Recently, in a spurt of ‘abundance thinking’, where I was convinced that 2010 is going to be a MUCH better year than 2009 (I can’t afford to think otherwise, can you?!), I decided to do an inventory of people/resources I can turn to when my workload is too heavy to do it all myself.

Like many fellow consultants, I can perform every function needed to support most client projects myself, but have found it very wise to outsource certain portions of my research projects when I have a heavy client load in order to ensure that my time is spent on the things that are: 1) high value activities, worthy of my $100+ hourly rate and 2) things that only I can do based on my unique talents or the client relationship.

In an effort to streamline the process when I need to turn to other resources, I created a spreadsheet that provides me with a quick glance at the resources I’ve qualified and established relationships with over the past 10 years.  Some of the features of the spreadsheet:

• Every row is a different person/resource
• The first few columns include contact information, notes about the resource and their specialty
• The rest of the columns are categories of resources such as Interviewing, Analysis, Recruiting, Panels/Lists, etc.
• I put an X in each column/category that a given resource can help with

Having this quick reference allows me to rapidly scan a given column when I have the need for support in any given area.  When I meet/qualify new resources, I add them to the spreadsheet, which ensures that I think of them when the need arises.  This saves me a LOT of time and helps me make sure I make the right choice for each project, which helps ensure high quality results for my clients.

Let’s all think ‘abundance’ for 2010 and do a similar inventory of our resources…and if you don’t HAVE back-up resources, be sure to find some…WIC is a great source of qualified people who can partner with you to help in almost any element of your work.

Does your email inbox have 3,000 emails in it?  Do you lose important emails because they are buried deep in your inbox?  Don’t let email overwhelm you.  Take control of your inbox with these easy steps: 

Clean Out Your Inbox Daily – The best way to avoid email overwhelm is to clean out your inbox daily.  The only emails that should be in your inbox are those emails that are pending action. 

Delete, delete, delete – When you receive junk mail, advertisements or duplicate information… delete them.  If you have emails that have nothing to do with you, are trash or not worth your time…delete them. 

Take Action – When you receive an email that will take 2 minutes or less to deal with, than take the necessary action immediately.  Then delete or file the email.

File It – If you need the email for reference in the future and this information is not available anywhere else, than file it in an email folder.  Be sure that the folders you set up are easy to understand so you can find the email later when you need it. 

Clear Out Email Backlog – If you have 3,000 emails in your inbox, then start taking the steps to clear out the backlog.  Start with the most recent emails first and work your way back.  Each day spend 15 minutes working on this project until it is completed. 

Create a Junk Email – Use this email address to order things online or sign into random websites.  Once this email address starts to get overloaded with spam, you can shut it down and create another junk email address.  This will help contain the junk email so it won’t take over your real email.

Setting up the right organizing systems in your office can make all the difference in the world.  You can clean up and organize your space, but if you are not setting up maintainable systems that work well for you, the clutter and disorganization will come back.

A recent article called “An Orderly Office?  That’s Personal” in the New York times discusses one person’s journey to organizing her office and how organizing systems changed her life.

To read more go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/garden/26office.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=march%2026,%202009%20organizer&st=cse

The best way to store items is by using storage containers.  Containers help keep similar items in one place, they protect your belongings and they serve as a “home”.  You can also use them to maximize your storage space by purchasing containers that are stackable.

Favorite Stores – Some of my favorite places to shop for containers are Container Store, Storables, OSH and Target.

Container Store 25% Off – Right now you can find some great containers for your organizing projects at the Container Store and get 25% off through April 13th with this coupon: http://images.containerstore.com/messyHouseTour.pdf

Spring is already here and I am still working on implementing my New Years Intentions/Resolutions. Better now than never!

Is your new year resolution or intention about getting organized?  If so, a great way to start is to stop extra mail that comes into your home or business.  Check out www.dmachoice.org or www.greendimes.com to remove your name from junk mailing lists.

Looking to get rid of old electronics?  I found a great website that will buy used cell phones, MP3 players, computers and camcorders. The company will send you a prepaid postage box so you can ship your items to them.  The website is very user friendly and it only takes a few minutes to look up your electronics.  Go to www.gazelle.com for more information.

Tags: dma, electronics, gazelle, green, junk mail, list, mail, organize, organized, recycle, resolution