At work, try scheduling non-payday Fridays or before/after two different monthly meetings to keep it regular. Here are two suggestions on basic 'To File' systems you can use with your 'file piles' when you do your every day sort.

No matter how you schedule it, you can cut your filing time in half by presorting your file piles into separate file trays in following categories.

Pre-Sorted File Categories: You can separate current business filing into three domains: People; clients, staff, teams Things; projects, programs, products Administration; business of doing business (financials, physical office).

You can separate current personal filing into three domains: Personal/Family Household Finances/Insurance

My own file tray categories are; "Extraordinaire" (business), "Finances", "Eve" (personal) and "Clients". These are same categories that match my four-drawer filing cabinet sections.

So, even if I haven't done my filing for a while, if I need some info that has passed through recently -- I know where to look for it and so will you!

YEARLY Universal Archiving Rule: If they aren't this year's files and you don't use them regularly -- get them out of your office!

I recommend that every private individual and small business do an Office Blitz in April after you've filed taxes. Pull all old financial, insurance and tax-related files out, and put them in an archive box. Put in a back-up disk of your accounting program and data for that tax year.

Pick up a retention schedule from your CPA or Internal Revenue Service.

I store my archives on shelves in garage. Just remember to label paper archive or waterproof plastic file boxes on front, so you can keep a matching archive list in your file drawer with an index of box contents. Then, if you need something you can retrieve it easily.

For larger companies I recommend an Office Blitz at least twice a year. Plan a Friday afternoon where everyone participates in cleaning out their offices and cubicles. (Order extra dumpsters.) If finance year runs July to June do your archiving blitz in end July for prior year.

Archive administrative files, and completed project or program files. Toss records for which you have already been reimbursed, or which you no longer maintain as part of your job. Archive rest to off-site storage after making an index.

Separate essential records into current or archive storage: File in current year filing system (by category) File into archival filing system (by past year) OR Scan into electronic document storage (both)

Now, that you know how to manage your information more successfully at work and at home Peace of mind is just an Office Blitz plus Daily, Weekly and Monthly Maintenance away!

For more free time-saving tips, see http://www.organize.com Copyright 2005 Eve Abbott All Rights Reserved

Stress We can't live without stress - but, what we need is right type of stress in proper quantity and at right time. When mental (adrenal) skills are high sensory sensitivity is low and vice versa. We were designed to concentrate on physical or mental - but not to peak perform in both at same time.

Stress causes our internal rhythms to lose synchronicity. It subverts our natural circadian rhythms into a dis-ease progression which affects sleep, eating and all functions.

A full stress response is same as if you were physically wounded and losing blood. This in turn breaks down immune system and leads to weakness to new diseases as well as injuries healing more slowly.

Physical stressors include temperature, sound, vibration, movement and humidity.

Physiological stressors include sleep disturbance, irregular eating, alcohol and nicotine (depressants) and caffeine (stimulant).

Psychological stressors: fear, frustration, social and work or business pressure.

Generally adults operate in ninety minutes activity cycle - while under stress cycle shortens to a one hour cycle (the same as in infancy). The natural activity cycle we are programmed for is made up of 30 minutes rest followed by 60 minutes activity followed by thirty minutes rest.

Being at rest doesn't mean sleeping! It means alternating kinds of activities you do every day for a little physical and mental variety.

The perfect ten-minute break is to drink a glass of water and walk around in sunlight for ten minutes – wear a hat but, no shades. You want your eyes to pick up light without glare. It is remarkably refreshing to both mind and body.

Did you know an aspirin taken at seven am lasts for 22 hours but, taken at 7 pm it lasts only 17 hours? Here's why.

Our mental abilities and physical functions coordinate with our body temperature which goes through a daily cycle of warming up in morning and cooling down at night.

No matter what time it is, colder you are slower your senses function. Our ability to multiply quickly and accurately varies directly with body temperature, too. This is one of reasons why cold is a strong stress factor.

Around 4 AM we settle into our lowest body temperature and pituitary and adrenal glands start sending out wake up hormones. Our temperature begins to gradually rise until awakening around 5 AM - 7 AM.

This also gives your body opportunity to discharge chemicals that keep you paralyzed during dream state (so you don't hurt yourself). Then, you can get up and move about without stubbing all ten toes.

You can trade in your morning cup of coffee for a quick warm shower because it wakes you up by increasing your body temperature, blood circulation and your breathing rate deepens.

Both men and women's hormones flow more quickly as body temperature rises and peaks out around mid-morning.

Mornings Memory works best up til approximately noon. So for most any kind of testing mornings are best.

11AM body temperature reaches its daily plateau and remains with slight variation throughout day.

Midday mental skills both speed and accuracy in mathematics and cognitive projects peaks out in early afternoon and then gradually declines through afternoon.

After lunch performance level dips along with a slight temperature drop while digesting.

Heavier meals (high fat, more than 4 ounces of meat, etc.) more physical lethargy and deeper loss of mental focus. Plus, longer it takes our after- lunch fade to lift because digesting uses oxygen that would otherwise be available for brain functions.

Afternoons Once body has reached it's daily temperature of 98.6 degrees, motor skills remain steady throughout day with mechanical skills peaking in afternoon.

All five senses (seeing hearing, feeling, touching, tasting) peak in afternoon as well. This is one reason why an enjoyable spicy dinner tends to be an unappetizing breakfast.

Pain sensitivity takes until mid-morning to reach its daily peak and is highest between 10am and 6pm. Then, our pain threshold falls off after dinner meal and into night.

So by late afternoon our abilities have peaked and our temperature begins to drop at night before we sleep. This is especially true after 10PM. Then, it's "good morning", and cycle starts over again!

You'll only find out if it makes a difference in your performance to align your activities with time if you try it out and notice improvement!

For more time-saving tips go to http://www.organize.com Copyright by Eve Abbott. All Rights Reserved