Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Many people desperately want to get more organized but can't seem to stick with their organizing plan..." (more)
Key Phrases: point drawer, incoming items, prioritize your work, John Gagliardi, Judith Kolberg (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Getting Organized is a collection of simple ideas that address at least six major issues that could be generating chaos and disorder in your life or the lives of your employees. Each idea is presented in a three-part format: the first section gives you information on the idea (What?), the second section tells you more about the idea and how it might affect you (So What?), and the third section gives you specific suggestions on how to put the idea to work (Now What?). As a reader, this makes your part simple...take a quick look at the idea, try the ideas you like, discard the ones you don't.

According to the author, If you are reading a book on how to get organized, I suspect you want to get to the point. You are probably looking for simple ideas presented in a straightforward and easy-to-digest manner. You have no need for confusion, complexity or unnecessary information. Getting Organized is presented in a format that helps even stressed, overworked, overwhelmed and overloaded people improve their situation with a minimum investment of time. It presents tips, ideas and recommendations that are easy to understand, easy to implement and easy to maintain.

Even if you've tried unsuccessfully to get organized before, consider reading Getting Organized. You'll find effective organizing solutions to your workplace challenges and will enjoy the benefits for years to come.

About the Author

Chris Crouch is the developer of the GO System training course. The course, taught all over the country by corporate trainers and professional organizers, helps individuals become more focused, organized and productive.

Chris has an impressive background in the financial services industry in sales, sales management and as an executive for a Fortune 500 company. However, his passion has always been reading and learning. Among other topics, he has spent years researching and studying both the mental and physical aspects of getting and staying organized - primarily for his own use. His goal was to find simple, easy-to-implement ideas that work in the real world. Others began requesting that he share this knowledge with them and their employees. Chris regularly writes, speaks and teaches on topics related to productivity.

Chris is president and founder of DME Training and Consulting. He lives with his wife and youngest daughter in Memphis, Tennessee.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Dawson Publishing (September 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975868098
• ISBN-13: 978-0975868096
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,031 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Will only be helpful for a few., April 14, 2007

By	S. White (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book was NOT what I was expecting based on prior reviews. This is NOT a guide to life organizing and prioritizing but rather the author's idea of handling office incoming mail, a filing reminder system for phone calls to be made and work to be done, keeping things one needs to share with another individual in a central location, and scheduling and consolidating that sharing. For those who don't need a computer to do their job, have a memory like a sieve, or are super disorganized and don't know where to begin to start, this might be helpful, otherwise, save your money. His ideas are only practical in a low volume paperwork environment and with those who have non-technical professions. Some kind of portable, daily planner or calendar or a computer syncing PDA is much more practical.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good book to get organized with, April 24, 2008

By	David Kilpatrick (North Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a very good book to help you get organized. I originally had a three star and changed it to a four star. So many of this book's best elements are also found in David Allen's Getting Things Done. I read Allen's book last year and it knocked my socks off. When I read this, I wasn't as impressed as I would have if I read Crouch's before Allen's (they're both obviously drawing some of the best tidbits from some of the same material that preceded them). They have many, many of the same very helpful tips. The advantage of Crouch's is that is has short digestible chapters. However, an overall approach does not clearly emerge, just a bunch of big and small organizing ideas. An advantage of Allen's is that you get a clear, overarching approach into which all those good tips suggested in these books fit. Allen's chapters are longer, and though very readable, can get a little bogged down compared to Crouch. If I had only one book to buy, I'd get Allen's. However, I'm glad I read Crouch's because it has given me a refresher.

Getting organized is a major issue for many of us (I work two jobs, both of which require me to maintain an office). While one book may do it for some, I strongly believe that major habit changes will more likely come if you really plunge into an area like this. That means reading Crouch's book, Allen's book, and even Julie Morganstern's Organizing from the Inside Out. While Allen and Crouch focus on the office and home office (mail, home files, etc.), Morgenstern also covers garage, basement, closets, etc. I'm serious, to change the way you look at things, you need to read several books and make yourself an "expert." Otherwise, it will be a book you read that you're not likely to act on.

I read them in the order of 1) Allen, 2) Morgenstern and 3) Crouch. If any readers will choose to read all three of these, I'd recommend Crouch first, then Allen, then Morgenstern. Crouch will lure you in with his short little chapters (once you get past his too many introductory-type chapters before you get into the good stuff). Then, reinforce what you learn by reading a lot of overlapping stuff in Allen's book, but Allen will give you an outline or framework that ties it all together. Then, move on from the office to your closets and garage with Morgenstern. Of the three, Allen was the best for me, but I needed the others to sustain my momentum. Good luck!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical ideas that produce results, July 13, 2007

By	John Sterne (Cordova, TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You won't get rich from simply reading a "How to Get Rich" book and you won't get organized and productive from just reading any book - you have to take action and implement the ideas.

I have used the principles and ideas outlined in "Getting Organized" for several years and found them to be extremely valuable.

Becoming more organized and productive is not a matter of what type of filing system or PDA you use, it involves making a habit of organized and productive behavior.

This book provides concrete tools for forming those habits. Simply outstanding!