Productivity Tool: My Survival Guide

I'd like to share one of my most precious resources with you today. I call it My Survival Guide because of its life-saving qualities. Everyone should have one. If you don't, you need to create one NOW. What is it, you ask? It's pretty simple, really. It's a big, fat binder that holds all the details of your job - every inch of it....and I mean everything.

What should it include?

Think back to when you started your job. If someone could have handed you an instruction manual to you through each day's tasks, what would it look like?

Here are some ideas of things to include:

• Complete and detailed job description

• Critical phone numbers and information that would be needed in case of emergencies (be sure to include the contact info for everyone on staff)

• Written step-by-step procedures for tasks you perform (i.e. how to run specific reports, update databases, etc.)

• Notes on routines (for example: Do you check the mail each day? Make a note of it along with where to find the key and the box number. Do you confirm the next day's appointments? Make a note of the time you do this each day along with a sample script)

• Samples of forms, checklists, and/or templates you use regularly

• Reference materials with helpful notes (from training classes or workshops)

• A cheat sheet of commonly used lingo or acronyms

• Instructions for completing specific types of paperwork

• A list of useful websites or other resources

• Printed policies that impact your position

What is the purpose?

Why do I love My Survival Guide and depend on it so? Oh, let me count the ways...

A Survival Guide serves many purposes but here are just a few:

1. The Big Red Bus

Let's just say that tomorrow (heaven forbid) you're hit by the Big Red Bus. You're out of the office for months recovering and some poor co-worker has to take over your job duties. Your Survival Guide is an invaluable tool if something happens to you. You can direct people to it when you're out sick or on vacation. It will help others make sure that things don't completely fall apart without you. This will give you a huge peace of mind when you're out of the office, for whatever reason. It's also a nice thing to leave behind if and when you move on in your career. It can be an excellent training tool for your replacement.

2. Emergency Back Up

Have you ever had a power outage at the office and needed a piece of information that was stuck in the computer? By keeping a Survival Guide with critical data (such as phone numbers, location of documents, etc) you'll have some of the most important things available to you in case of emergencies. Of course, you won't have everything. But make sure your Guide contains the necessities - like the contact info for your property manager and the electric company.

3. Your Memory Isn't What It Used to Be

While you might think you know the steps involved in a particular process, you might not always. There might be a day when you're totally scatter-brained and it completely slips your mind how to run that report (yes, the same one you've been running everyday for six months). It happens! When under stress, many of us fail to retain even basic information. That's why it's so helpful to have your Survival Guide. You can pull it out and see the steps printed out in front of you.

4. Things Disappear....then Reappear

If your job is like mine, you often do things that take a little while to figure out and then several months later, you're asked to do them again. Why waste the time trying to remember what you did before? If you keep accurate notes and take a few minutes to create step-by-step print outs whenever you do something new, you'll save endless amounts of time in the future.

So, if you don't already have one, build your Survival Guide today and show your job a little love.