The document outlines Nancy Gaines' 3 secrets to becoming organized and provides tips for organizing one's time, space, activities, and information to gain more free time and be more successful. It discusses the wasted time and stress caused by disorganization and lists statistics about how common disorganization is for both work and personal life. The tips encourage implementing systems, purging unneeded items, and focusing on one's highest priorities to become better organized.

2. Nancy Gaines, CEO and Founder
Gain Advantages, Inc.
From Mess to Success …
3 Secrets to Win at Organizing

4. Being Organized …
“Having what you need
when you need it”

5. Did you Know …
 The average American wastes 55 minutes a day
looking for things they can’t find (that’s 12 days/year)
- Newsweek
 Disorganization at work means working longer hours
- SimplyOrderly.com
 1 in 4 Americans would like to be better organized
- National Association of Professional Organizers

6. Why Be More Organized
 Organized people
Can earn more and be more successful in life
Have more free time to do things they enjoy
Have higher self esteem and do things calmly
It’s possible!

7. 50% of Workers Admit …
 Disorganization causes them to work late at least two to
three times a week and they miss critical deadlines
- Esselte Corporation

8. Types of Disorganization
Temporary (short term situation)
Gathering requirements workshops
Integration testing
Cutover and go lives
Unexpected outage
Life events

9. Types of Disorganization (cont.)
Habitual (ongoing)
Choices that don’t support you and cause stress
Caused by lack of good systems, routines, and habits
Can be solved!

10. What needs to be Organized?
Time
Space
Activities
Information

11. Organize Your Time

12. Tips to Organize Time
Start 30-60 minutes earlier
Stayed focused with 50/10 formula
Block out solo time on your calendar
Keep firm start and end work hours
Say ‘No’ when needed at home and work
Bonus Tip: Pack up 30 minutes before you REALLY
want to leave

13. Organize Your Space
 The top four items men look for at home:
Clean socks, remote, car keys, and driver’s license
 The top four items women look for at home:
Shoes, a child’s toy, wallet, and lipstick
- IKEA

14. Tips to Organize Space
Assign a permanent home for everything
Store like things together
Break the habit of piler, spreader, and hider
Create a Meeting folder (green)
Create a Waiting on Response folder (red)
Bonus Tip: Keep backup of essentials
80 % of the papers we file, we
never refer to again.
- The Small Business
Administration

15. Organize Your Activities
 65 % of those surveyed, describe themselves as “very”
or “insanely” busy. - Day Runner
 Perfectionism costs 50% more to squeeze out the last
10% of quality. - Jeff Olson, The Agile Manager’s Guide to
Getting Organized

16. Tips to Organize Your Activities
 Determine HABU (highest and best use of your time)
 Don’t multitask (decreases productivity by 20-40%)
 Chunk similar activities
 Done is better than none (Done gets paid)
 Limit email and messaging distractions
 Bonus Tip: Complete dependency tasks first
Typical US workers are
interrupted by communications
technology every 10 minutes.
- Institute for Future and Gallup

17. Organize Your Information
 Employees spend roughly 25% to 35% of their time
looking for the information they need to do their jobs.
- Document Magazine
23% of adults pay bills late with fees because they can’t
find their bills.
- Harris Interactive

18. Tips to Organize Your Information
The Rule of One (1 calendar, 1 device, 1 email)
Keep only what you can’t access elsewhere
Create handy cheat sheets for occasional notes
Purge every 30 days (papers, email, efiles)
Bonus Tip: Make friends with the hoarder

19. Want More Free Time?
Implement systems at work and home
Repeatable process for everything
Technical or non technical, free or paid
Use for Time, Space, Activities, and Information
Go to www.NancyGaines.com/systems
Download 100 systems You Must Have List

20. Closing Thought ….
What would YOU do with an extra hour every day?
40% of adults say they would spend it
with family and friends
- Day Runner Survey

21. Where to Find the Slides
Download at:
http://www.slideshare.net/NancyGainesMBAPMP

22. Connect with Me!
www.NancyGaines.com
Nancy@NancyGaines.com
@NancyLGaines
Linkedin.com/in/NancyGaines
The Nancy Gaines Show on iTunes
(800) 360-8694