Advertising Tips ....................................... 19 May 2000

This week

Email - what's in a name? by Jennifer Stewart

Out of Clutter, Find Simplicity by Kathy Paauw

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Greetings,

This week's articles deal with two important elements of living in the year 2000: email and clutter! My piece on email discusses why we shouldn't regard this wonderful new medium of communication as the equivalent of fridge notes and Kathy Paauw gives some great hints on how to control the clutter that fills our homes and our lives. (I'm sure you'll recognise a number of the different types of clutter mentioned - I know I did!)

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E-mail - what's in a name?

by Jennifer Stewart

Estimates of the number of people currently connected to the Internet vary, from 60 million to 100 million and upwards. If we accept the conservative figure of 60 million, and surmise that each person sends and receives ONE email message every day, that means there are 120 million email messages whirling about every single day.

How many email messages were waiting for you when you logged on today? I'll hazard a guess and suggest that it would have been somewhat more than one!

A report from the Jupiter organisation estimates that commercial e-mail spending will grow from $164 million in 1999 to $7.3 billion in 2005 - this represents an estimated forty-fold increase in e-mail volume.

It's also estimated that the average number of commercial e-mail messages that US online consumers receive per year will increase from 40 in 1999 to over 1,600 in 2005; non-marketing and personal correspondence will more than double from approximately 1,750 in 1999 to almost 4,000 in 2005.

So it's no exaggeration to say that one of the fastest growing methods of communication is email. In fact, we're in the middle of a communications revolution and it's ironic that we're once again relying on one of the earliest forms of mass communication - the written word.

Language is a dynamic, living thing and in the past, has been able to keep pace with changes; so, when electricity was invented (or discovered - depending on your view of the world), it was given a name which comes from elektron the Greek word for "amber" and electrum, the Latin word for "amber" - the alloy of gold and silver. In the mid 1600s it was known that rubbing amber or glass would produce a magnetic effect that attracted light weight materials, threads, dust etc and this was the only known use for electricity for many years - until that fellow with the kite came along!

The first big break-through in rapid mass communication, the telegraph, takes its name from two Greek words: tele meaning "far off" and graphein "to write, draw or represent by lines".

Television is a mix of the Greek tele and Latin visus, past participle of the verb "to see".

Computers were given a name which is derived from the Latin computatio - a reckoning, because in the early days, that's all they did.

But, as with many phenomena which have burst onto the scene in the last decade, the World Wide Web has outstripped our store of words. We've grabbed at a stop-gap solution and come up with the prefix "E" to describe anything to do with the Internet, so there's e-commerce, e-books and e-mail.

Since e-mail is here to stay, now is the time to come up with some sensible terms to describe it - let's start sending each other e-notes - that's a quick and efficient term to describe a quick and efficient method of communication!

Just because we're using a system that is fast, doesn't mean that we have to become lazy in our use of language. Because it's so easy to send an e-note to one person or a thousand people, the temptation is to treat e-mail more as if it's a note on the fridge door, than as a legitimate, serious form of communication.

You scribble a note to stick on the fridge door to tell your kids to feed the dog before they go to music lessons:

Feed Spot be4 u go xxxx Mum

Your daughter leaves a note that she's gone next door to do her homework:

At Kath's - hist test 2morrow - ugh! Seeya

We know what these messages mean, but they're hardly the sort of thing you want anyone outside the family to see and yet, every day thousands - millions - of messages just like this are flying through cyberspace! Messages that use symbols, numbers and abbreviations to convey complex ideas and thoughts.

Need info on midi sites pronto. Pls send all URLs 2 me.

IMHO best site on web is here.com Wish I had their hits LOL

Me too ;)

Not everyone is familiar with the use of abbreviations, symbols and 'emoticons' and it's very easy to miss subtleties of meaning. E-mail IS a legitimate form of communication these days - and there are a number of conventions that have emerged to govern its use. Read about how to avoid costly and embarrassing mistakes in your e-mail.

The Internet has made it possible for us to communicate with people from all over the world - and the only way those people can form an opinion about us, is by looking at the way we write. If you feel that you could do with a refresher course in writing, or just a few tips to improve your expression, then spend some time reading the free articles on site.

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After establishing an online presence, Jennifer Stewart began offering professional writing services and now has clients from around the globe. Any writing needs can be met, including web pages, press releases, advertising material, business reports, content for autoresponders, technical booklets and articles for newsletters.

For those who want their own writing double-checked for accuracy, Jennifer offers proof reading or full editing. Visit http://www.write101.com for more details or subscribe to free Writing Tips http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/WritingTips

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Out of Clutter, Find Simplicity
© 2000 by Kathy Paauw, OrgCoach.net

Albert Einstein once said, "Out of clutter, find
simplicity." This article will help you simplify your own life
by helping you to eliminate some unwanted clutter.

Clutter: Anything you own, possess, or do that does not
enhance your life on a regular basis.

If you accept my definition of clutter, then you acknowledge
that clutter goes far beyond your physical environment.
Clutter can be activities, or even people, in your present
life -- something to think about! The statistics below refer
to physical clutter, although you could probably come up
with some pretty startling statistics if you were to broaden
this definition beyond your environment.

1. Clutter costs us time, which is priceless, because it can
never be replaced.

* 80 percent of papers that are filed are never referenced
again.

* According to the American Demographic Society, Americans
waste more than nine million hours each day looking for lost
and misplaced articles.

* Office World News reported that the average executive
wastes 150 hours per year looking for lost and misplaced
documents.

2. Clutter costs us energy. It makes our jobs harder.

* Getting rid of excess clutter eliminates 40 percent of the
housework in an average home.

* 80 percent of the clutter in most homes is a result of
disorganization, not lack of space.

