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FEBRUARY 16, 2009
ISSN 1947-105X | Vol. 3, No. 7
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OFFICE ORGANIZATION ISSUE
In This Issue:
From the Editor
One of the tricks to being highly productive is being highly organized.
But don't despair if you weren't born with organizational gifts. These
can be learned. Libby McIntyre is here this week to share some simple
actions you can take and soon turn them into effective habits.
Yours in goodness and success!
Danielle Keister
Founder & CVO Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce
De-Clutter Your Desk,
De-Clutter Your Mind
 Desk
space/office clutter got you down? Does it seem the busier you get, the
more paperwork piles up and “things to do” get scattered around
your desk wherever there’s a clear spot?
Working in a cluttered environment makes for bad feng shui, which is
the ancient Chinese art developed over 3,000 years ago and believed to
balance energies in a given space to help promote health and good fortune.
Being organized and not surrounded by piles of "stuff" creates
a more soothing environment and enjoyable workspace, which can lead to
reducing daily stress and tension while increasing your productivity!
Listed below are some simple tips to help clean up that clutter.
- Recover your workspace. Remove loose papers
from your desk and set them aside. We’ll address those in the
tip below. Look at all other items left on your desk. Sort items you
use consistently on a regular basis throughout the day such as a pen
or two, a pencil, highlighter, etc. in one pile and the extra pens,
pencils, highlighters, scissors, and items you don’t use consistently
on a regular basis in another pile. Place the items you use daily in
either a receptacle on your desk or better yet in a drawer and put the
‘extras’ in a supply area in the closet. That should already
have made a big difference!
- Systemize your "piles." Create files and
use desk trays or graduated file holders, whatever works for you and
your work space. Label your action files using “read”, “file”,
“pay”, “pending”, “to do”, and sort
your loose papers into these categories. For multiple clients, you can
color code to simplify even further.
- Organizers are handy and fun! Work space
limited? Shop for organizers that will work for you based on space limitations
and what you need to organize. You can even have some fun with them.
There are wide varieties to choose from and they can stack, hide, roll
away, etc. Organizers are available at specialized websites like SeeJaneWork
and TheContainerStore
or you can shop IKEA, Staples, Office Depot, Target or Wal-Mart. (Editor's
note: OfficeMax carries a wonderfully stylish line called DiVoga.)
- Make'em work for you. Do you have a stack of business
cards you’ve collected from networking events tossed around your
desk? Enter the information into an Excel spreadsheet, which can later
be used for email blasts, direct mailings, etc. Better yet… have
your Virtual Assistant do it for you! You can now dispose of those cards.
- Just say no to sticky notes. Eliminate sticky note
reminders! Instead of scattering your workspace with sticky note reminders,
make use of online tools. Using
I-Google, you can create an electronic sticky note pad on your homepage,
in Microsoft Outlook you can create pop-ups that pop on to your screen
to remind you of a task (and you can even postpone them to tend to a
little later).
You know, it only take 28 days to create healthy new habits. Make it
a practice to end each work day by clearing your desk and work area. Put
everything in its place before you walk away and turn out the light. Leave
items that require attention the next day in a designated spot. You’ll
begin your next work day ready to jump in without having to clear a spot,
find a pen, or sift through stacks of loose papers.
RESOURCE: To learn more about organizing
your desk and workspace pick up a copy of "Organizing
Your Work Space: A Guide To Personal Productivity (Crisp Fifty-Minute
Series)" by Odette Pallor, available in paperback from
Amazon.
 About
the Author: As owner of McIntyre
Office Assistance, Libby McIntyre has over 16 years of professional
experience working as an administrative assistant in various fields for
both large and small corporations and local government. She offers professional
administrative support to small business owners enabling them to use their
time more efficiently in growing their business. Visit Libby’s website
at http://www.mcintyreoa.com.
© Copyright 2009, The
Portable Business™. All U.S. and International rights
reserved. You are granted permission to republish this article only if
used in its entirety with this copyright notice, title, article content,
resource, author's bio and links left intact.
Let's Connect!
Reader Raves
 "Great
newsletter. Great article. Great info. Thank you!"
— Geri Lafferty, Capital
Virtual Assistance, regarding "Find
a Virtual Assistant Who Specializes in YOU" on 2/9/09.
Hey! Send us your feedback. Did you find an article
insightful, helpful and informative? Have topic ideas you'd like to see
covered in future issues? Let us know! We'd love to hear from you.
Next No-Cost
Teleseminar: February 19, 2009
 Join
us on Thursday, February 19, for the next VACOC Guest Expert Teleseminar:
"Exercising Your Brilliance for Innovation." Guest
speaker Jim Canterucci believes when you're faced with a situation where
you have to come up with and implement great ideas, and you can... that's
Personal Brilliance. The four catalysts to Personal Brilliance are awareness,
curiosity, focus and initiative. In Jim's session, based on his bestseller,
"Personal Brilliance, Mastering the Everyday Habits that Create a Lifetime
of Success," we will go beyond creativity to innovation. You'll benefit
and so will the clients you serve!
RESERVE
YOUR SPOT TODAY >>
Download the VACOC Toolbar
The Results Are In!
 The
2008 Virtual
Assistant Industry Survey went fabulously and the results are
fascinating. I want to thank all the participants for their efforts in
promoting it and making it the best yet! All Virtual Assistants who participated
in the survey and signed up to the mailing list at the end get a complimentary
copy of the survey.
If you are a Virtual Assistant and didn't participate this
year, we really encourage you to take part in the next survey. You will
be contributing to the effort that is helping the industry grow AND you'll
get a copy of the full survey results report once the survey period is
over. Only those who participate get the full survey report at no charge.
In the meantime, we offer an abridged version of the survey
(about half) which gives some of the basic statistical data. You are welcome
to "take one down and pass it around." You may also publish
the results contained in the survey highlights report as long as attribution
is given to the VACOC.
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SCRATCHING YOUR
HEAD? Have you been wondering what this administrative solution
called Virtual Assistance is all about? Not to worry! The Virtual Assistance
Chamber of Commerce has written an online guide to answer all your questions:
The
Client's Guide to Virtual Assistants.
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Find a Qualified Virtual Assistant Today!
 You
don't have to live in overwhelm. You CAN get just the help you
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| The Portable
Business™ (formerly The Gritty Business Buzz™) is a
weekly electronic newsletter from the Virtual Assistance Chamber
of Commerce™ It is produced by our Virtual Assistant members
especially for the gritty, resourceful, fiercely determined small
business owners and independent professionals they serve--YOU!
Published every Monday. Our records indicate that
you are subscribed to this newsletter. To change your subscription,
see link at end of email.
EDITOR: Danielle
Keister, The
Relief Virtual Assistance
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT:
Denise Shears, Shears
Virtual Advantage
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