World expert uses RAFT to save time
MEDIA RELEASE: World expert uses RAFT to save time
12
November 2012
Everything in our space, at a
sub-conscious level, reaches out to tug at the corners of
our mind. Clean up and you’ll feel not only more
energised, but you’ll also feel that you have more time.
Clutter is exhausting and messy workspaces are a reflection
of how tired, stressed, and ineffective we are feeling
inside. “What starts as a messy desk can end up as a
catalyst for other issues such as procrastination,
ineffective communication and time wasting,” says Robyn
Peace, world-renowned time management expert from
gettingagrip.com. “Because how can you think clearly in
such an environment? Organisation is an essential tool in
helping us achieve our goals but for many it doesn’t come
naturally. A lot of the strategies we use at
gettingagrip.com can help you break existing bad habits and
show you how to work more efficiently.”
One of the techniques used is called RAFT, an acronym for Read, Act, File or Throw. The concept is simple and is used to restore order when the volume of paperwork becomes overwhelming- this exact method can be used with emails too. Put some uninterrupted time aside to tidy up the office. Take each piece of paper and put in one of the RAFT piles, so you are putting like with like. Do not be tempted to get involved with any detail on the paper or you will get side tracked. Each piece must be put in one of the piles (deciding which one can be quite hard for some people). Then you can go through each pile and deal with the detail.
Irma Harris, of Te Awakairangi Health Network, was
acting CEO at Kowhai Health at a time when all their
contracts were being reviewed and re-negotiated; a merger
was taking place and three senior staff left. “The sheer
volume of emails and paperwork was swallowing me up. I
needed to be able to keep focused, prioritise and move
swiftly yet at the same time I was on a steep learning curve
and it was imperative I had a clear understanding of
specific elements before decisions were made.” Harris
contacted Robyn Pearce; “I had been to one of her
breakfast workshops in the past and picked up some
techniques that have been very valuable to me. I knew that
she would be able to help me plan and prioritise, her
techniques could be implemented immediately, and they were
certainly what got me through.“
As workloads and the
stresses of day-to-day life continue to increase, so too
does the subsequent paperwork. Robyn Pearce says “those
who struggle to manage their work areas are usually guilty
of leaving items on their desk ‘so I won’t forget
them.’ However, they do forget and as days roll by the
things at the bottom disappear as the paper multiplies like
thistles.” Robyn Pearce has been running her highly
successful breakfast workshops over the last year, at a
different location each month around New Zealand. The
workshops focus on a main topic, such as prioritising, email
management, or delegation and also provide participants with
other timesaving strategies to increase productivity. They
give attendees a motivation injection that inspires them to
make changes that have an impact on their time management.
Her next breakfast workshop, in Wellington on the 30th of
November, focuses on the paper war.
Workshop details:
Getting a Grip Breakfast Club Auckland, Friday 30th November
2012 from 7.00-9.00am at Write Ltd, Level 9, Baldwins
Centre, 342 Lambton Quay, Wellington. For more information
visit
www.gettingagrip.com/breakfastclub
ENDS