Kelli Claypool

Demands on our lives are becoming more and more everyday.  We often find ourselves struggling to make ends meet, stretch ourselves too thin by over scheduling, which is enabling us to fall short of what is really important in our lives.  Additionally, the breakdown in our economy, the financial bailouts, and the health care fiasco strongly indicates that the systems, as we know, it are inefficient and broken.  I'm not taking a position with regard to the national financial or health care debate, I'm simply addressing the frustrations caused by not having good systems in place.

What is a "System"?

A system is a way of getting things done with consistency to organize your time, save you money, and drive your creative spirit.  It's a routine that you put into place that will become a habit.

How to use Systems:

One reason why I use systems is so I can prioritize my time.  At the beginning of each month, I sit down with my day planner in hand and plan my whole month.  I take into consideration doctors appointments, school functions, project deadlines, personal time (prayer, devotions, pedicures), and family time.  I schedule everything so that I can be "on purpose" or intentional every day.

Once I have my day planner complete for the month, I transfer the appointments to my online calendar so that my assistants can schedule appointments accordingly. Then, my PDA is synced with my calendar so I can keep up to speed with what I should be doing at any given time.

Another way that I use systems to organize my time is by having different colored pocket folders.  I utilize red, yellow, and green, just like the traffic light system.  The "red" folder means STOP what you're doing and work on this project now. The things within the red folders need my immediate attention.  The "yellow" folder is my caution folder and it represents projects and/or documents that will need my attention within the next week.  And finally the "green" folders represent projects or tasks that need to be addressed but are not of an urgent nature.  By color coding my projects and tasks, I remain focused and can accomplish much more in a shorter amount of time.

This next system that I've put into place has afforded me much more time to do the things that are near and dear to my heart, such as spending more time with my family and friends.  I've put into practice a "not available" policy wherein I block out time during my day that I do not take phone calls, check emails, or have appointments. During this time, I am focused 100% on a particular task or project.  By doing this, it allows me to stay on target and meet deadlines thereby affording me more time to do other things.

"Good systems help increase the quantity and quality of the time we spend" Dr. John C. Maxwell

Just to recap a few ways to use systems that will organize your time:

• Use a calendar effectively to organize your time
• Use color pocket folders to organize your tasks and projects
• Set up a "not available" policy to ensure that you're on target and to stay focused

Without proper systems in place, it will keep your frustrated, overwhelmed, and eventually burnout.  On June 15th, I'm kicking off my new program Cracking the Systems Code: Discovering and Implementing Your Systems Blueprint for More Business, More Free Time, and Greater Contribution.  This program has been designed to radically change the way you're doing business to increase your bottom line and to give you the freedom to do the things that you love most.  To stay informed about this exciting new program, please subscribe to my mailing list or RSS Feed.

I encourage you to implement the suggestions that I've shared with you, and to develop systems that will work best for you!