Working Smarter

Overworked and out of time? A few simple tweaks in your workday can lessen the stress:

• When deciding whether to file something or pitch it, consider the words of professional organizer Vicki Norris: "Eighty percent of the things we file, we never look at again."
  
• Be realistic when making a "to do" list. A list of 15 tasks invites frustration and a sense of failure, whereas a list of five can be a motivator. If you struggle to limit your "to do" list, create a "must do" category and focus on those tasks first. Eventually you'll have a sense of how much you can reasonably complete in a day. Having an organized office will help you cross things off sooner.
  
• Skip the fancy color-coded filing system or any system that demands too much attention or time. Find a system that works for you. It may be as basic as categorizing papers into manila folders and handwriting labels.