Book Description
Unrelenting e-mail. Conflicting commitments. Endless interruptions. In Take Back Your Life! Special Edition, productivity expert Sally McGhee shows you how to take control and reclaim something that you thought you'd lost forever--your work-life balance. Now you can benefit from Sally's popular and highly-regarded corporate education programs, learning simple but powerful techniques for rebalancing your personal and professional commitments using the productivity features in Outlook. Learn the proven methods that will empower you to:
*Clear away distractions and loose ends and focus on what's really important to you and your business. *Take charge of your productivity using techniques and processes designed by McGhee Productivity Solutions and implemented in numerous Fortune 500 companies. *Customize and exploit the productivity features iOutlook to help you create balance at home and on the job. *Special Edition features: Get even more on-the-job resources with an easy tear-out card of Sally's workflow diagram, a quick guide to key Outlook tasks, and great articles on the CD to help you save even more time.
When you change your approach, you can change your results. So learn what thousands of Sally's clients worldwide have discovered about taking control of their everyday productivity--and start transforming your own life today!
Customer Reviews:
Author completely misses Outlook's powerful heirarchical capabilities........2006-11-08
The result of using Outlook the way this author recommends is that you'll essentially have two separate lists: one list of all your projects and another list of all your "next actions". Since you'll be able to sort your next-action list according to the context in which each action will be done, this arrangement is better than nothing. But the problem with this arrangement is that with it, Outlook maintains neither project-to-next-actions connections nor next-actions-to-project connections. The author would have you list "next actions" within each project's Notes field to link the project to its next actions, and the author offers no link of each next action back to its project.
The author has missed a simple, powerful solution to this problem. When using Tasks in Outlook, the Tasks folder offers a heirarchical directory structure in which it's very easy to add folders and subfolders, just as one might do in Windows Explorer. Each of these folders that you create can be named to represent a project, and the next actions for each of these projects can be stored within the project's folder. Then all you have to do to see a list of all your next actions (across all projects) is to run a quick "Advanced Find" on your Outlook Tasks folder. Once you get the criteria of your search the way you want them, your search criteria can easily be saved, allowing you to recreate your "next actions" list with current data whenever you want it. If you include the "In Folder" field to display in your search results, then this field provides your next-action-to-project connection; and when you're reviewing your Outlook Tasks folder, the directory list of folders is essentially your project list, and within each project you see only the next actions associated with that project, so it's easy to maintain a project focus when planning your projects. Also, when using Outlook this way, many additional Outlook features can be used as well.
This book offers a few good ideas, but by failing to describe a simple and powerful way to have Outlook itself maintain the association of each project to its next actions, this book cannot be strongly recommended.
Great book to start getting organized.......2006-09-11
This book gives you great ideas about how to get organiazed and get things going. The only thing is that you will really need to use and get along MS Outlook pretty well, else you'll miss some of the tips and tricks in the book.
Pretty good start-up place for those who need some pointers at how to classify and prioritize tasks, events, items, and almost everything.
Take Back Your Life!.......2006-07-10
I'm not even to the end of the book and I already have my e-mail box emptied to zero, all my documents and files organized on my computer into an easy reference system so I know what information I already have. I am going to apply the same principles to my paper files this week. I had so much information stored and coming in that it is a huge relief to gain control over it all! All because I applied what I learned from this book.
Stong Emphasis on Up Front Planning.......2006-07-03
I am a veteran Franklin Covey planner user and consider myself very well organized and a strong time manager. Our company recently made the move to outlook, and I purchased this book hoping to get some tips on how to make the most of planning with outlook from someone who had a time management orientation. What I didn't expect was to learn anything more about time management. Boy was I wrong! Sally provides some real eye openers about spending more time up front planning tasks to get to "Strategic Next Actions" - tasks you can actually do without any dependencies. She also packs in excellent tips on setting up a reference system, handling email, and using the outlook task categories to their full potential.
I was able to achieve my basic objective with this book. My planning system was one where I used my Franklin Covey Plan Plus for Outlook software to create a daily task list each day with only items I could do that day, and used a collection of spreadsheets and word documents to track more complex "projects." Sally show how to integrate all of this into outlook with both planning and action tasks.
If you are looking for an indepth book on outlook however this isn't it. Instead its what it is advertised to be - a book on organizing first that tells who how to use outlook to implement the organizing system Sally has developed. The outlook information you need to implement the system is provided in a concise fashion and was very helpful to me.
