It's Time To Come Clean

T he business of ISOs is an industry of the field. But what does your home base look like? Take a moment and ask yourself:

+ Do you get tired when you walk in your office?

+ Do you avoid eye contact with the interior of your mobile office - your car?

+ How efficiently does your office work for you?

+ Can you find what you're looking for within seconds?

+ Does your work environment stimulate your mind?

+ Does your office reflect your value?

+ Does your workspace show off your business sense?

+ Is your office a reflection of who you are?

If your stress and/or shame level increased just by reading those questions, then it is time to clean up the clutter.

Many ISOs suffer from the yo-yo organization syndrome. Just like dieting, clutter poundage goes up and down. The piles of paperwork and unopened mail get bigger and bigger until one day you step into your office and it hits you - gotta get rid of that extra weight. So you dive in with great energy but not a great deal of strategy. And because of that lack of strategy, after a few weeks you slide back into clutter . and stress.

Like any strong sales concept, organization requires planning. You've got to step back and analyze the situation. If you are ready to make the commitment to a clutter-free work environment, you've got to figure out what you need and exit the excess. Fight the impulse to attack first and ask later - step back! To alleviate anxiety and lose mess stress, follow three simple steps: Strategize, Sort and Purge.

Remember your days in kindergarten? A cubby for your jacket, a cubby for crayons, a cubby for blocks, even a cubby for your nap blanket. That childhood memory can be easily and effectively translated into maintaining order in your office. The kindergarten business model holds true in adult life. Everything in your work environment needs a home.

Create three to five "activity" zones. Call them whatever you want - communication zone, hands-on zone, file zone, in zone, out zone, working zone. Get boxes, stackable plastic containers of various sizes, file holders, file folders - and grab that p-touch! Create labels: top of the label - name of the zone; bottom of the label - specific items, project, etc.

Sort your stuff by zones. Put the sorted items in their new homes and place them in convenient and efficient spots around your work environment. Are you left with items that don't fit in any of your zones? Toss 'em! Keep only what you need.

What should you do with all those important notes and numbers covering your desktop like a glacier of got-to-do things? If you need that information at your fingertips, get a blotter. Not only is it a handy place to store important phone numbers; it protects your information from spilled drinks and ink stains.

Position the blotter center stage atop your desk and attach to it all those reminders and numbers. Then cover it with a piece of glass. You not only have created a smooth and level writing surface but also a litter-free workspace that you see daily and change accordingly.

Unclutter requires developing the skill. Identify what is essential. Identify what your business is about. Identify your zones. Identify who you are. And as you organize the physical side, don't forget to organize the time side, too.

Whenever you bring something into your space, make time for it. That includes cleanup time. Get a handle not just on a broom but on time. Create a time map. Schedule a few minutes daily to maintain your new order.

It also helps to realize there are roadblocks to organization, the most injurious being psychological obstacles. Some ISOs prefer to keep the chaos rather than maintain order. Why? Because their fear of success keeps them from cleanliness. They are held back by the clutter, fearful of having no excuse not to succeed.

They need to look beyond the clutter. It's not letting go. Instead, it's moving toward what's on the other side - freedom from stress. Moving items out of your way opens the door to fortune. Creating order creates new outlooks. Cleaning out invites success to come in.

Remember, subtracting is often adding. When you learn to let go - and keep it going - your office will fuel your business goals. Your work environment will soothe your ISO soul.