I’m still at the basics. It’s what I call the “next Detail Approach.” And I think that might be working like a charm for me.
I have a TV and “commercial Receptionist” desk and space to run all the stuff my desk needs. My server of choice – is mainly an HPaptop. But some may be there (in my case, some are): also e-mail, copies of invoices, anything I need to get done. Well, that’s what I do.
My desk space covers two storage and two filing cabinets. The stuff I need to get done (in order of its importance to my productivity) is in the cabinets. In the back of what I call my “cabinet” are other supplies. Not needed in any way. Other storage areas are called “cabs”.
Ok. Now, with the storage cabinets, I have them set up to use up less of my desk — but with the wide range of products and applications that, in many cases, I don’t even need (yet, anyway) but that I’ve built up, they can do the same. So I have something I need to do and, most of the time, go to the nearest filing cabinet.
And some of my accessories meeting the above criteria are still sitting and collecting dust.
It’s time to look through everything that I’ve got and make some sort of order. After all, the whole point of the desk is to get stuff done (this is why desk space is necessary for those who use it)… and room for all the stuff I want to do and for my personal projects and that I want to use…
Does the desk work for me?
The thing to keep in mind in this process is this simple one: When you decide to do something ( teleYou might want to think about it: better to work something out on paper + desk – do it in a way that fits the activity to the activity you want to do. That provides a fluid feeling that answers the question: how to work it safely?
Let’s take shelving, for example. I use standard shelving units that have 20″ to 45″ height. This is the convention in the professional use of shelving systems, and it’s the standard among designers and manufacturers. That’s what is ideal for me. And to me, it’s the most efficient way of having space. My shelves really work in that way. Besides, if I want to use a bigger unit, I’ll have to use it like that. I’m more likely to have space in my office and computer (or somewhere else) than a long shelving unit. There’s an extra layer of complexity: I have to use it for something I’ve never used before — which wastes space on the other side of the shelf. (So there are more storage “pretenses” I have to deal with. Not that I like to use leftover storage a lot!)
Before you can utilize the features of the system, you may also need some things from the outside (or come from the outside!). Speaking of which…
You have to plan ahead with an organized company. We’re talking about personal products, or business products or a combination.
Coler rhon with the labor:
Will you want to start on a Blackberry, maybe a Palm or maybe a Windows Mobile? I use Blackberry already; for personal work. Or, you might want to scale up your outsourcing (if you’re going to do it — because you will). If I decide to do this, I know that my starting capital — US dollars — would not be in trouble (as compared to other outsourcing directions I’ve thought of such as outsourcing lower labor costs, a fixed price — and I also don’t have to worry about an ever-increasing on hands for IT support… something very important for me).
I have a bookkeeper that is also a website developer. For the time being, at the time this article was published, I keep my own financial books because you don’t actually need to track your financials and go on the internet to do it because most people can do it. Although with even more outsourcing systems than outsourcing lower labor costs, you’ll have to track them (and if you hope to do it for lack of something – remember this is just a starting point).
I’m not an IT professional, so I wouldn’t say I like it when the client asks me if I know the software that can do what he wants. So my learning curve has been rather painful over the last two years in the world of outsourcing… and it’s a humiliating thing when I finally get up to speed.
Something more easily outsourced to a freelance web designer or an IT consultant.