Title: 
Sanity Savers for a Stress Free Environment

Word Count:
646

Summary:
Try these 35 sanity savers to create a stress free environment so you will become more productive in your home and work.


Keywords:
time management, save time, stress, stress-free, sanity, productivity, business, balance, email, paperwork, work environment, stress free environment


Article Body:
<b>Email</b>

<li>Only check your emails twice a day – don’t respond each time you receive an email it wastes too much time! </li>
<li>Set up folders for your inbox so you can ‘electronically’ file your emails when you have completed them.</li>
<li>Set up rules within your email so messages are automatically filed for you to read later.</li>
<li>Use colour coding so you can quickly glance over your inbox and see which messages are important.</li>
<li>When you have read an email and actioned it – delete it.</li>
<li>Remove yourself from ezines or electronic newsletters you don’t read.</li>
<li>Set up spam filters on your email.</li>
<li>Create an email signature with your contact information so it automatically sends your details with your email.</li>
<li>Leave an ‘out of office’ message if you are away from your desk for more than 24 hours.</li>

<b>Phone Calls</b>
<li>Record a voicemail to notify callers you will call back within 24 hours.
<li>If you are busy all day, change your voicemail message to let callers know you will call them back the next day.</li>
<li>Include your email address in your voicemail for all phones so people can email you instead of leaving a message.</li>
<li>Avoid calling businesses between 10 AM – 2 PM as people are in meetings or at lunch.</li>
<li>Turn off your mobile phone if you are working on an important project.</li>
<li>Divert your desk phone to your mobile if you leave the office to avoid checking two voicemail systems.</li>
<li>Use the lift as your guide for turning your mobile on and off. When you are getting into a lift for a meeting, turn your phone off. When you leave the meeting to return to the foyer – turn your mobile on. This avoids the embarrassment of your phone ringing in an important meeting.</li>

<b>Filing</b>
<li>If you hate filing, allocate 15 minutes to do your filing every Friday afternoon. Whatever is left over can wait until the following Friday.</li>
<li>Label the outside of filing cabinets for quick reference.</li>
<li>File your manila folders in drawer alphabetically to help you find things quickly.</li>
<li>Use a label maker to keep your files tidy and easy to read.</li>
<li>Use coloured manila folders for different projects i.e. blue for staff, purple for projects, pink for personal etc.</li>


<b>Desk Management</b>
<li>Get rid of your in-tray – it is a holding area for paper. If you have to have one, put it out of your line of sight so you don’t get distracted looking at it all day.</li>
·<li>Remove all unnecessary files and paper off your desk to avoid feeling overwhelmed.</li>
<li>Keep your desk clear so you can focus on the task in front of you.</li>

<b>Reading</b>
<li>Create a reading file and every journal and ‘FYI’ document you receive, pop in the file and read once a week.</li>
<li>If you catch public transport to work carry your reading file with you so you can maximise your travel time.</li>

<b>General<b/>
<li>Get a cleaner for your house – pay someone else so you can enjoy your weekends.</li>
<li>Use couriers for odd jobs instead of spending your time driving and parking.</li>
<li>Order groceries and fruit online and have them delivered.</li>
<li>Stick a ‘No Junk Mail’ sign on your letterbox to avoid rubbish.</li>
<li>Open your mail over a bin so you can toss what you don’t need
<li>Read your mail with a pen and make note on each document what action is required.</li>
<li>Pay your bills online to avoid cues and wasting your lunch times.</li>