From: Vicki Norris ©Restoring Order, 2002
Date: 2/19/2004
Time: 3:28:16 PM
Remote Name: 24.21.243.120
The executive who wants to get his environment and professional life under control will invest in several customized paper management systems. The savvy business person values her time, and counts the cost of wasted time searching for missing documents. The average executive wastes an hour a day looking for important papers, totaling more than six weeks annually. Based on a $40,000 annual salary, the cost of this search is $5,000. (1) Indirect detrimental costs (which ultimately cost money or possibly a job) include the following: Damaged credibility Personal stress Interpersonal tension Diminished competence Lack of confidence Stymied productivity All of our resources are gifts to be managed with purpose. This includes our time, our environment, our possessions, and even the documents that record and reflect our life activities. It is a rare person who has complete control over their environment, their time, and their paper. The flow, capture, and retrieval of paper causes more angst and confusion for people than any other area of organizing need. In fact, every client with whom I work with needs help managing their paper, in varying degrees. Some just need a system to capture their incoming paper. Some lack a filing system, so permanent papers have no destination. We pile because we don’t file. Consider the time you will spend setting up effective paper management systems as an investment in your sanity. It costs $30 to properly file a document, $120 in additional labor costs if the document is misfiled, and $250 to recreate a lost document. (2) In the corporate world, I’ve observed that there are at least four paper management systems my clients seem to need. They include a paper processing system, a current or pending projects system, a refer or delegate system, and a filing system. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of customizing each system to the roles, thinking patterns, habits, and work style of each client. I extensively interview each client in their unique environment to discover their individual needs. Systems that are imposed tend to hinder a person’s productivity, and may eventually be abandoned. Systems that are intuitive to the individual are easy for the client to use and maintain. Implement a Paper Processing system This system will give you a place to pre-sort your mail and incoming paper. It is generally best if it is categorized by actionable items (TO DO, TO READ, TO FILE, TO DECIDE, TO CALL, etc.). However, some people are more topically-oriented, and for them, I set up a topical paper processing system built around their specific roles (FINANCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, MARKETING, etc.) This system should be located on the desktop, very close to the user and can take several forms, depending on the needs, environment, and visual tolerances of the user. Set up a Current or Pending Projects system Everyone needs a place to put papers to which they frequently refer. It doesn’t make sense to put these “hot” papers into a filing system, where they will reside among long-term or reference papers. These papers may include current projects that must go into a holding pattern until a decision is reached. This system should be tailored to the individual, and its papers are distinct from TO DO items in that there are usually several steps, multiple items, or a recurring need to access the information. Create a Refer or Delegate system Corporate executives usually partner with an employer, peers, and subordinates, and have a need to communicate on many levels with these groups. Another system is needed to capture information and paper related to these people and any collaborative work. Rather than constantly self-interrupting, the time-sensitive executive should capture e-mails, articles, reviewed documents, and other information related to these people or collaborative projects, and put it in one place to later transfer to the person in question. Refer papers are those that move up the ladder to an employer or laterally to peers. Delegate papers are those that can be handed down—or delegated—to team players. This system is also excellent for capturing meeting information, particularly for recurring staff or departmental meetings. Establish a Permanent Reference Filing system None of the systems above will last if the papers culled from them of a lasting nature have no permanent “home.” One of the great mistakes people make is to neglect this part of paper management, probably because it takes the longest to set up, and requires many decisions. Paper pile-up is a symptom of delayed decisions. A proper filing system will take into account the executive’s roles and will be simple to maintain. It will be created around only the information that the executive is responsible for, while other documents will be delegated or outsourced. From the executive’s roles and materials, large categories (between 3-6 is best) will be discovered. Within each category, subcategories are discovered, and individual documents will find a home within a subcategory, within a category. Filing usually is set up in file jackets and/or hanging files, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be housed in binders, on vertical desktop files, in accordion files, in portable containers, or a myriad of other possibilities. Summary When you think about it, our paper reflects our personal and professional activity. It documents our accomplishments, projects, and goals. When our paper is properly processed, acted upon, and stored, we will begin to reap the benefits of our investment. Not only will we become better self-managers, but we will also become more respectful of, and collaborative with co-workers. We will be able to put our hands on what we want when we want it. We will think more clearly about our roles and responsibilities. As a result, we will begin to make choices that honor our priorities. Footnotes (1) Chicago Sun Times, November 11, 2000 (2) Office World News, September, 1996 --Vicki Norris is a Portland-based professional organizing consultant who serves national clientele in the corporate, home-based business, and residential environments. For more information, visit www.RestoringOrder.com or 1-888-625-5774.