Outlook on Steroids.......2006-04-02
I discovered this book while searching for something to help me manage the relentless flood of email coming at me every day (I had 900 unread emails at the time). I thought if I could become an outlook power user, I might be able to manage that number down. This book helped me learn the ins and outs of outlook, but more importantly, taught me a compelling approach to managing my crazy, demanding, overcommited, multi-tasking life. Mind you, I was a Franklin Planner flunky and a Day-Timer drop out, which made me a motivated learner. I literally devoured this book - read it cover to cover in just a few days (with a highlighter). Along the way I configured Outlook the work way the author recommends. I discussed it with friends. I actually implemented my own "IMS", which I think is what sets this book apart from David Allen's "Getting Things Done". You could read GTD, but the content may just "wash over you" and not make a practical difference in the way you work. This is specific, hands on, step by step instruction that if you're serious, will change the way you work in Outlook for the better. Highly recommended . . .
Product Description
Unrelenting e-mail. Conflicting commitments. Endless interruptions. In Take Back Your Life!, productivity expert Sally McGhee shows you how to take control and reclaim something you thought you'd lost forever - your work-life balance. Now you can benefit
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, very helpful, highly recommend.......2007-09-26
This book was very helpful. The book tells you much more than just how to use Microsoft Outlook. It also tells you how to completely organize your life at work and at home. Very practical advice. I highly recommend this book.
Purely a life changer, but it takes commitment and patience to make it really work.......2007-02-07
Yes it is sales pitch for outlook, and yes Microsoft could improve the Category function in their Mobile software (I have a HP IPaq and reviewing single category SNA's or looking up contacts is all you really use it for.) But, in my opinion now that I have my life fully around this personal management system, it is a tool that will change your life. The high priorty top of the mind things still do not make it into my IMS system, but all the to-do's and call backs that used to fade into nothing can get prioritized and completed. But it will take you a awhile before you are disiplined enough to immediately enter tasks once a topic comes up. Keep trying, once you get it, this system is a life changer.
The book I've always needed.......2007-01-11
For a long time, I believed Microsoft Outlook® to be a powerful yet highly underutilized time management tool, but was frustrated because the courses I took covered only the basics, and none of the books I read went sufficiently in depth to satisfy my desire to use this program to its full capacity. Then I discovered Sally McGhee's book, Take Back Your Life! which outlines steps for creating a system to help you to maximize productivity and take control of your personal and professional life.
Some of McGhee's recommendations are similar to those found in other time management books; for example:
* Implement personal boundaries to allow scheduled, uninterrupted work time.
* You can't create more time; you can only make the most of the time you have by setting priorities.
* Process and organize your e-mail (and paper mail) by following the four D's for decision making (Delete/Do/Delegate/Defer)
For me, the most valuable part of the book explains that to effectively use the Outlook Task list, it is helpful to create planning categories to keep track of objectives and supporting projects, and action categories to keep track of the individual tasks to be completed. Instead of using Outlook's default categories such as "Client" and "Personal," McGhee suggests placing all telephone calls in one category so you can quickly and easily make those calls when you have time between appointments. Similarly, having all errands in one category will make it easier to keep track of them and reduce the number of trips you have to make.
Ms. McGhee understands that technology facilitates increased productivity only when users know how to use its features to full advantage, and are willing to let go of ineffective habits. Willingness to make behaviour changes is a key component of her system, as some of the strategies she describes will be quite foreign to many, particularly those who struggle with structure and details.
One drawback is that to rely fully on Outlook for time management requires the use of a Pocket PC or similar device, and I have met many people who are not prepared to give up their paper planners. Nonetheless, although Take Back Your Life! is primarily about using Outlook, it offers many helpful time management tips that may be adopted even by non-Outlook users.
Take Back Your Life.......2006-11-10
Take Back Your Life is a great book providing real tools to help you become organized in Microsoft Outlook. Now, my inbox is always clear because I do something with incoming emails right away. If I cannot answer or delete an email in two minutes I move it into Task folder. All my tasks are in one folder so I do not have to search through my inbox for an email requesting an action from me. The book gives directions to manage your email on many levels. Great!
Life changing.......2006-05-04
Amazon tells me I bought this in October 2004. Paradoxically, it doesn't seem like I've been using McGhee's system that long and at the same time it seems like I've been using it for years and years. It's very natural, simple, and easy to do. I have a windows mobile device and this system is perfect for it.
It does seem like it was derived from Allen's Getting Things Done book, but McGhee ports the idea to use in Outlook, without the need for another application.
Average customer rating:
- Read GYAT before SHE if you buy both books!
- Get Your Act Together
- Life Changing Book!
- A little outdated and out there.
- Fantastic for the organizatonally impared
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Get Your Act Together: A 7-Day Get-Organized Program For The Overworked, Overbooked, and Overwhelmed
Pam Young , and
Peggy Jones
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
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Book Description
The SLOB Sisters are back after the phenomenal success of Sidetracked Home Executives (750,000 paperback copies sold), with a new program for organizing your home and personal life.
