Developers, Realtors, leasing agents, and the like are quite familiar with the concept of prime real estate. Developers don't build low-end stores on land for which they paid a premium, but rather high-end housing, retail, or commercial property. Consider this concept and reorganize your workspace to be more productive.
1. Imagine yourself sitting in the center of a target when you are in your workspace.
2. The "A" area (or prime real estate) is the concentric circle that is the closest to you. It includes the top of your desk, the top drawers in your desk, and other spaces that you can reach easily without much movement.
3. Place items in your "A" prime real estate area that you use every day...and put nothing else in that space. Do you really use your three-hole punch every day? And do you use 10,000 pens? Do you really use a phone book every day? Probably not, yet it may be taking up an entire drawer in your desk.
4. The "B" area (or expensive real estate) is the next concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include lower desk drawers, a credenza, or shelf that you can reach without getting up out of your chair.
5. Place items in your "B" expensive real estate area that you use frequently, but not necessarily everyday ... and put nothing else in that space.
6. The "C" area (or moderately-priced real estate) is the next concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include your file cabinets, bookshelves, or other storage furniture in your office space. Important reference materials should be in this space, as well.
7. Put items in your "C" moderately-priced real estate area that you need to have access to but that you don't use on a frequent basis. This is the place for your snack drawer!
8. The "D" area (or low-cost/bargain real estate) is the last and outer concentric circle on your workspace target. This might include storage outside your immediate workspace, off-site storage, or the like. Confirm the security of these materials (locking file cabinets, a safe) if they contain private information.
9. Put items in your "D" bargain real estate area that you must keep for legal or accountability reasons, but that you don't access except in unusual circumstances
10. Consider your workspace areas to be fluid, i.e., something that you are working on during one part of the month may move into your "B" area, but then during the rest of the month, may move back out to the "C" area.
Put these ideas into practice and see what a difference it makes. Watch your productivity soar as you effectively and efficiently complete projects in your newly-organized workspace. Your colleagues and clients will comment, I promise!
Dr. Meggin McIntosh, known as the "The Ph.D. of Productivity" tm," will speak at the Sparks Chamber of Commerce 9th Annual Business Forum on Wednesday. Contact her at 853-5510 or meggin@meggin.com.
