One-Step Time Management System

Between my physical paper inbox and my Outlook inbox, I process a lot of information on any given day. One way I like to manage this is a system I call TRAF. Toss – Refer – Act – File.

Touch each piece of paper or email one time only. Then apply one or more of these actions.

Toss it. If after reading it, you no longer need it, throw it out.

Refer it. I can’t do everything. So if it is appropriate to refer the work to someone else. I do whatever is necessary to get it off my desk.

Act on it. If it’s something that requires work (you know, that thing they pay me to do) I act on it in one of two ways:

1.      Do it. If it’s a quote or an order, I just do it. Especially if it’s bottom-line work.

2.      Schedule it. If I know I’ll have a break after lunch, for instance, where I can devote the attention necessary, I will schedule it in Outlook for 1:00.

File it.  I use an efficient filing system for desk paperwork and digital files.

One trick, if you think you might have trouble remembering the four letters of the word TRAF, spell it backwards, lol.