New Year

2006. When I was a kid growing up thinking of the year 2006 was like dreaming about living in Star Trek times. And in some ways, compared to the 60's we are living in Star Trek times. Personal computers, PDAs, cell phones, DVDs, iPods, the internet, broadband and other great technologies were only a dream back then. Heck, even some old technologies like color TV, cassette tapes and VHS recorders were far from being incorporated into our daily lives. In some ways we were living in the stone age compared to today. But all of these new technologies have come at a price to the small business owner and high level manager. We need to be connected all the time. People need to be able to reach us via phone. We must produce more and more every year. We must be able to multitask. How can we do it all? Organization! That is the key. We must be organized at all times. We must be able to deal with all of the email and paperwork that hits our desk. We must know where we are supposed to be and with whom we are supposed to be in contact. Missing appointments and letting business fall through the cracks is a no-no. Do you have a system of organization? Is your contact database up to date? Is your calendar clean? Can you handle the hundreds of emails you receive each week or do you do a mass deletion when your in-box gets too full? Can you process the paper that hits your desk or do you have stacks of paper all around your office or work area? These are a few questions to consider as you start the new year with intentions of making it the most productive year yet.