How effective are you? Take this quiz to find out.

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 on each question. _______________________________________

I feel organized and ready to do my work each day.

Less True 1 2 3 4 5 More True

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Even during stressful times, I am able to think clearly and logically.

Less True 1 2 3 4 5 More True

_______________________________________

I have good focus and concentration at work.

Less True 1 2 3 4 5 More True

_______________________________________

I have no problem managing my time efficiently.

Less True 1 2 3 4 5 More True

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My physical work situation (e.g. office, workspace) is serving me well.

Less True 1 2 3 4 5 More True

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If your responses to these questions are less than satisfactory to you, here are three of the most worthy tips for increasing your productivity and experiencing phenomenal business results.

1. Ask yourself this question: Why do I do what I do?

By answering this question you will learn to do the right things and make room for realizing the business successes you want. It's working. My clients are emptying their lives of the stuff they've been clinging to, and making room for the business success they have always wanted. So, try on this question: Why do I do what I do ? List 10 business activities and note why you do each of them and how they benefit you in your business. For example: Use the same suppliers for my events and meetings ? I have confidence in them and they serve me well.

If there is no specific benefit-aimed reason and visible result, then why keep doing it? Most importantly, what activity could you replace it with to generate better results? I challenge you to identify three activities you currently do that you want to replace with others because you know with confidence that they will generate better business results.

2. Change one old habit

This is a very easy one. Take 5 minutes to identify one work habit that you are not particularly proud of. Yes, we all know of at least one habit that doesn't serve us well. Now make a commitment to change this one habit and replace it with a better one. It may feel difficult the first few times you exercise this new habit but, like everything, you'll form a new and better habit soon.

3. Declutter your mind and your desk.

What would you do with 25% more time or 50% more energy?

Let me explain. Last week, one of my clients, a meeting planner, mentioned he had a desk so cluttered with piles of paper he didn't have a surface to work on, nor did he know where to start his work on any given day. He also said he couldn't even slow his pace to clear some of these piles.

I realized his challenge was a lot like the challenges most event and meeting industry professionals experience in their fast paced, detail oriented, and time challenged life.

To combat the clutter problems, my client and I leveraged a simple but powerful tool designed to free up a lot more of his time and energy. We got so much value out of it I decided to share it with you.

It is called Free Your Clutter Day -- a day that you set aside to tackle the projects, clutter and loose ends that are holding you back.

You may be thinking, ?What? An entire day? Where am I going to find 8 hours for anything?!

Consider this an investment with a big return for you and your clients -- higher performance, less stress, and fewer hours spinning your wheels or being blocked.

Here is what you do in this Free Your Clutter Day:

Start by taking a pad of paper and making a list of everything you will commit to handle or to resolve.

For example, set up a file for new clients or projects; call your vendor who you are having some difficulty with and need to have that long overdue conversation to get things back on track; make follow-up phone calls to customers.

Now take your list and prioritize it.

Identify what needs to get handled first and is vital to eliminating your feeling of overwhelm. Put all of the items on your list in order of highest to lowest priority ? using business outcomes as your key criteria.

Lastly, tackle the highest priority items on your list today! Yes, complete them.

Here is an incentive for you. Think about your costs in not accomplishing these tasks. Spending too much time looking for missing items that may have lost you a client or prospect due to lack of organization? Not handling a difficult situation which costs you ten times more?

The more you get done, the more uncluttered your mind and desk will be. You will be more alert and productive. Your customers will know you operate effectively in your business.

Copyright 2006 Erika Trimble