Organize + Energize: Paper Clutter. Where do I Start?
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Because paper management is a huge issue that many people face, I am going to share a question an attendee asked at one of my presentations.
Q. I have a desk that is overflowing with papers and it’s all so overwhelming. I get frustrated and I just don’t know where to begin. I want a neat, organized desk where I can be efficient and productive without all of the paper clutter. Can you please point me in the right direction?
A. The first thing you need to do is break this project down into smaller pieces. Don’t look at the entire desk. The minute you do that, you will get overwhelmed, lose focus, get distracted and nothing will get accomplished. This has probably happened in the past, which is why this project is so difficult for you to tackle. Limit your project to 3 hours. Once you hit that 3 hour mark, stop take a break or go back to it the next day. After 3 hours you will get stressed, overwhelmed, tired, and hungry.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLet me take you through the process of clearing your desk.
You will need a trash can and a box to throw shred into. You will also need to tackle this project on a clear workspace so you can spread out with your paper.
You have to start somewhere. Gather all of the paper on your desk and bring it to a clear workspace. Once that is done, start with one pile of paper. Take the top piece of paper. Decide whether to keep, toss, or shred. Do not worry about what you are going to do with the paper if you are keeping it. The minute you stop to think about what to do with it, you will get distracted, lose focus and it will be difficult to move forward. Just worry about whether you are going to keep, toss, or shred.
You are now left with a box full of shred, a garbage bag full of trash and your keep piles. Create categorized piles of the papers you are keeping. You may see a theme of certain papers. Make piles of those papers. Continue to do this until there are no piles left on your desk.
Now you can sit with your categorized piles and develop a system going forward to contain these papers. Think about how you want to function with these papers.
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do you have a system already set up or do you have to develop a new one?
• Where do you want to file these papers?
• How often do you grab them?
• Are they items you need to keep right in front of you on your desk so you don’t forget about them?
Once you have completed this project, you should be able to see the top of your desk and you can move forward with creating a work flow and maintaining that organization. Make a point to file paper as soon as you receive it or attach it to your to-do list or your calendar if it needs immediate attention.
Remember the systems you develop will create routines and if you follow those routines, they will form habits which will in turn become an everyday way of life.
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on talkstreamradio.com.
Related Slideshow: 5 Organizing Blunders
Avoid these mistakes and your project will take less time than you expected. You won’t be as stressed or as overwhelmed as you anticipated. You will be amazed at what you have accomplished. You will be motivated and energized to tackle another project.
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