Organizing for Change

I have a thing for organization, which is more than evident by the title of my blog. However, one thing that is a little disconcerting for me is when someone says that I need to not get distracted by what Steven Covey would have referred to as “the whirlwind.”  I have been around a while (half a century now) and enjoy the whirlwind almost as much as getting things done. This is not to be dismissive of the fact that things need to get accomplished, and that organization is a key to this. However, completing projects does not always mean doing things in order. Let me take you on a little journey. Imagine you walk into an organization that is predominantly server-based with no real “cloud” presence (don’t worry, I am not going to bog you down with nerdy details….although I could). You come in and you are tasked with modernizing the technology infrastructure. Your plan includes the following:   Office 365 Trial – 60 days, including SharePoint and Microsoft Teams Managed Service ...

Introduction In my previous article, I introduced the idea of “Distraction Free Organizing” in terms of several methods. Some of these were paper-based, some a mix of manual and digital manipulation, and others fully digitized what used to only exist on paper. In this article, we will explore the specific pros and cons of each approach. We will also discuss my specific device and why I chose to buy it over the others after my research. Pen or Pencil and Paper Pros This method keeps you away from screens, eliminates eye strain, reduces distractions, is inexpensive, and does not depend on hardware or software (although your brain is a supercomputer). Another, and possibly the most important benefit for those of us who have a lot of meetings, is the personal nature of notetaking. If you are writing, there is no barrier (i.e, a screen) between you and who you are communicating with. Cons The biggest and most obvious con is that if you use this approach there will be SO MANY NOT...

  Introduction I want to start this post by recognizing we live in a highly digital world, and I am as easily distracted as anyone else with shiny new gadgets and devices. However, there is a time to work in the digital space and other times when we need to remove ourselves from an endless torrent of notifications and interruptions. There are strategies you can employ to combine both digital (and in many cases transferable) tools and a more distraction-free experience. For some people, this is as easy as placing your device in airplane mode or do not disturb. For others (me included), superfluous apps (online or offline) are a constant temptation. This article will talk about some of the distraction-free solutions available, with a more detailed list of pros and cons to come later. I will not take the time to rehash the options related to traditional tablets and computers. Pen or Pencil and Paper For those who are very easily distracted, pen and paper are the perfect way to m...

  How many times have we been told, or told someone else, to get organized? What exactly does that mean? Is it extensive to-do lists, calendars (digital or print), or an endless sea of notebooks and post-it notes? Unfortunately, the answer is “maybe.” For some, the need for a paper calendar that contains a snapshot of hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly activities is essential, and they cannot function without it. For others, they may live in a digital world with notifications pinging them every minute, a deluge of alarms, tasks, reminders, and events. Finally, some may live in both worlds simultaneously. When I started brainstorming about how to approach this topic, I must admit that I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Do I start with my own process and fall immediately into the trap that everyone else does? Also, in full transparency, my method and process tend to vary in many cases from one project or topic to another. For example, I don’t start writing a budge...