3. Clutter costs us financially. Not only do we pay for the
initial purchase, but also for the upkeep and maintenance.

* Before looking for more storage space, clear out the items
you no longer need or use. Recycle them or donate them to a
good cause.

* Make the most of the space you have available. Evaluate
your need for better storage containers and organizing
tools.

* An Ernst & Young study revealed that it costs $2,100 a
year to maintain a filing cabinet. An average of three
percent of documents are lost or misfiled, and have to be
recovered at an alarming cost of $120 per document.

4. Clutter costs us peace of mind. It's hard to relax when
we are on sensory overload with piles of magazines we've
been meaning to read, etc.

* Evaluate the number of subscriptions (magazines, journals,
newspapers) you have mailed to your home or office. Can you
realistically read them all? If not, reduce your guilt and
cancel them! You can purchase specific issues of interest
from the newsstand or go to the public library.

* We gain peace of mind knowing that we will be able to find
what we need when we need it.

The following clutter categories made me chuckle -- and nod
my head a few times. They are taken from "The Organization
Map" by Pam McClellan. Although this book is no longer in
print, you may be able to find it in your local library. It
has some excellent tips for home organization and clutter
reduction.

Categorize Your Clutter

Born Clutter: Anything that was born to take up space and
collect dust (souvenirs).

"I'm taking it with me" Clutter: Anything that has served a
purpose and no longer works for you (unidentified keys,
clothes that don't fit).

Impostor Clutter: Clutter posing as a bargain (garage sale
"deals").

Heirloom Clutter: Some clutter is inherited (Grandpa's old
78s).

Bestowed Clutter: Some clutter is given to us as a gift.

Rabbit Clutter: Collections and collectibles that multiply
fast.

Masquerade Clutter: Clutter masquerading as good stuff --
unused kitchen appliances, musical instruments you never
play (things in good condition but never used).

Atmosphere Clutter: Pretending to be a decoration --
anything used to decorate that is overdone or requires too
much work to maintain.

Someday Clutter: Anything you aren't currently using, but
you intend to fix, finish, or get to someday.

Bob Hope Clutter: "Thanks for the Memories" clutter we are
emotionally tied to (love letters, high school memorabilia).

Snob Clutter: Crystal candy dishes, silver platters (things
that collect dust or get in your way -- usually expensive
things meant to impress someone).

Now that you've identified your clutter, GET RID OF IT!

Learning to eliminate clutter at its source deals with the
problem at the root level, before it gets out of hand. Here
are some suggestions to help you de-clutter your life:

* Go through your mail when you receive it and throw away
whatever you can -- before it becomes a pile on your desk or
part of a junk drawer.

* Rather than creating a "to do" pile of papers that are
unrelated to each other, create an action or tickler file
for anything you cannot act on immediately. For more
information about how to set this up, see my article on how
to Trim the FAT at http://www.orgcoach.net.  According to
veteran organizer Barbara Hemphill, there are three things
you can do with paper: File, Act, Toss.

NOTE: The number one reason I have found that people "pile"
is because they are afraid they will never find it again if
they file it away, or they are afraid they will forget to
act on it. For a solution to this problem, see my Web page
on "Find Anything in 5 Seconds or Less."

* Ask yourself what activities and people are most important
to you. Look at incoming mail with this in mind. Remember
that when you say "yes" to someone or something, you are
saying "no" to someone or something else. As you decide
whether or not to act on something or file it away for
future reference, be mindful of the "Someday Clutter" --
something you might get to someday. Does this fit within
what is most important to you?

Teaching yourself to eliminate clutter is an important life
skill to develop, especially in the information age we live
in today. Many of us are in the habit of saving magazines,
books, catalogs, old records and documents, even though they
are outdated. We keep many things around because we're
afraid we just might need them someday. Papers become
obsolete so quickly, and we have the benefit of the World
Wide Web to search for the most up-to-date information on
any subject we can imagine (and some we haven't even
imagined yet!). So use the Web to your advantage and free
yourself from clutter and piles. A set of questions I ask
myself before throwing something away:

* What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I
threw this away today and discovered I needed it in the
future?

* Could I replace it?

* Would it be obsolete by the time I might need it?

Creating space makes you feel better physically and
emotionally. If you don't believe me, stop right now and
look around you. Is there an area that needs to be de-
cluttered? How long have you been meaning to clean it up?
Notice what happens to you physically and mentally when you
focus on that space. If you're like most people, you've
probably been meaning to get to that clutter for awhile and
the combination of negative self-talk and visual mess zaps
your energy. When you finally get around to cleaning it up,
you'll feel much more energized and motivated.

------------------------------------------------------------
Kathy Paauw, President of Paauwerfully Organized,
specializes in helping busy executives, professionals, and
entrepreneurs declutter their schedules, spaces and minds.
She is a certified business/personal coach and professional
organizer. Contact her at mailto:orgcoach@gte.net or visit
her website at http://www.orgcoach.net and learn how you can
Find ANYTHING in 5 Seconds -- Guaranteed!

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Quick Tip

According to ebates.com, there are six distinct shopping
types or "personalities" among the estimated 120 million
people who now shop online. Which is your target: E-bivalent
Newbies, Time-Sensitive Materialists, Clicks & Mortar,
Hooked, Online & Single, Hunter-Gatherers or Brand Loyalists?

Masha E. Geller http://www.mediapost.com

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If you don't have the time or the skills to write your own material, contact me now. For professional writing and editing services for web pages, press releases, advertising material, business reports, content for autoresponders, technical booklets, articles for newsletters, and more: http://www.write101.com  

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Jennifer Stewart offers professional writing services - copy writing, editing and proof reading your: web pages, press releases, technical booklets, newsletters, business proposals, reports or any other writing projects: http://www.write101.com

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