114 Plans to Save a Busy Man Time

PLAN I
THIS PLAN MAKES A DESK DO MORE WORK
Here is described a new way for handling detail by means of which a Detroit business man makes his desk do tasks that formerly he, or his secretary, had to do. In fact his desk has become a real "partner."
"I have one great little time saver,'' says an executive with a Detroit firm. "My work makes it necessary to have before me a variety of lists and tables of information. My desk top and all the convenient wall space are utilized, and I was puzzled, for a time, as to where to put a running record of the whereabouts of my men and when they expected to return. You can see that this record must be handy and have frequent attention.
"I solved the difficulty by having the right-hand slide leaf of my desk planed down about a quarter of an inch on the under side; turned it over and put my records on it in a frame under glass. The glass is cut in strips about two inches wide. By pushing the strips to one side or the other, it is easy to write in any column.
"My office is laid out on the principle of quick and easy access to everything I want, ignoring all traditional arrangements. So well has my idea worked that every man in my department uses the same plan and as a result anyone here can go to any desk and find any information it contains without difficulty.
"In addition to a standard system of desk drawers, files and basket, I have a file for departmental matters that belong to no one desk; and a simple little idea has saved me a world of time—just putting the index under the glass, on the right-hand corner of my desk. The file stands almost touching that corner, so you can see I have reduced the time necessary to find a paper in that file practically to a minimum."
This same man has a simple little attachment on his desk which, he says, has returned its cost several times in the minutes it has saved him. And he thoroughly believes that time is money. He had his dictating machine mounted on a drop in one side of his desk, and by pressing a lever with his foot, he raises it into place, or drops it out of sight. As a result the machine is never in the way, invisible when not in use, and can be put in position for use in less time than was formerly required.
PLAN 2
A PLAN WHICH "GETS THE INFORMATION ON THE SPOT"
This plan, as you'll quickly see, is not unlike some others in this book, but this man carries it far enough to make it do the work in almost every case. Surely almost anyone can lift a helpful suggestion from what he tells.
"It's wonderful how much time and annoyance I've saved myself since I applied this plan to my desk,'' declares an Iowa business man. "I was slow in coming to it, for it is my misfortune to be of the type that chucks work away in a desk hurriedly. However, I've become accustomed to my plan now and find it worth more perhaps than any other move I ever made toward greater effectiveness.
"The upper left-hand drawer of the desk is instantly available as I turn in my swivel chair. It contains a card index for quick reference to the information in the other drawers and files. The shallow center drawer is divided into little bins for clips, pen points, rubber bands, erasers, and the like. The upper right-hand drawer holds a filing system for work in process. Beneath these are storage drawers—not ordinarily used for any regular filing purposes.
"The vertical file consists of manila folders between pressboard guides, fitted with tabs and compressors. It is indexed alphabetically, numerically, geographically, and chronologically, to suit my peculiar needs. As it contains only unfinished business, the guide headings read: 'Pending Correspondence,' 'Rush Dictation,' 'Telegraph Business,' and the like. Into the folders go the papers that formerly were chucked into the pigeon-holes of my old desk. The moment any pending transaction is closed, the papers regarding it are removed and transferred to the permanent files. This keeps my desk and personal files clear of all except live data, and I can find the papers I want.
"I have also an extra cabinet near by to use occasionally when press of business takes up all my own available space. The card index is specially divided to show me instantly what information is in this subsidiary desk file. My clerk keeps the index and drawers in order and I can refer to what I am looking for quicker than the time required to give instructions to anyone else as to what I want and where to find it.
"In the lower drawers of the extra cabinets are filed catalogs, drawings, and other large and bulky papers. The other drawers contain salesmen's reports, follow-up systems, comparative statistics, advertising figures, buying records, current invoices, stock records, and special information not needed every day but important enough on various occasions to have quickly available when the demand for it does arise.
"The folders are numbered. If I wish to refer to certain advertising statistics under the subtitle of some magazine, I turn to my index and find the card bearing the name of the periodical, in its alphabetical position in the tray. This gives the number of the folder in the cabinet. I have found, too, that often the index card itself can be used to present brief summaries or tabulations, or concise statements of facts, so that the mere reference to the card will sometimes suffice, without opening the cabinet.
PLAN 3
HERE'S A TESTED PLAN FOR CUTTING A FEW CORNERS
And that is not all. It also provides a simple way for handling and disposing of unfinished work in quick order.
A Cleveland executive whose desk tray had become a catch-all for miscellaneous papers and letters which had to be kept ready for reference but individually were hard to find when needed, worked out a simple plan for overcoming this handicap. He had filing folders made of different colors of stock: red for papers of importance which he may have to refer to at any instant; blue for papers to go over with the sales manager; and buff for plans or suggestions to be considered later.
When a note or letter comes to his desk which cannot receive immediate attention, it is placed at once in the proper folder, to be taken up at the earliest opportunity. The items may include important letters that require answers within a day or two, details to take up with a department manager, reports to be acted on, or other memoranda that cannot be permanently filed.
Now he doesn't have to rummage through the tray and take the time to see if he has forgotten some duty.

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