Paperwork is a fact of life: bills, invoicing, bookkeeping, reading, correspondence, computer input, projects, filing -- the list can be endless. The growing piles can seem overwhelming. If desktop disorder is costing you time, energy and productivity, here are some simple steps to help clear the clutter for more effective paper management:
1. Create the appearance of order quickly.
When things are helter-skelter you feel out of control, so it’s important first to create at least an appearance of order and clear some space to work. Stack everything in one neat pile. Don’t worry about sorting or prioritizing. For now, just create some room, take a breath and a moment to enjoy the clear surface in front of you. Notice the space you have to work with.
2. Sort from the top down.
Don’t skip around. To create and maintain order requires working in an orderly manner. Handle papers one at a time, from the top of the master pile. Resist the urge to dig out something farther down that may relate to the one in your hand. Relationships will emerge naturally as you work through the stack. To rush the process will only undermine the process and the illusion you created in step one.
3. Sort into the broadest possible categories.
For now, you only want to achieve a preliminary order, so keep categories simple. Most papers will fall under the following six headings:
Financial: bills, bank statements, canceled checks, receipts, purchasing decisions, etc.
To Do: anything requiring action: correspondence, calls, errands, projects, etc.
To Read: anything that requires time to digest before action can be taken.
To File: information which needs no further action but that you want to keep for reference.
To Delegate/Consult: things you can pass to someone, or things you need to speak to someone else about before you can take action yourself.
Awaiting a Response: things you have taken action on that require someone else to make the next move.
4. Designate a container and a location for each category.
Choose an appropriate container (basket, file folder, etc.) for each pile you’ve created, and label it clearly. Put reading near where you typically sit to read. Place filing on or near the file cabinet. Financial items should be convenient to supplies you use to process them (checkbook, calculator, ledger, computer). To do naturally will remain close at hand.
Particularly look for ways to contain your things to do in vertical files rather than horizontal piles. Labeled folders standing upright in a holder make contents much easier to access and limit expansion. Horizontal piles are easily toppled over and in danger of becoming mulch.
When you have completed these steps, from one amorphous mass you will have organized everything into a few manageable categories, each with a clear purpose. Later you may want to take the sorting process to a second level of sophistication for greater clarity. For example, by subcategorizing items to do into correspondence,calls,projects-- each with its own folder -- you can assess how much time is needed for certain kinds of generic tasks. This will make your schedule planning easier.
Regardless of how far you take it, this basic system can be used to process any new piece of information that comes your way. Better yet, you now have choices about where to focus your attention. This can be a giant first step in saving you time, energy and aggravation -- which, of course, will free you to be more productive.
