Tag: communication

National Organize Your Home Office Day: My High Tech Me Project

Did you know?  The second Tuesday in March is National Organize Your Home Office Day.

I’m entertained by the fact that, thanks to technology, I started this blog seated at my favorite satellite office, the Corner Bakery near my home.  Not to be confused with my favorite Conference Room, the Beverly Bakery, also near my home and where I take my breakfast meetings.  The real irony is that I’m avoiding baked goods, but I really love these places!  And now, I’m home in my actual office.

These “home office” musings remind me that my “Home Office”, or in my case, just my “Office”, is anywhere that I am at that moment, thanks to technology.  There is a dark side of tech, though:

I’ve been struggling with the myriad methods of communication available, and how to manage them all well.  For example, last summer, a friend asked “Did you get my message?”, so I went back to check my:

  • recent texts;recent voice mails on my mobile phone;
  • recent voice mails on our home phone;
  • FB messages on my personal page, and
  • FB messages on my business page;
  • professional email;
  • personal email;
  • at the time, cub scout pack email (as I was still Cubmaster and she is a scouting friend);
  • twitter; and
  • actual snail mail, and my really big white mail box because she lives down the street, and could have left something for me.

Ridiculous.  Not the message or the friend (she is lovely), but the number of places I had to check for communications.  Ugh.

Fast forward: I spent the first 7 weeks of 2017 working on what I called my High Tech Me project. My plan was to make the moving parts of my office experience work better together.  To organize my “office” and clear communication clutter, I organized my tech.  After assessing my needs, I (just to list a few steps):

  • streamlined my IPad and IPhone apps, and set up my laptop so all the devices communicate with each other;
  • set up my devices to update automatically overnight, and installed yet another external hard drive;
  • purchased a few more chargers and surge protectors for the places we all use them the most (and my chargers are pink as the only female in the house, to easily identify who swiped my stuff);
  • fully embraced Gmail for my personal email – it’s easy and has an app!, and I left behind our old email provider that doesn’t have an app and regularly froze up or kicked me out;
  • wi-fi enabled my new IPad (woot woot);
  • adjust my privacy and notification settings on all my social media and email accounts, to better manage my information;
  • explored Evernote, and now use it more fully to organize my thoughts and notes;
  • unsubscribed from dozens of retailers and email mailing lists; and
  • re-established a relationship with Siri on my apple devices, and while we still don’t always see eye to eye, we’re making progress (and Siri is now an Australian male voice and I refer to him as Nigel.  Whatever works.).

On this National Organize Your Office Day, remember these important points:

  • Technology is amazing and overwhelming, but it is just a tool.   It’s here to make our lives better, so set yours up to improve your life and not detract from it (and if you don’t know how, ask my web guru Claire and she will say – When in Doubt, Google it Out!)
  • BACK IT UP.  To the cloud, to a hard drive, to your lap top.  Back up your information. And get a case for your phone.  Yes, you,
  • Keep current on your device udpates, all the time.
  • De-Clutter or streamline what you can. Unsubscribe, send all your emails to one address, get rid of your home phone (we’re working on this one!), mirror your devices so you only have to remember one set-up, etc.
  • Make maintenance a habit.  I have actually added a line item to my daily routine to remind me to check different communication methods until it becomes a habit.

 

You Know Smart, Helpful People. Talk to Them.

2 Comments

    

 

 

I talk.  A lot.  I strike up conversations with anyone anywhere.  My husband never worries about me being lonely if he takes me to some event because soon enough, I’m chatting with someone.  I meet great people and learn new things all the time.  I don’t talk to people solely for information gathering, but it’s a great side benefit! 

     A client was struggling last week with decision making, and I suggested she gather more information about a particularly important and weighty decision.  Ask the experts.  Talk to people.

     After a personal sharing of parenting struggles last week, a different client said she had never stated these things out loud, and that it is too bad we all don’t talk about these things because we could learn from each other.  Solution?  Talk to people. 

     Recently, a fellow organizer helped me change my NAPO Chicago profile address because I’m eliminating my post office box.  She is considering using a P.O. Box, so she asked why I was letting mine go, and I was happy to answer.  Direct, efficient, weighing opinions and facts – awesome.   

     You know smart and helpful and friendly people.  And if you don’t, well, you probably do, but if you don’t, you know people who know smart, helpful and friendly people.

     We still have to act, of course, in addition to talking, but we can learn a lot from each other if we ask the right people the right questions.  So, talk to people.

Ask Experts.   I don’t know how to set up a limited liability company, but I have a wonderful friend and attorney who does.  I don’t know what authors are popular with young adults, but the nice lady who owns the used book store does.

     I don’t know how to move my porch light to make room for the new awning I want installed, but my friend the electrician does and he’s stopping by later.

     I don’t know if a seller can expect a higher price on their home if they paint inside first, but I have a friend who is both a realtor and a house painter, and he’ll tell me. 

     I don’t know a lot of things, but I do know a lot of people, and they’ll help.  And remember, some suggestions are free and some you have to pay for.  Ask Experts questions, but don’t be a nuisance.

Stretch your mind and stretch your circle:  Sometimes you have to stretch your social circles to broaden your range of answers.  Ask your friends to ask their friends, to stretch outside your usual circle for new insight and ideas.

Talk to people, but consider the source.  Ask for opinions, but recognize that which friends are more negative or positive than others.

Ask for opinions, but be specific.  Your friend may rate a business or experience on criteria other than yours, so ask for specifics to back up a recommendation or referral.  If you are looking for a new physician, specify the type, or your geographical region or insurance provider.  Be specific when you answer questions, too.  I love my pediatrician because he is really good, very close to home and will always make room in his schedule for us.  On the other hand, others might not like that he is quick with his exams and explanations.  So I always tell both sides. 

Talk to yourself.  Yes, I really did just suggest that you talk to yourself.  Some of us are auditory learners, which means we learn by hearing.  When I edit articles or an email, I read the content aloud to determine if I said what I meant to say.  And my family clears the room, like they just did as I edit this article.

     I recently opened up a new business checking account, and had two accounts for a month while the last of the checks cleared the old account.  When I was catching up on my bookkeeping yesterday on Quicken, I struggled for half an hour about how to account for 2 different monthly ending balances, fees paid and reimbursed, etc.  Luckily, I live with a CPA (for whom I am eternally grateful), and I asked him for help.  However, I figured out what I needed to do just by explaining it aloud to him.  Hearing the description of the problem led me to the right solution, while my hubby nodded sagely a lot, and then confirmed that I was correct (which is good, since he’ll have to look at it all again in 10 months at Tax time!!).

     So, if you are struggling this week with decisions or options, look around at the people you know, ask some specific questions, get some new ideas and get talking!