From: Janet L. Hall, OverHall Consulting
Date: 4/23/99
Time: 7:53:13 AM
Remote Name: 4.17.66.133
Janet L. Hall is a Professional Organizer and owner of OverHall Consulting. Janet is based out of Southern Maryland and can be reached at 410-586-9440 or e-mail her at overhall@chesapeake.net. Janet can "OverHall" your office, home, and computer clutter. She is currently conducting workshops in Calvert, St. Mary's, and Anne Arundel Counties and is available for on-site workshops and one-on-one instruction on getting organized. She recently wrote her first booklet, "The LITTLE WHO, WHEN, and WHERE Booklet" ã which you can order for yourself, a loved one, or your clients by visiting her web site at http://expage.com/page/overhallbooklets
PILES, FILES, LISTS-OH NO!
Everyday our countertops and desks get bombarded with papers, notes, phone messages, school papers, mail, and of course all the "stuff" we have to print out from our computers!
Today I'd like to talk to you about how you can handle and organize all the paper that comes into your home or across your desk.
I've developed the 5 W's of Organizing, a Teaser, and a "Tickle"ä that I'd like to share with you.
How the System Works: The 5 W's of Organizing is a set of questions, using WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY, that you ask yourself for every piece of paper that you handle. This will also assist you on what TEASER to use.
The TEASER will give you eight actions you can take to help you sort through your paper piles, files, and lists. What? Teaser only has six letters…you'll see. Toss it You can't answer the 5 W's, it's outdated, or broken. End it You don't want it, you want to cancel it, or you don't read it. Act on it Needs an action; such as your signature, phone call, or immediate attention. Store it You need and have answered the 5 W's. This will have three piles: Current, Referral, and Historical Enter it Information you need to enter into your planner or computer. Refer/Recycle/Read it It belongs to someone else or you think they need it. Use it again or put into a recycling bin. Something you want/need to read.
The TICKLER FILING SYSTEM (sorry, I don't know who developed this) is a dated filing system that can be used to get the piles off your countertops and desks. I use this system instead of an IN/OUT box. You can make one or buy one already made at most office supply stores. The Tickler Filing System consists of 43 folders, one for each month labeled January - December and one for each day of the month, labeled 1 - 31. As you can see, this is an action-dated system. The purpose of the system is to "tickle" you and it's a place to store the information or work you have or need for a particular day and/or month. This is where you would file such things as your dated follow up calls, airline tickets, vacation plans, meeting information, and bills. Its uses are endless!
Getting Started: Schedule a date and time to go through your piles, files, and lists. Write down a REWARD; such as, a massage, new "do", the dress you've been wanting to buy, use your imagination. This is what you will give yourself AFTER you have completed this task. Grab some garbage bags, a timer, your favorite music, some boxes, a tickler filing system, the 5 W's of Organizing Questions, your favorite drink, and put on some comfortable clothes.
Start Sorting: I like to sit on the floor to sort because I can spread out everything. Make the following labels for your TEASER piles: End it, Act on it, Store it, Enter it, Refer/Recycle/Read it. Where's the Toss it pile you ask? You don't need a pile, just toss your stuff that you don't need or want into the garbage can or bag! Now, sort each piece of paper, file, and list into the appropriate pile. You will be going through each pile again.
Now that you have all your piles, files, and lists sorted and more manageable, you are going to go through your Store it, Enter it, Refer it, and Read it piles using the 5 W's of Organizing Questions. This is where you must be really honest with yourself for each piece of paper in your piles. First, set your timer for 5 minutes and get up and stretch!
