What does "quality of life" mean to you? If you want to improve it, you have to define and measure it. Most people think of it in terms of lodging, car, financial income, medical services, and social position. That point of view, however, is not fully complete. An average person is spending more than half of his/her life at work. That is why the level of comfort at workplace is an essential factor influencing on individual's life. The subject matter of this article is the improvement of your working environment and making it more comfortable for you. Please follow the guidelines in this article to minimize tiredness, achieve more results at work and make your life better.
At work you are facing two quite different factors influencing your personal comfort and efficiency. The first factor is your relations with other people - subordinates, colleagues, boss, partners, and contractors. The second factor is the technological environment in which you are working. There is an enormous amount of books devoted to the question of building good relations and proper communications between people. You may take a look at How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. When people speak about technology, they used to mention particular software aimed to solve a particular problem; usually, they do not pay enough attention to the psychological aspect of a human-technology interaction. This article focuses on that question.
Which emotions do you feel sitting at your desk in the office? Do you feel comfortable? If you cannot answer positively, please follow two simple guidelines. (1) Keep your workplace in order. Documents constantly cluttering your desk form a bad feeling and wrong opinion that you have too much work and can hardly get it done. Always put the documents in a drawer or bookcase at the end of your working day. Following that simple rule will not only allow you to quickly find a required document in the future, it will also help you to stop thinking about your work and focus on the rest. (2) In order to make your workplace a bit milder, place something nice on your desk: a photo of your family, child, pet, a souvenir from an exotic travel, anything you really like. Look at this item from time to time to relax and get good emotions.
An office work is mainly processing of information. One simple tool is widely used in offices to help people store their info ? sticky notes. It is very natural to write short notes on small pieces of paper and stick them somewhere near you. The downside of this "technology" is that your workplace becomes cluttered with those stickies, so you can see them everywhere: on your monitor, desk, and the wall in front of you. The real problem here is your inability to quickly find necessary information and control deadlines. The impact of this situation on one's mentality is quite destructive, yet people continue to use that approach mainly because of its simplicity.
A reasonable way to manage your info is to make use of your personal computer and personal information management software (PIM). A PIM can help you store and find information, plan your time, remind you on scheduled events, etc. It can protect your mind from overstrain, reveal your creativity, and make your life easier. It is very important to find a PIM that really fits your needs. Below are some useful guidelines you should follow when choosing personal info management software.
Since a PIM is supposed to be used quite intensively, it has to be extremely user-friendly. Try several programs and find one, which is easy to use for you. All basic functions of the program should be easily accessible, so you could rapidly take a note, set up a reminder, and check your schedule. Your PIM software should require minimum efforts to operate it; ideally, the number of mouse clicks (and keystrokes) necessary to perform an action should be minimized. Another useful feature of PIM software is the tracking capability. A history feature is highly valuable to safely store and track your information. And finally, the most important question: how a program does actually remind you? Reminders should be non-annoying; the program should not interrupt your current work even when reminding you.
Spend reasonable time on searching for suitable PIM; this will spare lots of your time and efforts in the future. PIM allows you to organize your workplace, reduce your workload, spare your energy, and make you more productive. This will greatly contribute to the quality of your life and career.
The bottom line: Make your workplace comfortable to enjoy your life while you are working. Keep your workplace in order; put your documents into a drawer after you finish your work. Place on your desk or hang on the wall a photo of your family, child, pet, etc. Read a book about the psychology of communication. Choose PIM software, which will help you daily acting as your personal assistant, sparing your efforts, and revealing your creativity. Get positive emotions at work; that is the key to success in your life and career. Good luck to you!
Nicholas Kabarow is a senior designer and software architect at CuteReminder Labs (http://www.CuteReminder.com). His innovative ideas were implemented in the personal information management software called Cute Reminder. Nicholas' main concept of software aimed for personal use is the quick and unobtrusive user interface able to spare your efforts daily. Comments can be sent via the contact form at http://www.CuteReminder.com/contacts.php
One of the most basic ways to find papers when... Read More
How many of us have enough time to do everything... Read More
Remember when you charged into the office that first day,... Read More
I recently had a conversation with a friend about clutter.... Read More
At this point, you have probably run across some belongings... Read More
What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More
Getting and staying organized is critical to achieving your goals.... Read More
"Organize" is a familiar word heard on many of today's... Read More
Collections are the outward manifestation of a deeply-felt principle or... Read More
Light, Work, and YouWinter is here-and with it, short days,... Read More
We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More
Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More
If you have piles of paper all over your desk,... Read More
(This is the second in a series of three articles... Read More
You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More
The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in... Read More
We previously noted that papers must be sorted before they... Read More
Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down... Read More
De-Cluttering our lives can be an extremely liberating exercise. There... Read More
Staying organized can be a constant battle. The following organizing... Read More
1. Sink to their level. Get on your knees in... Read More
Has your polished mahogany (or modular plastic) desk been buried... Read More
Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More
Home organization isn't just for neat-nicks or those drawn toward... Read More
'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More
What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started... Read More
What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything!... Read More
For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More
Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control,... Read More
Are you overwhelmed by clutter wherever you turn? Here are... Read More
I recently conducted a survey to look at the relationship... Read More
Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More
Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More
Life is really all about CHANGE. In order to make... Read More
Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards... Read More
The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in... Read More
You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More
Cleaning out can seem overwhelming -- especially if it's been... Read More
Home organization isn't just for neat-nicks or those drawn toward... Read More
"Do something every day that you don't want to-do; this... Read More
I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More
3-Step Clean Sweep Program 1 -... Read More
Helping people clean out their closet is something I love... Read More
What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More
Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More
How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More
How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More
Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More
I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my... Read More
Clutter in any area of your home is a sign... Read More
My mother is one of the most productive people I... Read More
Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More
Last year I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and... Read More
One of the most basic ways to find papers when... Read More
1. The Law of the 1st StepA good first step... Read More
Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down... Read More
What do you do with those special items that have... Read More
Do you feel like you are running around in circles,... Read More
To want in one's heart to do a thing for... Read More
Professional organizers and helpful-hint sources often recommend storage solutions such... Read More
Every day I find junk mail waiting for me, whether... Read More
What does "quality of life" mean to you? If you... Read More
A daily journal will save you time, reduce stress and... Read More
There are 3 kinds of clutter: Inner (between our ears);... Read More
In your quest to get 'up and running' so to... Read More
If you have piles of paper all over your desk,... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |