 |
The Small and Home Office Association of Southeastern Connecticut
| :: | Members |
| :: | Meetings |
| :: | Articles |
| :: | Links |
| :: | Newsletter |
| :: | Join Us |
| :: | Contact Us |
| :: | Home |
 |
|
 |
|||
|
|||||
 |
 |
Renew
Online
You may now renew your annual membership dues online. Annual dues are $45.00.
Eva Menon is the owner of Starlight International, an
independent distributor of health supplements.
By Eva Menon
It is September and time for the kids to go back to school, and
the rest of us to get back to work. This is the time of year I get
overwhelmed with papers - my papers, business lists, prospect lists,
and scheduled appointments. In addition, there are the entire
family’s schedules to juggle, including the kids’ numerous
permission slips, which must be filled out and handed in before that
field trip to the swamp! That’s why I was so happy to see that SAHOA
had invited an organizer, Liz Farrell, to help us with
organizational skills. I was really thrilled when I won the “Chron
File” in a raffle at our meeting.
The Chronological file is an accordion folder with numbered folders
1-31. As those of you at the meeting saw, I began using the file
right away. I love things that are simple, that work well, and make
my life easier. The info that Liz Farrell gave us has proven to be
just that - simple, easy and therefore very usable and helpful. It
is amazing to me how much easier my life is now.
I have a system I follow every day. This is the key. I am very
careful to put all my papers in the one place they should go. I now
look at the due date and I place the papers on the due date. Then at
5:30 am each day, I check to see what is due and what has to be
signed. I place all my bills on the dates they are due, and I pay
them in the morning. I have not used my Task sheets yet; I use my
palm pilot for that. In the last couple of weeks, I have not lost
any papers, and I always know where things are. There are now just
two places to look.
Liz met with me at my home and suggested a very simple filing
system. Everything for my daughter goes into the high school file,
anything I have to fill out or sign goes into my Chron file. Things
that are pending with no definite due date, I place in slot #1, and
the rest are placed by dates. It is amazing to me how much easier
this has been for me. I now find my papers easily, I always fill
things out on time, and I am spending much less time looking for
things. I have even sent out three birthday cards on time! I have
also become much more ruthless in throwing out papers I’m uncertain
about. I used to put them away “just in case”… now I file them in
the trash. I was always saving things I may want to look at later or
information I may use later. Now I have a folder for resources, one
for business, one for personal. I put papers there if I do not know
if I may use them. I suppose I will have to learn to clean it out
someday, but for now, I am thrilled with the results. I have also
placed my business and continuing education credit info into my
Chron file. That way I am looking at it in the morning of the date
when I must make a decision. It is much easier that way for me.
Thank you Liz and thank you Peggy for bringing Liz to the meeting. I
never thought I would find an organizer helpful or useful. I always
thought I was just not very organized and leave it at that. Liz’s
advice now makes great sense to me; being organized is not only your
personality, but also a skill you can refine. Thank you for making
it simple and usable for me.