Start Getting Ready Now

Item Number: SMD64945 from Smead Manufacturing Viewable Labeling System

The countdown to a new year will soon start and with it will come all the new promises you make with yourself. In the midst of best/worst songs of the year countdowns, most important news stories of 2007, best plays from the world of sports, etc., commit now to reorganizing your vital documents in 2008. It truly is one of the better things you can do professionally for your sanity. One of the best methods is using a color coded system. Color coding your files allows for a clean, easily identifiable batching that in turn will make retrieval quick and therefore (drum roll please) increase your efficiency. Only through increased work efficiency will you be able to return to your internet research on the current whereabouts of the Brady Bunch. Here's a teaser...the actress Susan Olsen, known on the show as Cindy, is now a prominent advocate for migraine sufferers. Who knew and does this actually help pay the bills? Okay, back to the original topic at hand...your files. I would recommend visiting two great sites for in depth information and ideas. Visit Smead and see how some simple changes to old products can have a huge impact. Adhesive viewable file tabs that allow for 3 dimensional viewing is a fantastic "why didn't I think of that product." Learn more here. Then go get other ideas and see some great Pendaflex products be sure to join the I Hate Filing Club.

Just Curious...

You see them all over the internet on websites ranging from baby clothes to personal investments. But do they work for you? Are you convinced or are you tired of looking at them? What am I talking about? I'm talking about the "buy a staff" photos that have so thoroughly permeated the internet in an attempt to distort reality, that you can't escape them. These images of people who look to have a photo shoot in Paris as soon as they complete your customer service issue are now so generic I no longer get the point. Ah... the professional hand shake picture, now that's one that instills confidence. Surly if there is an image of a handshake the company must be reputable right? Perhaps not everyone is as cynical as I am. Perhaps many people actually believe that Scarlett Johansson is not only addressing their "concerns" but she's enjoying it too. Who's that? Is that a young Paul Newman rolling up his sleeves to save me money? These photos remain wildly popular so obviously I'm in the minority.

We All Make Mistakes...At Least I Do

I don't necessarily have the answer to this problem, but what do you do if you have created a mail piece or sent an e-mail only to discover that you have a typo? Do you throw away the printed material and start over, afraid that the mistake will reflect poorly upon you, or do you let it pass hoping that your prospective client will not notice? Perhaps they will give you a pass for being human? Perhaps they'll think you're a fool? I don't know what the right answer is...I'm guilty of committing the typo crime and I had no choice but to let it go. Sure I was embarrassed and more than just a little angry, but after kicking myself around for a while all I could do was laugh about it. So if you catch an error in an e-mail, you could respond back pointing out where your mistake was but the fact of the matter is you're calling attention to your error and trying too hard to prove you're not an idiot. If you can't afford to cancel a project, you just have to grin and bear it while you wonder how you could have been so careless.

Get It Over With Early

I'm not totally by-passing Thanksgiving, but while in my car Saturday night, I heard Christmas Carols on the radio. Yes, it does seem to come earlier every year. So, because it's inevitable, why not get most of your Christmas shopping IDEAS out of the way? No need to go shopping anytime soon but at least have your game plan finished so you're not the one buying the XXL slip on slippers at the last moment. Christmas shopping often extends into the office as the obligatory secret Santa's, Kris Kringle's, and other various gift giving opportunities arise. So, what should you give a co-worker? Without a doubt, avoid getting personal. Never give sleep ware, fragrances, or joke gifts that make them the punchline no matter how tempting. Just play it safe. Office supplies make great gifts...okay..maybe just a little bit. Gift cards are still all the rage but they seem a bit impersonal to me. Here's the transaction: I give a Best Buy card and I get a Circuit City card. Now that is not that exciting. And yet, I remember when a co-worker got a fake crystal looking paper weight with an etched dolphin in the middle (she wasn't even a dolphin lover). I later saw these at the checkout counter at the Exxon down the street. So maybe gift cards aren't so bad if this is an alternative. Try to put a little more thought into it. If you wouldn't mind owning it, they probably wouldn't mind either...unless you have awful taste. Do you? The point of all this is to save yourself a little stress and think ahead.