Customer Reviews:
Read GYAT before SHE if you buy both books!.......2007-09-30
I bought Sidetracked Home Executive in 1983 and I did the program. It worked for me as a mother of two young boys. I bought SHE as a gift for a newly-wed friend and "Get Your Act Together" for me. I read the book and laughed and cried as I related to the sisters stories and tricks and tips for those of us who are born disorganized. I like the new format for the card system. I can't wait to set up my box for my new stage in life--empty nest. If you buy both books life I did--read the GYAT book first. This will save you a lot to time when you do your card system. Read the SHE book second and laugh with these two crazy sisters.
Get Your Act Together.......2007-04-06
another great book by the slob sisters! highly recommend to anyone who struggles with organization!
Life Changing Book!.......2007-02-14
No, kidding. This book changed my life. I am chronically disorganized and although I still hate organizing and housework, I now find it bearable because I have a weekly plan and daily routine. I follow the plan in the book in a loose and flexible way and still manage to stay basically on track. I like the fact that you can structure it to meet your individual needs. I've read many organizing books and have come to the conclusion that there are three basic areas to organize: your time, your "stuff" (like your home and paperwork) and your money. This book does a great job tackling time management with it's index card system, daily routines and weekly plans. It also makes decluttering a priority and 1st step towards true peace of mind and order in your life. For me it has taken three favorite books and almost 2 years to get on track. I love The Organizing Sourcebook for organizing "stuff". It's very thorough and also has a step-by-step plan for decluttering your home and getting it organized. Sink Reflections (the Fly Lady book) is great for both time management and organizing and decluttering your things. I use the basic plan in Get Your Act Together and embellish it with Sink Reflections routines and lists. I found the lists and routines in Sink Reflections to be more thorough and applicable to my life, but that's not to say that Get Your Act Together won't be perfect as it is for someone else. I highly recommend this book to anyone who really wants to get organized and stay that way!
A little outdated and out there........2007-01-10
Was very pleased with quality of book and service to get to me. Great timing to my house! Love ordering books with Amazon. After reading the book, I realized that it has some good ideas, but there is a lot of cooky stuff too. First time invented philosophies of sort of alter egos to confront. A little too strange for my taste. But some really good organizational ideas. Thanks.
Fantastic for the organizatonally impared.......2007-01-10
These are actually repeat purchases I have followed Pam & Peggy's philosophy for many years and now do some consulting and wanted a spare book to be able to lend out without risking loosing my original. Great tool to have a peaceful home.
Customer Reviews:
Made for children.......2007-07-15
My 10 year old reads science fiction and no other stories. He took this book up feeling inquisitive and went on to finish the book, he really seems to have understood the need of organizational skill for him to continue to succeed in the latter parts of school year (by which time his desk is filled with papers!)
I hope to fill the other 2 stars when he actually practices what the book preached!
Get Organized Without Losing It.......2006-07-02
This book is simple to read yet informative and effective for my upcoming 6th grader. There are great ideas for students to prepare for middle and high school. Awesome techniques!
Book Description
ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, are prevalent in society today, afflicting about 4.4% of the adult population, which is over 13 million Americans. Four out of every five adults do not even know they are ADD, and while it is often difficult to differentiate adults with true ADD from adults who are merely forgetful and disorganized, Organizing Solutions for People with ADD outlines new organizing strategies that will be of value to anyone who wants to improve their organizational, or lack of, skills in their life. The chapters consist of practical organizing solutions for ADD at Work; prioritizing, time management, and organizing documents, ADD at Home; paying bills on time, de-cluttering your house, scheduling and keeping appointments, ADD with Kids; driving them to various activities, grocery shopping and meals, laundry, babysitters, organizing drawers and closets, and ADD and You; organizing time for your social life, gym, and various other hobbies and activities. Color photographs that capture the short attention span of the reader are featured throughout, as well as sidebars and testimonials from adults with ADD, providing numerous organizational tips, such as, the importance of dividing time into minutes or moments, task completion, how to avoid procrastination, asking for help, and how not to be a packrat.
Customer Reviews:
I do not have ADD/ADHD... but it speaks to me!! :-).......2007-08-27
I randomly picked this up in the Newer Books section of our library, opened up to a page with a spice storage area that looked very familiar, and decided that I'd check it out.
For me, this is a really great book that hits the nail on the head for those of us who want to be organized, but have something holding us back like being unable to let go of something that we spent "good money" on, but truly not having a space for it, or resenting it because it drives you crazy. For example, you may have an entire cupboard of random Tupperware that doesn't stack right and falls out all of the time or a carousel-style spice rack on the kitchen counter plus an entire drawer full of spices that are most likely too old and are rarely used.
This book made me laugh every time I turned the page because the situation described (as well as the accompanying photos) were close to my heart. :-)
The one thing that bugged me was that she advocated using paper plates except at special meals. However, I know that the process of keeping dishes clean and put away can be very overwhelming for a person with ADHD or depression, so I do understand why she says it.
