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	• Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity Chris Crouch Dawson Publishing, 2004 - 192 pages average customer review:based on 36 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Should be on your bookshelf

Chris Crouch's "Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity" is a fine read which accomplishes what all good teachers do best: Imparting with vivid good humor and simplicity the wisdoms of processes taken beyond the classroom. The target audience here, primarily workers in any workplace, calls for a most delicate balancing act: Being thoughtful and succinctly explaining the theory, practice, and results of a disciplined approach to Organization. Mr. Crouch accomplishes this masterfully with anecdotes, explanations, and his "master teacher" persona.

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A great read!

Of the 3 dozen books I've read related to organizing, this is one of my favorites. It is presented in an easy-to-read format that makes it possible to spend a few minutes and read a chapter at a time. There were many great quotes and ideas that are easy to implement. The book also included fun anecdotes. Very well done!

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Very good book to get organized with

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!

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Short chapters make this easy to digest

I recently bought both this and Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity in order to stimulate my thinking about how to take charge of my incredibly busy job as a software development manager in an e-commerce company. I manage about 8 people directly and am also the prime facilitator for another project team of about 15 people, half of which are contractors. Like most people, I also have my own work projects and initiatives, as well as huge laundry list of personal items to keep up with.

At first I was a little turned off by the 55 super-short chapters, each of which is 1-2 pages in length and has a "What? So What? Now what?" layout. The writing quality seemed only average, and I was left thinking "Is that it?" after each chapter. However, after I finished the book rather quickly and then got bogged down in Getting Things Done, I realized that this is a pretty good layout for the target audience - people who feel too busy to read a book on productivity.

Many of the observations seem obvious, but that is one of the key messages of the book: we're all making this stuff away too complicated. How many of us take ten minutes each morning to set a focus and key priority list for the day? Or do we omit that simple step, or fall into the trap of checking email "just for a few minutes" first and then get seduced into following little shiny objects all day while missing the big picture?

The "Five Decisions" chapters - Discard, Delegate, Take Immediate Action, Put in a Reference File, and File for Follow-up - are important but I think are covered better in the other book. About half of the other chapters really resonated with me, which made it worthwhile overall. However, the author lost me when he spent 10 chapters describing a paper filing system with folders for each day of the month plus various other files. I agree that people shouldn't expect software and tools to solve all their problems, but I think a PDA or list software like Remember the Milk is much better than a paper system for anyone who works in multiple locations or is "on the go". I felt like he was being a bit techno-phobic, sort of like the guys who insist that LP records are better than CDs or MP3s.

Really the best way to improve your organization habits is to browse several books and articles on the topic, note the themes that recur (like planning time, grouping tasks by project or goal, etc.) and then choose a couple of things to focus on. I'd recommend this book as one of those resources but not the best-written or only one.

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Some good information for most part, some information not applicable

Over all the book is very good. Short chapters make it easy to get through it and it does not drag. I found it a great resource for other books that it referance (eg. Think and Grow Rich). Depending on your occupation some of the ideas presented in this book will not apply to you (at least that's my opinion). For instance "printing" everything on paper might be more applicable to someone that gets a lot faxes or documents, but if everything you get is electronic I just find printing everything to be over kill, not to mention environment unfriendly. Other part of the book are good. Author states, "read this book and take whatever you want" and I totally agree. Even if you don't find some parts of the book applicable to you, you will find something that you'll be able to use.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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 ideas 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.

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