High Stress On The Job Can Sabotage Efforts To Increase Productivity

High stress on the job can sabotage efforts to increase productivity, because it can lead to higher rates of absences, illnesses and job turnovers.

All are major contributors to what the American Institute on Stress reports is a $300 billion annual cost of workplace stress on today's employers.

Starting your workday can be stressful and unproductive if you don't get organized.

Here are five smart ways to get organized fast and stay organized throughout your day to stave off stress and maximize your productivity.

1. Wake up the stress-free way. Before tuning in to the morning news or turning on your computer to check your e-mail, spend the first 10 minutes of your day stretching, meditating and silently thinking about the day ahead. It's a stress-free start that will prove more productive than immediately falling into "overwhelm." Skipping a healthy breakfast is counter-productive, because you need fuel to energize you, and you also will be less prone to over-eat later. If you schedule 20 minutes of exercise each morning, too, the extra energy will carry you through the rough spots and help you stay focused.

2. Follow the "Rule of Two." My trademarked "Rule of Two" involves spending five minutes each morning writing a list of the day's tasks, circling the two most important tasks and focusing only on those two tasks. If you approach each day faced with five or even 30 tasks, you'll end up feeling frozen by the sheer workload ahead. Instead, ask yourself, what are the two most important tasks for today that I should take care of, if I take care of nothing else? Focus only on those two tasks. When they are completed, focus on the next two most important tasks.

3. Post Your Plan on a Calendar. Before you head for work, write your schedule on a large calendar to post in the most visible place in your home or office. This allows you to visualize and focus on your daily and weekly schedule without losing track of your priorities.

4. Take Control of Your E-Mail. The 24/7 availability of e-mail doesn't mean you should waste hours in your day continually checking your e-mail, PDA or cell phone messages. Schedule specific times to check your e-mail. Respond to multiple e-mails from the same person with one e-mailed reply summarizing your responses. It's a smart way to avoid e-mail traffic jams at the start of your workday and throughout the workweek.

5. Organize and Systemize. Organizing those mounds of paper that greet you each morning can take less than 10 each day if you organize and systemize. Divide everything into categories (work, home, school, projects, tasks, invitations, bills). Create color-coded files for each category. Attach a note with a paper clip to each file in your "system" indicating the dates that responses or actions are due. Once you get into the habit of spending a few minutes a day filing papers, you'll feel in control and avoid missing deadlines searching through piles of paperwork for the document you need.