Systems For Organized Lifestyles

By Cyndi Seidler

Reprinted from HandyGirl's Organized Living, Spring 1998 issue

If you were to look at all the actions we do, we might discover that everything we do has a sort of "system" to it. A system is an organized method or procedure. Even in the smallest of tasks, we would most likely find that, when we do something, we do it a certain way. The way in which we do something then, would be our system, whether efficient or not.

The goal here is to make our systems more efficient. Let’s take a few case study examples.

Home Management Case Study: Mother gets up in the morning racing around to get her children off to school and herself off to work. Her system was to prepare meals and lunches in the morning rush, which did not allow her much time for the other morning activities and typical hustle (even the unexpected delays children can create). She could’ve set her alarm clock an hour earlier but she didn’t want to do that. She decided to prepare lunches and set clothes out the night before. This system was the more acceptable plan and it was given a name: the "Off-to-school Prep" system. Time gained for other activities averaged 30 minutes per day.

Work Management Case Study: Executive arrives to work with piles of paper stacked in various places around the office, mostly on the desk. Daily mail is glanced at and distributed in a tray basket holding other mail from the past year(s). Certain papers could not be found without a time-consuming search (if lucky to be found at all). An alternative, more efficient approach to his "file in piles" system was to implement a Paper Flow system, a Basket System, and a Filing System.

The Paper Flow system managed the way the executive dealt with paper as it arrived. This required making decisions on whether it needed action, wanted to be saved for future reference or documentation, or didn’t have any value at all.

The Basket System managed the mail in, pending action papers (like bills to pay), and papers to file.

The Filing System housed related papers within file folders in an organized structure. Active project files were housed on the desktop in a vertical file folder holder. Time savings per day averaged one hour; with increased productivity.

Finance Management: Home-based business owner is handling the company’s finances personally. There never seemed to be enough money to carry out the promotional campaign, as described in the business plan. Week after week was the same, even though the business income showed a steady increase (along with business expenses). By implementing a Financial Plan, the business owner was able to carry out a Bill Paying system that stipulated a percentage of the company’s income be taken off the top for the allocation of promotion, as well as other set-asides. Cash Management included set-asides for savings, as well as operational expenses. Money saved per week was hundreds of dollars.

No matter what activity we get involved with, there will be a system in which to carry it out. The way that it is carried out determines whether it is an efficient system or not.

What activity can you improve on?

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