Done!

Piles of paper everywhere, notes scattered about, Post-its on every available surface... Sound familiar? In today's Done!, the physical inbox gets promoted as what saves a messy desk from the possible chaos caused by a continuous inflow of physical material.

Why, why, why, why, why? No, it's not a lament about the current economic climate, it is a sign that something is improving. In today's Done!, mr Ishikawa and mr Toyoda teach you how to solve your business problems creatively and effectively!

Last week, we spoke about the benefit of doing immediately all those tasks that demand less than two minutes to complete. Today, Done! is about how you can apply this two-minute-rule to quickly make progress on several fronts (e.g. projects) simultaneously, even if you don't have two minutes to spare (and haven't had for quite a while).

Today's short, quick edition of Done! is about how a simple rule of thumb helps you get more done than you have ever expected.

When we arrive at work on Monday morning, isn't it tempting to strike up a blues tune, lamenting the heap of tasks that we have to do this week? Today, Done! is about a simple way to address this Monday-deadlock.

Some people you meet infrequently, or they are hard to get hold of by phone. Once you are in contact, you would like to get as much done as possible. You do not want discover after the meeting that you forgot to discuss a certain topic and immediately have to start chasing the person in question again. Today, Done! is about how a method that helps you remember everything you have to discuss at the...

To be effective on your own is one thing, but what about when we work together with other people, in a project or in any form of team? Today, Done! presents ten things you gain time from by having agreed upon with those you work with.

In times like these, it is more important than ever to work efficiently in the sense that we spend our time doing the right things. Today, Done! presents a simple method for making sure that you prioritize the right tasks.

Are you a hard-working professional and yet, does it sometimes feel as if you are standing still and do not move forward? Today, Done! is about how to make it easy to check tasks and goals off so that you firmly make progress in your business.

From time to time, does it happen to you that you get stuck in a voice mail loop where the progress stops and you leave a message and call back and leave message and ...? Today, Done! is about how to proceed forward, even if you just end up in the voice mail of the one you are calling.

Sometimes, a well-structured, systematic way of working feels too mechanical. Today, Done! is about how to regularly make space for the unexpected.

When was the last time you had an empty e-mail inbox? Do you remember the feeling of freedom? Today, Done! lets you experience what a productivity boost an empty inbox makes.

Are you in the habit of writing a new to-do-list every morning? Do you have to transfer tasks from yesterday's list to today's list, because you didn't have time for what you had in mind? Today, Done! is about how to gain time and simplicity by letting your list be more complete and live over time.

When you decide to improve your personal structure in some way, it is easy to slip back into old habits, into a rut. Today, Done! is about how to swiftly get back on track.

Does it happen all too often that you underestimate how long it takes to drive to that meeting and instead drive like a maniac the last bit just to make it in time? Today, Done! is about how to overcome your travel time optimism and no longer start your meetings out of breath.

Does it sometimes happen to you that you know very well what is the right thing to do right now, but you procrastinate and do other, less valuable stuff instead? You check your e-mail, get a cup of coffee, read news on the web, watch a funny clip on YouTube, chat with a colleague - all to not to have to do what you "should". Today, Done! is about how two egg timers help you get the right thing don...

Do you feel that you're constantly lagging a little behind with what you've got to do, that you always complete what you're working with at the last moment, that deadline is always a bit too close? Today, Done! is about what to do to be one step ahead instead.

Has it ever happened to you that you have forgot after a while to do something that you earlier have decided to do once a month, every friday or twice a year? Today, Done! is about how to prevent that from happening ever again.

Do you feel that you get disrupted all the time by e-mails, your cellular, colleagues and other incoming "stuff"? Does the constant inflow of information make it hard for you to keep up a good work structure? Today, Done! is about how to take control of everything incoming instead of getting drenched by it.

"Throw away the trash and save only what you need to keep." Yes, that's obvious, but what should I do with those documents that I probably can get rid of, but not for sure? Today, Done! presents how you can throw away more, if you have a system that lets you change your mind.

Are you often in a hurry and do you find it the most difficult to come up with what to write when you sit with a blank sheet of paper in front of you, knowing that deadline is rapidly approaching? Today, Done! is about how to swiftly capture your most brilliant formulations whenever they appear, instead of forcing them while under pressure.

To keep your office tidy, to have good work structure and work systematically, isn't that an entire project in itself? Today, Done! is about whether good structure really leads to something good.

Are you so busy that you do not have time for all those tasks that are dependent on your particular key skills, the aptitudes which are why you have the job you have? Are you so fortunate that you have coworkers who could do the tasks that you spend too much time on? Today, Done! is about what and how you delegate in order to have more time for your topmost priorities.

Are you tired of your finicky, fragile, troublesome PDA and instead seek a smooth, workable system to keep track of everything you have to do? Do you have too many to-do notes in your handbag or in your pockets? Today, Done! is about how ten cards can become your best friends.

Have you, just like me, from time to time attempted to establish a new habit, and have had some trouble with succeeding? Today Done! is about how you can use your winning instinct to establish new habits.