The Unclutterer blog posts a neat productivity tip that also serves to keep the dreaded Paper Monster at bay. By printing out tiny “To Do,” “To Pay,” and “To File” labels for binder clips and then hanging them off hooks inside a closet door, blogger Christine manages to both keep on top of her paper-related tasks and keep her counters free of that flat white stuff. She also suggests possibly color-coding the clips, or keeping oft-referenced paperwork in an easy-to-access location, for further gravity-defying organization. One more idea: What better way to keep your bills (if you haven’t entirely converted to e-billing) together and in plain sight? Reader suggestion: Staying organized with binder clips [Unclutterer]
Jason Alba, author of I’m on LinkedIn — Now What?, gives Wired’s How-To Wiki advice on how to use LinkedIn for something other than esteem-boosting connection counting. One of the keys is stepping away from the monitor if you want to make contact with somebody in a contact’s network—in other words, use that old-fashioned phone to get ahead. … LinkedIn “isn’t the place to nurture a relationship. It’s a place to find and be found. But once you find them, go outside the system.” Meet up in person to complain about coworkers … and you build face-to-face relationships that are stronger than any virtual connection.