One Touch System
The One Touch System has been designed to provide order to one's day and reduce any feeling of being overwhelmed.
It's in the name...only Touch the Paper/file once, work it as far as you can take it, then move on to the next item.
The goal is to process through as much of the Stack of files in your Work Box as possible, eventually having an empty Work Box. However, if at the end of the day there are a few items left, leave them in your Work Box. They will just take a higher priority for completion the following day.
The following day you will start over, beginning with the Steps of the One Touch System. You can do this in an electronic task page, as well, if preferred.
One Touch System Outlined
One Touch System
- Run out Outlook Calendar
- Pull items out of Tickler File
- Take items out of In Box
- Take items out of Work Box
- Write Out all Priority items combined from Tickler, Work Box & Inbox
- Prioritize your outlook 1-6
- Place all Combined Items in Work Box for the day. *(Any new Items will be placed in the Inbox and will wait to be addressed the following day)
Then, start with first item and go as far as you can go then either:
A) File it
B) Throw it away
C) Set up in tickler if you’re waiting for a call back
D) or Tickler it for a future date
Spending 15-20 min a day organizing your work for the day and week will keep you from feeling you don’t have enough time to get your work done and you won’t be overwhelmed.
Contributing Factors that Lead to feeling Overwhelmed
1. Doing things 3 times instead of once (Don’t cut corners and Do it right the first time )
2. Not following the system and doing things out of order and having to back track
3. Getting complaints due to not following systems
4. Team members not being consider of other team players when they are out for the day and not calling in on time and being in the daily meeting. When this is not done pressure increases and complaints increase again taking up more time, thus making you feeling overwhelmed.
5. Not asking for managements help when you need it before you are drowning to guidance and assistance but not to do the actual work. (Use your life lines)