How to use an outbox

- Is the idea of a physical outbox a mystery to you? I know it was to me until I became more productive. If you're aware I was, let me help demystify it for you. The outbox is the place where you temporarily put thing that belong to someone else, especially people you work with on a regular basis. I recommend having one outbox for each of the key people that you work with in your day. So, first consider with whom do you regularly communicate? To whom do you regularly give paperwork or other physical things? You'll want to create an outbox for each of them. For instance, I might create an outbox for my team members, John and Michelle and Victoria. Also, I work from a home office and even have an outbox for my wife, and she has one for me. Why do this? Because an outbox reduces interruptions when you're processing your inbox. Without an outbox, I might feel the need to get up from my desk and take paperwork to someone else's work area over and over. This would cause me and my coworkers to lose focus. Instead, the outbox allows me to queue up all those files in a clearly designated space or home. Then, when I'm done with all my inbox processing, I get up, take the outboxes, and put the contents into someone else's inbox. Then, during their processing time, they repeat the same system for physical items they need to give to me. The outbox is a simple tool, and, when used effectively, can enhance your productivity and help your team stay more focused.