by K.J. McCorry

Efficiency expert K.J. McCorry, author of Organize Your Work Day In No Time, thinks that the world could be a better place if we’d all cut back on our consumption of paper. With the help of technology, that long-awaited goal might even be manageable.

Today’s employees are inundated with data, finding it more and more difficult to manage this overwhelming amount of data and yet be effective and efficient at their jobs. One of the keys to gaining efficiencies in data management and increasing productivity is to reduce the paper pileup.

Disadvantages of Paper

Although some workers still need, desire, and perhaps even love paper, it comes with some disadvantages:

• It takes up a lot of physical space. In fact, paper costs on average $314 per filing cabinet solely for the real estate it consumes.
• It has limitations, being accessible in only one place, and difficult to move in large quantities.
• It doesn’t offer easy ways to alter or edit its contents, without printing the entire document again.

Frankly, paper doesn’t provide users with advantages other than a physical form. Read the rest of this entry »

by Lisa Niederman

Time is such an elusive topic and even more difficult to capture, to conform to your bidding. You know the familiar recant: here today and gone tomorrow. This can also be said about your favorite time management strategies, tools, and books conveniently hidden in corners of your office, again having fallen victim to here today and gone tomorrow. In fact, when people are polled about their favorite time management tools and practices, we received a surprising response — many have returned to using the traditional paper and pencil list. Why? The reason: the current time management tools are complex, confusing, and consume too much time to learn! Too much time to learn, but isn’t the science of time management supposed to save us time?
Read the rest of this entry »

by Rosa Mazone

The “Aging of America” and the growing percentage of our population 65 and older, is a trend of undeniable consequence. While advances in medical knowledge and technology have increased our longevity, our culture’s historical view of old age and elders remains.

Many studies debunk myths including the common belief that genetics are destiny, and physical and mental deterioration are coded into our genes. In fact, the studies say, “the influence of genetics shrinks with the years, while lifestyle choices become increasingly important in shaping the quality of later life.” Among the most important lifestyle changes they recommend are engaging in activities and cultivating new friends. According to a recent study on successful aging, longevity, and vitality by the MacArthur Foundation, only 30 percent is genetic. The other 70 percent is attributable to disease avoidance, exercise of mind and body, and staying involved in life.
Read the rest of this entry »