All in all, it is an organizing book for those of us with realistic expectations of ourselves. I would like to say that each of my folders is color-coded and labeled with a label-maker and that I wash sheets on Monday, whites on Tuesday, etc., but those things are not necessarily happening all of the time. I do what I can, and I have gotten a lot of great ideas and inspirations from this book, as well as a little more insight on myself.
ADDer's Organizing Bible!!! I wish I could give it 10 stars!!!!!.......2007-08-05
I can't speak for the poor reviewers of this book, don't understand their reviews either??? However, I am so thankful that I didn't listen to them! I browsed through the pages that Amazon allowed me to preview, and I immediately ordered it. I gained many tips just from browsing the pages alone.
You really should browse the pages, you can get a general idea of the book this way. I am only on page 87 of the book, and I have just decluttered and organized my entire kitchen from the one sitting of reading the book! I had so much stuff that I never used taking up valuable space, it was unreal the massive amounts of dishes, unused food in the pantry, etc.
I even decluttered the china cabinet in my dining room today, to make use for the items that I do use regularly, now I have more open space in my kitchen.
I have bought so many books on organizing and cleaning, to many to even count if I still had them all! I tried them, and had a pretty good feeling at first with most of them, less so with most though. Not with this gem! Organizing Solutiions has only ideas & solutions that will work for me, an enormous ADDer! I can't believe the huge relief of finally getting my hands on the RIGHT ONE, (organizing material).
I have a ton of ideas to put to use in my bedroom, my bathroom and even my kids rooms, & I haven't even gotten to the kid's rooms section yet.
If you truely suffer with keeping your home clean and organized due to your ADD, you have got to get this manual! Even the layout is ADD friendly. And the pages are made of a nice thick quality paper that has a sheen to it.
You will not be sorry if you get this book, you will sadly still keep seaching however if you do not :(
I absolutely love, love, love this book. I am excited about cleaning, that is unheard of, lol!
Good luck on your journey.... off to finish the book....
Throws in the towel a little too much.......2007-06-08
Pinsky is the mother of an ADD child and, if I were the parent of a child with ADD, I'd probably give the book 5 stars. If you're a frustrated, non-ADD spouse or parent dealing with an ADD significant other who's driving you crazy, buy the book. It has some good ideas that you may be able to implement that may increase the harmony in your house without being too big a pain.
As an ADD adult, however, I found some of the suggestions completely unrealistic. I'll admit that my sock drawer is a mass of confusion, but Pinsky's solution (Throw out all your socks. Buy a bunch of white ones, all the same style, and a bunch of black ones, all the same style.) is completely unrealistic. As a teacher, I have to look at least a little professional; white or black socks with khaki pants just doesn't cut it.
The whole book has these kinds of ideas. On the subject of lawn care, her solution is to hire a lawn service. That's a great idea, but most ADD adults have trouble tracking finances, so while Pinsky claims rightly that it's worth spending some money to make organizational problems easier, following all of her suggestions would cost quite a bit.
I'm sure this wasn't her intent, but I found the book a little patronizing. As I said, if you're dealing with an ADD person in your household, get the book. You can make some of the changes and they will make that person's life easier. But if you have ADD, Pinsky's approach may strike you more as "Give up, you'll never be able to get control of your life" than an attempt to give you tools you can use to get the control you want.
nothing new here.......2007-05-19
While this book is a well laid out easy to follow guide to organization not much is new here. While it might be helpful for non ADD persons to better understand ADD it does not provide much help to the ADD person themselves.
She basically says
Purge all unneeded items
Store items where you use them
Make Storage easy to use both finding and returning of items
As I said nothing new here.
The title led me to believe this was a new take and I would come away with some new tools with that I am disappointed. Now if this was the first book on Organization I ever bought I would have given it 5 stars.
Things I really did not like
\ She really pushes hiring a professional organizer seemed like at times more promoting her profession rather then a how to book
\ Some of her recommendations are down right silly especially in the kitchen. Her use of cookware was clearly for those who never cook. Now in some areas you can get away with storing dry goods in their boxes but other areas they would go stale fast or be infested with moths and other critters. In clear containers it is easier to see how much it left giving a quick visual clue which is far more ADD friendly. The use of paper plates and plastics and other disposables is not environmentally or economically sound idea for families. It is an incredibly stupid idea that having ADD means you can¡¦t load your dish washer. In fact loading a dishwasher and unloading a dishwasher is a great task for an ADD child or adult. It only takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Over all it is a pretty book that is very easy to follow. Not two wordy and lots of photos.
Pinsky "gets it"; this book is perfect for an ADD family.......2007-03-03
With a family of 4 ADD/ADHD-ers (including a 9- and 11-year-old), I was skeptical about any book claiming it can help us get our life organized! I flipped through this book at a bookstore today, expecting a rehash of the typical organizing stuff (i.e. good idea, but not ADD practical).
