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Consider what should belong and where things should belong in your work space. Think of things from the realtor's point of view.
Developers, realtors, leasing agents, and the like are quite familiar with the concept of prime real estate. Developers don't build "Dollar Stores" or "Big Lots" stores on land for which they paid a premium. They put high end housing, retail, or commercial property there. By considering this concept, reorganize your workspace (desk, lab, or other places where you work) to be more productive.
- Imagine yourself sitting in the middle of a target when you are in your workspace. Not literally, of course. Just get the picture in your mind.
- The "A" area (or prime real estate) is the concentric circle that is the closest to you and includes the top of your desk, the top drawers in your desk, and any other spaces that you can reach easily without much movement.
- Put items in your "A"/prime real estate area that you use every day...and put nothing else in that space. Do you really use your three-hole punch every day? If not, it and other office supplies should be moved. And do you use 10,000 pens? Donate the extras to the students in your classes. Do you really use a phone book every day? Probably not, yet it may be taking up an entire drawer in your desk.
- The "B" area (or expensive real estate) is the next concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include lower desk drawers, a credenza, or shelf that you can reach without getting up out of your chair.
- Put items in your "B"/expensive real estate area that you use frequently, but not necessarily everyday...and put nothing else in that space.
- The "C" area (or moderately-priced real estate) is the next concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include your file cabinets, book shelves, or other storage furniture in your office space. Important reference materials should be in this space, including perhaps a list of university personnel, a dictionary, etc.
- Put items in your "C"/moderately-priced real estate area that you need to have access to but that you don't use on a frequent basis. This is the place for your snack drawer!
- The "D" area (or low-cost/bargain real estate) is the last and outer concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include storage outside your immediate workspace, off-site storage, or the like. Confirm the security of these materials (locking file cabinets, a safe) if they contain private information.
- Put items in your "D"/bargain real estate area that you must keep for legal or accountability reasons, but that you don't access except in unusual circumstances
- Consider your workspace areas to be fluid, i.e., something that you are working on during one part of the month may move into your "B" area, but then during the rest of the month, may move back out to the "C" area.
Think through the ideas I listed above and see what a difference it makes. Watch your productivity soar as you effectively and efficiently get your work done in your newly-organized workspace. Students, colleagues, and your administrators will comment. I know this because it happened to me!
Keep moving forward on your goals for more peaceful productivity. Join others (worldwide) who receive Meggin's weekly emails (and see what is available for download at no cost at the following websites):
**Top Ten Productivity Tips
**Keys to Keeping Chaos at Bay
**From the Desk of Meggin McIntosh
(c) 2008 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., "The Ph. D. of Productivity"(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!
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