Only touch it once!

Take this one to the Time Savings Bank. 

     Get into the habit of reading, considering and acting on a sheet of paper – ONCE!  It sounds easy, but if you have loose sheets of paper and mail all over your desk chances are you’re not touching it ‘once’ but many times. 

     Example.  If you have a business card and have to enter the information in a contact file like a smart phone or Outlook do it.  Don’t shuffle it around until ‘you have more time’.  By the time that time comes you might have looked at it and moved it how many times?  Be honest.  30 at least right?  Well, that’s wasted 30 minutes then if it takes a minute to read and process the notion to put it aside.

     Benefit.  Assuming it does cost you a minute each time you pick up or glance at a sheet of paper – you’ll save that time and much more every time you “Just do it!” (A favorite Nike slogan of mine) rather than put it down – pick it up – move it aside.