I found myself stopping to read the "post-it" notes on several pages. (Nice touch, by the way; great for us ADD readers!) I thought, "Hey, she's got a good idea here." Another page, another good idea. These weren't just the standard organizing tips being tweaked to an ADD audience, these are really ideas based on how we actually live our lives! Ms. Pinsky really understands us!
I didn't buy the book, though. (Actually, I read most of it in the store!) When I got home and started telling my wife, she got excited about it, too. So, here I am on Amazon ordering a copy! I know it's going to be an invaluable resource, too. I can't praise it enough, and I don't even own it yet! (In a couple of months, after living a less cluttered life, I may even come back and praise it some more!)
Book Description
Knowing every woman desires to reduce the mess and stress in her life, Marcia Ramsland offers a grace-oriented approach to organizing a home and life. Filled with specific ideas that have been proven true, charts, diagrams, and real life examples, Marcia unveils her trademark PuSH philosophy.
PuSH stands for
Projects,
user-friendly
Systems, and
Habits and is a sequence of doing things that will help women get and stay organized.
Things the reader will discover:
- The "two minute pickup" for cleaning any room
- How to spot red flags of disorganization
- The get-it-done paper system
- Five steps to clean any room
- How to create a Personal Organizing Center
- The "PuSH" Sequence" secret to staying organized
Simplify Your Life encourages and motivates women to be a better manager in three major areas: her time, her home, and her life. A prayer at the end of each chapter is a fresh reminder that how we live our lives is important to God.
So does God care if your bathroom is clean or your desk is tidy? Of course not but He knows it does give you peace of mind and less stress. His Word is filled with principles to help us live more organized and less stress-filled lives. Join Marcia as she incorporates those principles into practical tips to organize and simply your life!
Customer Reviews:
Very Practical and Useful.......2007-06-19
Everything about this book is organized - including the way Marcia Ramsfield presents her systematic method of simplifying all the major compartments of life. She presents practical ideas that are immediately usable and are designed to have life at home and at work running smoothly with as little maintenance as possible.
First, this book is definitely geared toward women, whether working or homemakers. It also includes a short devotional and prayer at the end of each chapter for those who are interested in incorporating it.
I liked the way Ramsfield suggests targeting one facet of life's stressors at a time and really focuses on helping the reader get control over it before moving to the next. She begins with mealtimes and moves through clothes & laundry, cleaning, and projects. She then focuses on special areas, including work life and holidays.
I felt her chapter on holiday organization was especially helpful, and her chapter on cleaning was a bit weak. I didn't feel better equipped to develop my own cleaning schedule based on that chapter. I feel the rest of the book does compensate for that weak point.
This book focuses more on simplification of the stressful facets of life rather than direct organizational techniques. It is about developing good habits, but does incorporate some practical suggestions for your tangible organization needs. For an excellent resource of the nitty-gritty organizational specifics, I highly recommend "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield.
Organize Your Life.......2007-04-04
Get organized and stay that way after checking out all the tips in this book. The simple ideas are very easy to put into practice.
Great book...very helpful!.......2007-03-09
This book is just what my family needed to get our lives organized!!
Very Easy to Follow.......2007-02-13
This is one of the easiest books I've read on Organization. It has guides at the end of each chapter for you to follow. I would most definetly recommend it to anyone who struggles with getting things organized.
Best Book to get Organized.......2007-01-20
I truly think this is the best book about getting organized. Simple ideas that are easy to execute. It really helped me alot.
Book Description
Terence Conran, master of interior design, casts his gaze on what is arguably the most intractable home design issue: how to keep your stuff from overwhelming your space. Conran shows how to reduce clutter, edit our belongings, and store them so they are still accessible. Room by room, he breaks down particular storage requirements and approaches, all the while offering glimpses of stunning homes and ingenious storage solutions. Short on space for books? Here are ideas for using your stairway as a library. Love collecting? There are unique ways to display your treasures. Whether you prefer old-fashioned coziness or a clean minimalist sweep, and whether your home is a bachelor pad, family home, or empty nest, this beautifully photographed guide will prove invaluable.
Book Description
At last! Here are the tried and true, fun and funny, shocking and surprising inside secrets for organizing yourself, your office, your desk, and even your life!
Find out how to streamline your work area using the little-known methods of Liz Franklin, the world's first funny professional organizer with over 23 years experience. She has helped clients achieve stunning results through her "anti-arson" methods. Follow Liz's easy advice and you'll break free from the old organizing rules that didn't work anyway.
