“Simplify Your Work Life” – Elaine St James

Section 21 Get Organized

First I follow the cardinal rule of organization: I have a place for everything and keep everything in its place except when ‘m using it. Second, I keep my desk clear of everything except a vase of flowers and the materials that relate to the project I am currently working on. In addition, I ALWAYS take five minutes at the end of my work time to neaten it up for the next morning. Anything related to any other project is kept in a flower in a file drawer immediately at hand, but not tn the desk.
To make this workable, I batch my work as much as possible. For example, I write in the morning, with the papers I need spread over my desk. When my writing time is over for the day, I straighten everything up. Then I pick up my messages and handle phone calls, deal with faxes or email, or work on an editing project. Any notes or material I need for these tasks are kept in a folder in my file drawer immediately at hand. This way papers related to phone calls don’t get commingled with papers related to my writing projects or get misplaced. When I’m finished with them, they go right back into the folder or file drawer.

Section 12 Get a jump on tomorrow

This section reiterates that it is a good idea to clean up your desk at the end of the day, even if your in the middle of a project. It sends a signal to the brain that you are finished for the day. Then take a couple of minutes to figure out what tasks you want to start in on in the morning. Prioritize these and put them on a note to yourself, which you can leave in the center of your cleared desk so you can’t miss it when you sit down to work again.
Section 40 Put your subconscious mind to work for you
Here is a simple process you can use every night of the week to assist you tapping into that subconscious part of you that sees the greater purpose in your life:

1. before you go to sleep, take three minutes to review your day. Bring to mind anything from the day that is still unresolved or causing you grief – an argument with a coworker, a looming deadline, a new project your unsure how to begin.
2. Take a moment or two to imagine the situation being resolved in a positive way or to come to a feeling of completion or an inner knowing that the circumstances will unfold to the best advantage of everyone involved. Just accept that your subconscious mind sees the greater purpose and knows intuitively how the part you are playing fits into the whole in a positive and life-affirming way.
3. Make a request to your subconscious mind that you will wake up in the morning with an understanding about how to proceed. You may find it helpful to write out your request in a sleep journal, which you can keep next to your bed. Simply ask your subconscious mind to resolve tht situation for your while have a great nights sleep.
4. in the morning, when you first wake up, pick up your journal and begin writing as if you knew the answer. You could jump-start the response by writing something like “What I need to do now in this situation is …..” and just trust that the response will flow. Keep writing until it does.

Realize that there is no end to the different kind of help you can get from the source and that the more you use it, the better it gets. You can ask specific questions to which you will receive specific answers. You can request that you get a resolution to a relationship issue or insight to a heath problem. You can get guidance on how to begin a project.
ALSO SEE Henriette Anne Klauser’s book, Write It Down, Make It Happen (Scribner, 2000)

Section 79 Rethink Your Belief System

We often complicate our work lives by holding on to outdate belief systems or clinging to beliefs that never had much validity…. Often, as we’ve seen, we allow the culture or our workplace to shape our beliefs…
For example, you may believe that you have to work sixty hours a week in order to be successful…. There are man people who’ve achieved tremendous success working forty hours a week or les.
You may believe that it would be impossible for you to support yourself doing what you love…May people have arranged their lives so they can earn a living doing work they love.

Other Section Titles of Note:

• Learn to schedule carefully
• Use phone technology to your advantage
• Minimize the paper glut
• Eliminate the distractions
• Bring your full attention the your work
• Use a timer
• Take your lunch break
• When you’re in overwhelm, stop
• Walk around the block
• Employ all your senses
• Take a nap
• Daydream with intention
• Get a life
• Speak Up
• Learn boundary-setting guidelines
• Breathe into it
• Find a coach
• Sell your boss on telecommuting
• Imagine your ideal work life
• Follow the wish of your heart