information manager.
- When calling service centres, choose off-peak times to cut costs and time spent in a telephone queuing system.
- After answering invitations, clip them to your calendar or put in your diary so that you can find them on the day.
- Keep a stock of plain postcards headed with your address (print them on a computer or order a set of sticky labels) near where you open the post and use them for instant replies. Buy books of postage stamps so you always have some on hand.
Step 3 - Keeping up to Date
- Keep things you intend to read in one place. If items are still unopened after a set time - 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months - throw them out.
- Always carry reading material with you and use every opportunity to catch up.
- If you're job hunting, check whether newspapers or magazines covering your field offer an online career manager service, which will e-mail job ads to you automatically.
- When reading, practise following the printed line with your finger to keep the eye from being distracted and increase speed.
- If you end up throwing out newspapers unread, get a quick news fix from online news sources or from weekly digests (produced as supplements by some newspapers).
| TOP 10 |
|
|
 |