Here are some of the juicy topics you'll find inside this amusing yet highly effective new book:
* What's your Organizing Style? (See Chapter 1)
* How does a three smell? Yes, a three! (See Chapter 2)
* How can your furniture solve most of your disorganization problems? (See Chapter 5)
* What are the nine essential organizing supplies? (See Chapter 6)
* What's wrong with most To-Do lists? (See Chapter 11)
* How can you simplify your projects? (See Chapter 12)
* How can you stay organized without ever having to use discipline? (See Chapter 14)
* What should you always throw out the door? (See Chapter 17)
* What are the Magic Questions that, once you learn them, will keep you organized forever more?
(See Chapter 18)
You'll find all the answers—and more—inside this step-by-step guide to getting organized—without panic or the use of open flame!
You'll also discover—
* How to access your "Inner Organizer"
* How to organize once and for all—instead of doing it over and over again
* Simple tips you can use immediately
* How to analyze your coworkers' and boss's working style
* The answer to the eternal question, "How do I get my spouse organized?"
* How to break free from traditional organizing rules that didn't work anyway
* How to save money and make money through improved efficiency
Customer Reviews:
Up-to-date, Intelligent & Focused.......2007-08-14
I have every organizing book known to man, and this is one of the best. The author deals with real problems in the e-office, organizing styles, tools, and furniture placement. You'll find ideas you can use.
Insightful Book.......2007-04-25
I've read quite a few books on organizing. After awhile, they all come out about the same in advice, each with their unique point of view and maybe a couple of "wow" moments. This book though, had something different to offer.
Liz Franklin addresses disorganization - not as an issue of laziness or bad habits but of not organizing ourselves how we work naturally. We each are different in personality, so why do we need to organize our spaces the same? We don't. This is something that I've personally learned over the years - but never saw it written in concrete terms before reading this. Though my desk was already organized (I'm a spatial), it helped me to show and help others how they could organize themselves to fit their personality.
There was also application in the back, with pictures of ways that helped different personality types. The book is packed full of helpful and thoughtful things yet it's easy to understand. It's also down to earth so that you can actually start carrying out what you've learned without the "inspiration high" many self-help books give.
Though I enjoyed this book, there was one drawback. I wish there had been more applications as to how to carry this out. I wish this book would have been longer!
All in all, this is one of the best books on organizing an office that I've come across yet. It's helped to define the real causes of disorganization and frees you to be who you are, and organized at the same time. I hope someday soon she'll come out with a book on how to organize a home!
Practical, user-friendly.......2006-10-09
Wow, did I love this book! I've seen a lot of organizing books, but this one was full of ideas and suggestions I hadn't seen before. They were very, very easy to implement quickly and cheaply.
I particularly loved her suggestions on labelling files in way that's actually meaningful to you - labels and folders that make you WANT to do the work inside rather than avoid it. That was a huge change in my way of thinking. I'm also an out-of-sight-out-of-mind person, and I liked her suggestions on using simple clear/translucent containers (as opposed to all kinds of 'specialty' single-use containers that just add to my clutter).
A must-read, particularly for creative types.
If you want - no MUST - change your life, READ THIS BOOK.......2004-09-24
It's been my Bible since I took a look at it in a bookstore...and couldn't put it down. Now I carry it around with me. Or it sits in clear site, so that if I slow down or space out, I can pick up where I left off and keep tweaking my life to work better.
It's more than just "how to straighten up your office" although it does that more compassionately and with more humor than any book or person I've seen.
Since the eighties I've used the services of members of National Organizations of Organizers, and read various books, listened to tapes, but this book is the one that finally WORKS for me, maybe because my nervous system isn't wired like most organizers, and Liz Franklin takes this into account.
Besides, have you ever met an organizer who's FUNNY?
I recommended this book to my boss, who, although has a lot of heart and is a great guy to work for, is even more disorganized than me. And I recommend it unequivocally to anyone.
What happens as you start to give yourself the space and time to do what works for YOU, not for an organizer, all sorts of other wonderful things unfold in your life. Try it. I was surprised.
Book delivers on its promise!.......2004-03-02
For those of you who may not have known me in my "other life,"
I used to be quite disorganized . . . in fact, I once wanted to enter HOME OFFICE COMPUTING'S "Most Disorganized Office" contest,but couldn't find the application for three years because it was buried on my desk. (True story!)
So when I saw HOW TO GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT RESORTING
TO ARSON by Liz Franklin, a self-described
Cultural Anthropologist, I just had to read it if just for the title . . . and I'm glad that I did . . . the book delivers on its promise.
Franklin uses humor to get her points across, yet she also
provides a lot of very concrete advice . . . in addition, she
doesn't tell you what you have to do, and she recognizes the
fact that everybody is different.
And any author who manages to incorporate one of my
favorite stories into her writing has definitely managed to
catch my attention . . . she writes:
Albert Einstein once went to dinner with a friend and a new
acquaintance. Over dinner, the new acquaintance asked
Einstein for his phone number. "Sure," said Al. He got up,
left the table, and walked back toward the phones.
"Where is he going?" asked the acquaintance.
