Lynnelle Wilson's BOLDVision Blog

The New & Improved Shoebox Filing System

About 10 years ago I had one of the first Card Scans, a small scanner that you ran business cards through. Theoretically it would import the information from all the business cards you collected into your contact data base, in my case ACT!. It was "ok" for the most part. The standard-layout business cards would require a little checking and editing. But for the out-of-the-ordinary card, which were more than a few, it really wasn't worth the trouble. That was a long time ago and I hear Card Scan has improved. If you have the time and patience (or the assistance) it keeps the business cards from piling up on your desk or in the shoebox in the closet.

So what if you don't have the time or the assistance? What about all those receipts you collect? This (almost) falls into the "what will they think of next" category. That; or "why didn't I think of that" category. Either way, it sounds like a lifesaver for those of you who travel a lot, network a lot and have little time or assistance to organize it all. Shoeboxed.com is a mail-in service that will scan all your business cards and/or receipts (or you can upload on your own) into a secure account. From this account you can export into Quicken, Quick Books, etc. (receipts) and ACT!, Salesforce, Outlook, etc. (business cards) or spreadsheet formats.

Sounds pretty slick. I'm thinking about trying it and I'll keep you posted. If the accuracy is on target, this could be an organization & productivity boon for many of us.  http://www.shoeboxed.com  Check it out.

Twitter Time

Just as I once did with email, I'm finding myself overwhelmed by 'tweets'! Time management, self organization, personal productivity, etc. etc. So many tools intended to improve it all can get you totally derailed if you're not careful ...and disciplined.

Working alone can be isolating; there's no one to bounce ideas off of, ask questions or just to run into at the 'water cooler' to catch up with. Twitter is something that can help keep us lonely solo-preneurs feeling more connected. Wonder who is attending the upcoming Pop!Tech conference? Tweet ? it. You're attending a workshop and come across a good source of mall biz help, Tweet it.

On the other hand, you're working on a project, trying to get some work done & darned if that Tweet Deck 'ding' does't keep drawing your attention away from your work at hand. Before you know it, 15...30... or more minutes have gone by. Soon, you find yourself Tweeting away about what you're going to do this evening, what you thought of Sarah Palin's appearance on SNL last weekend, the Red Sox disappointing loss in the 7th game... and on, and on.

Be careful to not let tools, intended to support productivity, weigh you down.

**note to self: Read this BLOG entry every morning...and turn off Tweet Deck 'ding'... **

follow me on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/lynnelle

Paperless Clutter and Therapy

Yesterday I walked into my office and before I took the second step I wanted to turn and run the other way. Between visiting family, a friend in the hospital, divorce (yes it is finally, final) and trying to move this week, the paper has piled up (more than the normal piling) to astronomical proportions. Normally I have monthly Ocular Forum meetings in my office but the last two months things have been so hectic and cluttered ithere, I've changed the meeting venue from my office to the Cumberland Club, here in Portland. This clutter has now gone from an organization issue to a financial issue. 

A recent article in the New York Times asks several questions about the mountains of paper that we continue to accumulate in our computerized, paperless world. Most of them were ones we are familiar with and regularly ask ourselves:

• Your desk is always a mess. How can this be, when you do most of your work on the computer?  - Everybody's brain works differently. Some people need to physically write things down, touch paper and pen to think and work effectively.  It think  I had withdrawal symptoms the first time a 'real' owners manual didn't come with my Dell laptop in 2002. Going online to look at the PDF manual just didn't feel right. Now I'm used to it... sort of.  

• What effect does a messy desk have?   - Some of us are 'ok' with a messy desk. We know which pile to go to for things and the clutter doesn't slow us down. On the other hand, some of us aren't ok with it. If it makes you want to turn and run screaming from the office then it's a problem> You're probably procrastinating about decisions you should be making - if only you didn't have to face all the decisions you won't be making because of that damn mess you have to clean up.    

• The idea of getting organized is overwhelming. How do you start?  - The big messages here are:   
  

1.  you can't try to unwind the mess during the regular workday; don't try. 
   
2.  you shouldn't expect to completely clear your desk and be totally organized in one effort. It can take several hours outside of regular work schedule.  
3. When getting started, your initial goal should be to "clear your desk" not have a perfect system. Again, that will take some time. Start with a quick sort - 3 piles: Take action, File, Toss.       

 ...and my favorite:

• Can a messy desk ever be a sign of deeper issues?  -  No, you probably don't need therapy or medication. But a cluttered desk can be a result of poor time management, persistent procrastination, or just that you have too much on your plate.   
  

Ah, now I've answered my own question. My clutter is part 'the way I work'; part overwhelm from things going on this summer. Taking 30 minutes or so at the end of each day to sort, file, toss should get me back on track before the snow flies.   But I think I'll continue the Ocular Forum meetings at the Cumberland Club. It's such a beautiful place and I just love those muffins.
  

Chaos Theory and My Desk

I subscribe whole heartedly to the chaos theory; that there is underlying order in seemingly chaotic and random systems (i.e. my desk.)

An ever-present goal of mine has been to bring order to my desk.  I don’t think my comfort with desk clutter is unique. Organizing paper – that is culling through, throwing or filing things away is one of the most frustrating and stressful things for me. Papers, magazines, to-do notes, clipped articles, messages – my desk is an a-tonal symphony of paper in all sizes shapes and colors.  It’s really quite beautiful in an odd, creative sort of way.  I could however, put my hands on whatever was needed – and quite promptly I might add.

Perhaps my effort to arrange my desk more neatly is the result of buying into others’ definition of “order”.  As a matter of fact, I find it more difficult to locate things after I’ve organized and filed things away.  There IS a method to the madness of my system. 

Thank goodness for the new book, A Perfect Mess by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman.  These guys did studies and found “moderately disorganized people, institutions, and systems frequently turn out to be more efficient, more resilient, more creative and in general more effective than highly organized ones.” 

Phew! FINALLY someone who gets it! Everyone has his or her style of work and what I am suggesting is to focus on the work style that’s right for you.  The “clean desk” rule doesn’t necessarily improve productivity any more than the “clean plate” rule improves your health.  “Moderate” is the key word here.

So those of us efficient, resilient and creative types, be BOLD and stand firm! One person's chaos is another's order. 

We're considering offering a Promotion Action program beginning after the first of the year. Before finalizing, I want to gage the interest.  Send me an email if you would be interested in more information or in attending the program.  Go to www.PromotionAction.com for more information. 

Stay tuned for other Bold Vision Consulting's January events.