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Question:
I
am doing a pretty good job keeping up with the current influx of paperwork into my office, but I have stacks and stacks of things that I haven't touched for ages. I would
just love to dump it all, but I'm afraid I'll need it someday. What should I do?
Well CONGRATULATIONS! You have already taken the first step towards organizing the old mess because you've recognized that you even
have one! Be proud of yourself because you are already well on your way of cleaning it up!
I suggest the following steps to take from here:
 | First and foremost, make the decision and commitment that YOU are just as important as everyone else in your life and on your
schedule. Remember, if we are not personally in a healthy and comfortable space ourselves, we are in no position to work with or assist someone else. |
| Sit down right now and schedule some time for this newest project called "Office Clean-up". Look around and estimate how long it will take to clean up your
office. If your answer is 2-3 days, then so be it! Block out the time in your calendar and commit to this appointment just like you would for your most valued client or
customer. Remember, this project does not have to be completed in only one session. |
We have a tendency to think that we just can't take that much time away from our schedule to do something for ourselves. However, if some one dear to you (or a valued
client) became ill or needed your assistance immediately, wouldn't you drop everything to take care of them? Give yourself as much care as you do all the other people in
your life.
| Grab one of those dusty stacks and sit down at your desk. Commit to yourself that you will touch each piece of paper only once and deal with it immediately. Here are
some good questions to ask yourself about each piece of paper: |
- Does this document still relate to my business or personal life?
- Is the information current?
- Is this the only source I have for this information, i.e., it could NOT be accessed over the Internet?
- If I created this document on my computer, have I deleted it from my hard drive?
- Is this something I should share with someone else?
If the answer is "no" to most of these questions, begin a Recycle Bin! If any of your answers are yes, then place the item in one of three stacks: Business
Stuff, Personal Stuff, or Stuff to Share. Do this with EVERY STACK in your office until you have it all grossly sorted.
| Now go through each of the three stacks separately. Are you finding repetitive information, or documents that don't seem as critical as they did the first time you saw
it? That's good! If so, recycle the documents you don't need. If, however, you find a document that you truly do need to keep or share with someone else, IMMEDIATELY file it in the appropriate file, or fax or mail it to the appropriate person. |
The secret here is to TOUCH IT ONCE. And remember ... having lots of documents in your office will only be an asset to you if you can
find them when you need them.
The "EffEx Tip" of the Month:
If you truly can't make up your mind about whether or not to keep a certain document, then start a "To Recycle or Not to Recycle" file and place the document
there. Once every 6 weeks or so, go through the file and reconsider each document. My personal experience has shown me that a majority of the documents we believe to be
important do lose their value over time. Remember that life is moving very quickly now and information does not stay "current" for long.
It is just as vital to organize your financial paperwork as it is to organize your administrative paperwork. Actually, it is even MORE important since building and
maintaining good credit is essential to any business or individual.
Back to EffEx Tips! |
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