"I don't know," said the friend, with a puzzled look on his face.
Einstein came back and handed the man a slip of paper with his
phone number on it. "My God, you're Einstein!" said the guy.
"Why do you have to look up your own phone number?"
Einstein said, "Why should I keep in my mind the little things
I can find anywhere?"
There were several other memorable passages; among them:
* Paper flow starts at hand level. It comes into your office via people's
hands. You open the mail with your hands, you take it from the fax,
printer, or copier with your hands, you scribble notes with your hands,
clip interesting things out of the paper with your hands, and input to
your computer with your hands.
Why all the emphasis on hands? So you'll remember this important
secret of organizing: paper always lands on the first available hand-
height surface. And what do we find at hand height? Furniture. Paper
lands, and stops, wherever there is a convenient piece of furniture.
Preferably a flat piece of furniture, but almost any hand-height
furniture will do.
* Sit back in your chair, crumple some scratch paper, and let it drop
from your hand. That's where your trash can belongs. If its new
location interferes with your traffic pattern, of course you can make
adjustments. Just be sure it's easy to toss trash from your chair to
the can without bending, leaning or stretching all day long.
* Put this sign on your Central Headquarters box: "DO NOT DISTURB!
WET PAINT!" I'm not kidding! If you don't protect your stuff now,
you won't find it later. And for some reason, this is a sign that gets
people's attention. Who cares it they laugh-at least you'll have
achieved your objective: to keep them out of your stuff.
Book Description
You have a sink full of dishes to wash, three loads of laundry to do, seventeen bills to pay, thirty-six e-mails to answer, a big stack of novels on the nightstand you’d love to read, and zero minutes of free time. You can’t add more hours to the day, but Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®, will help you make the most of the time you have and get things done.
The Productivity Pro® helps you determine what you have under control and where you need to improve. Are you good at managing your bills but can’t find time to exercise? Do you get your kids to all their activities but end up constantly behind on laundry? Laura Stack shows you how to improve every area of your life.
Whether you need help on just a few things or feel like your life is totally out of control, Find More Time will help you organize your space, time, and information to reduce your stress and create and sustain a productive home environment, so you’ll have more time to enjoy your life.
Customer Reviews:
Very intersting book........2007-09-06
We always have the excuse by saying, "I will do this tomorrow!" This book will help you how to get your life back together. Recommended.
A Timesaver and Lifesaver.......2007-04-04
Organization is a breeze with these great tips. Best of all, they are very easy to implement in your own home.
must read for two wage-earner households.......2007-01-05
Today, with both members of many households working, organization at home is a must if we are to have any leisure time at all to enjoy. Laura's tips for getting things done at home and organizing your life are to the point, practical, and, most importantly, easy to remember and easy to implement. Laura has provided numerous articles for OfficeOurs magazine, all of which have been very popular with our office manager and office worker readers. There is good reason she is in such demand as a speaker and we are looking forward to her keynote presentation at our annual office manager conference and future articles and books.
These books are actually fun to read, and the ideas are easy to implement! .......2006-08-11
I have two of her productivity books, and recently saw her speak. I can only say this- she knows her stuff! Her systems are lifesavers and best of all she lives by the systems she teaches. Her books are the most fun read of any 'organizer'type books I have found (I have shelves of them that I started but never finished because they bored me or made no sense).
Recently I had the opportunity to be at a training where Laura spoke on organization and finding more time, I attended two of her sessions and they were incredible. She has a terrific sense of humor and so many great examples. And unlike those speakers who spend their time selling their merchandise or systems, you really know she is there because she wants to help people enhance their ability to get organized. I highly reccomend her as a speaker for any event you have.
Help for overwhelmed moms and dads.......2006-07-16
This book is a great resource for anyone who is overwhelmed by the stuff of life. I'm a work-at-home mom, but I'm extremely organizationally challenged. Because my "work" and my "home" all involve a multitude of jobs, I'm constantly sidetracked and distracted. I run around a lot, but often have little show for it. I did like "Leave the Office Earlier", but "Find More Time" was really what I was looking for as it covers everything that clogs up my brain and helps me sort it out with easy to follow tasks. I saw myself in the section about how "to-do's" are often "projects" and don't get done because they require too many steps. Now, my challenge is to implement and USE the ideas offered by Laura.
Customer Reviews:
A must read for "collectors".......2006-07-14
I LOVE this book. So much I read it twice and am currently reading another of his books. So far this one is my favorite. Some of it is "fluff" but he makes you see that it is a joke keeping all the stuff you probably should throw out. It makes you laugh and say yep I do that! Since reading this book, I haven't been able to totally dejunk my home; however, before purchasing anything - I really think about the item and where I would put it in our home.
"Everything you get takes looking after.".......2006-05-30
Don Aslett has done more than anyone else I know of to help us clear up the clutter. I read his book, Clutter's Last Stand" many years ago.I dig it out every once in a while and thumb through it to help me "Get Back on the Wagon".You'll find a review on it amongst my reviews dated December 29,2005. By the way ,a good decluttering principle is followed here;Amazon keeps and stores these reviews---not me!
This book is pretty much like his others in principles;but I never tire of reading the reasons for and the suggestions given for de-junking.
Even if you are not a junk ammasser;you'll really love this book,because it will show you that you have been right all along--by natural instinct.
Then there are the rest of us who are junk collectors by instinct reinforced by yeard of dedication ,practice and our own finely honed instincts.
Even if you have the will power to ignore all of Don's reasons,suggestions ,insinuations,you'll still enjoy the book for the excuses for keeping junk;as he'll have some even you have never heard or used. Keeping junk is a fine art and you can utilize all the help you can get. From Don,you'll be learning from the master himself,as he has devoted his life to this subject. You've probably seen numerous little newspaper and magazine articles over the years on this subject;but none can hold a candle to what you will find in this gem of a book.This book of 214 pages is loaded with humor,a zillion illustrations and every excuse imaginable and will give you hours of side-splitting laughter. If you really want to drive someone nuts;put a 'brown wrapper' on it and let the belly-laughs roll.On second thought ,try a cover from a True Crime Stories.
I really enjoyed Chapter 16,"Dear but Not Departed"
Don gives us great lines like;
"Your junk and clutter will survive you,count on it."
"She was so young. She had so much (stuff) to live for."
"The funeral is over;many mourners paid tribute and now will
pay dearly for what you left behind."
"Suddenly your death isn't a sweet sorrow,it's a sorry mess."
"You wanted your good stuff to carry on in life,to live on,and
now it's being carried off."
"If you're the kind of person who says."Big deal,it won't be
my worry," you're not only a packrat.you're a dirty rat."
As to shopping sales,bargains ,free offers,etc. "Don't go to
the Devil's workshop,if you don't want to do business with
him."
So how do you get rid of all your junk? Simple;get rid of everything that hasn't moved in the last 6 months and read a
chapter of this book every month.
Have I been successful? well hardly.I just got rid of 10 books.Problem is;I've over 700 to go. However; I've got the best of intentions.
Good Luck!!
Amusing fluff.......2001-06-20
I bought this book before moving to another house. It *IS* a funny, easy-to read diatribe about how to bring yourself to throw things away. It *IS NOT* a comprehensive method about how to organize your space and house. If you want to get organized, have a practical, functional and nice-to-live-in home, buy Julie Morgenstern's "Organizing from the Inside Out". However, if you want to have a laugh and gain confidence about dumping the dusty junk in your cellar or attic, this is the book for you.
Excellent book!.......2000-10-13
I was so inspired to declutter my house, I couldn't even wait till I had finished reading the whole book, I started right in on some overflowing drawers. I like his writing style; it's very down-to-earth and funny, especially when he mentions some of the things he himself had accumulated before he "saw the light." I laughed out loud several times while reading it. He really gets into the nitty-gritty details of decluttering too, like how to identify clutter, why you've saved it, excuses and reasons for cluttering/saving, how to get rid of it, and even how to spot potential clutter before you even acquire it. There was no aspect of clutter that he didn't cover. I loved the cartoons too; they really hit home and lightened up the whole prospect of the task ahead. I highly recommend this book. After decluttering my own areas, my husband (who said he didn't have any clutter) starting reading the book and amazingly found some things he could part with too. Yippee! I plan on re-reading parts of it whenever I start backsliding. (Yes, he covers that too.)
Life changing advice!.......2000-08-08
I highly recommend this book for anyone swimming in junk and wanting to make their life less "cluttered". My husband and I are both long-time pack-rats and this book has helped us get started on sifting through the mounds of stuff. When I get stuck I pick up and read the book just for inspiration on how to get started again. Mr. Aslett recognizes that pack-rats are emotionally involved with their stuff and counsels you through how to overcome that problem. We have managed to get rid of huge amounts of things that we really didn't need to keep and I don't know if we would have gotten this far without his advice and "counseling". I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting to simplify their life with less "stuff".
Books:
- The Adult Learner, Sixth Edition: The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development
- The Best 361 Colleges, 2007 Edition (College Admissions Guides)
- The Bible and Its Influence, Student Text (Bible Literacy Project) (Bible Literacy Project) (Bible Literacy Project)
- The Coaching at Work Toolkit
- The Economic Way of Thinking (10th Edition)
- The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
- The Gregg Reference Manual
- The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You
- The Literacy Coach's Handbook: A Guide to Research-Based Practice (Solving Problems In Teaching Of Literacy)
- The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1)
Books Index
Books Home
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Microsoft Office Document Designer: Your Easy-to-Use Toolkit and Complete How-To Source for Professional-Quality Documents
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