The 5 W's of Organizing Questions: As you pick up each piece of paper ask yourself the following questions:
WHO does this belong to? WHO needs this?
WHAT use is this? WHAT do I need it for?
WHEN will I need this? WHEN will I use it?
WHERE will I find this? WHERE does it belong?
WHY do I have this? WHY do I want this?
How to Use: Let's look at your first piece of paper in your Store it pile.
Ask yourself the WHO questions. If it doesn't belong to anyone and no one needs it..TOSS IT!
If someone else needs it..REFER IT. If it belongs to you, ask yourself the WHAT questions. If you don't have a use for it or you don't know what you need it for..TOSS IT!
If it is of use to you and you need it, ask yourself the WHEN questions. These questions will help determine WHERE you will find it and WHERE it belongs. If it is something you need within the week or something you are working on..it's CURRENT, make a CURRENT pile (we'll "tickle" this later into our TICKLER). If it's something that you need to refer to; such as last year's income tax records, warranties, a contract, or forms, make a REFERRAL pile. If it's something that you might need to keep because of sentimental value; such as a picture your child drew, a birthday card, or it's a legality issue; such as the last six years of your income tax records, former employee records, make a HISTORICAL pile. Now don't forget to ask the WHY questions. If you don't know why you have it..TOSS IT!
Now go through your Enter it, Refer it, and Read it piles using the 5 W's of Organizing Questions. Go ahead, I'll wait.
Okay, that wasn't too bad was it? Let's look at what you've got left. You should have the following, hopefully smaller, piles: END IT, ACT ON IT, STORE IT (CURRENT, REFERRAL, HISTORICAL), ENTER IT, REFER IT, and READ IT.
I know you might be getting tired, but don't worry, you'll almost finished. Set your timer for 5 minutes and take another stretch break. Let's get these piles into your TICKLER FILING SYSTEM. (REFERRAL and HISTORICAL piles are excluded and I'll address them at another time).
You'll need to get out your calendar, planner, to-do list or whatever you are using to track and plan your days, to help you determine what date and/or month you need to or want to act on what is left in your piles.
END IT - This is the day you will cancel anything that you want to stop receiving by e-mail, "snail" mail, or stuff from other people; such as a newspaper or trade journal you never read or jokes that you receive on a daily basis and don't want to receive anymore. Now, pencil in the date and a time into your planner when you will call, e-mail, or "snail" mail your cancellation. Put all the necessary information from your END IT pile that you have and will need to cancel into the corresponding date of your TICKLER file.
ACT ON IT - Schedule a date and time that you will take the action needed for these items and file the information needed from your ACT ON IT pile into the corresponding date of your TICKLER file.
STORE IT - CURRENT Pile: Get a folder and label it CURRENT to file your current projects into. I like to use colored folders and I have one labeled PENDING (I'm waiting on or need more information) and another labeled WORKING PROJECTS. WORKING PROJECTS is where I store my files and information for the projects I'm working on during the day so they aren't piling up all over my desk and I can easily retrieve them when needed.
ENTER IT - If it's date related; such as meetings or appointments, enter the information into your planner, any paper work in your ENTER IT pile that is related to these items get placed into the corresponding date of your TICKLER file. It's out of the pile and you know where it is when you need it.
SCENERIO: You have a meeting on April 15th and you have some graphs that you will be presenting at the meeting. Enter the meeting into your planner and place the graphs into the folder marked 15. You won't be looking for those graphs when April 15th arrives!
If the information in your pile is addresses or letters that need to be entered into your computer, schedule the date and time to do these actions and put those papers into the corresponding TICKLER date.
REFER IT - Make sure one last time that you want to pass on this paper and place into your TICKLER the date you will see that person or send them the information.
READ IT - If you schedule a date and time for reading, place this material in the corresponding TICKLER date. Otherwise, place all reading materials into your reading file. Make sure this file is portable to take along with you whenever you anticipate that you might be waiting and have time to read; such as waiting in traffic. If you have books that you are reading, place them in a basket or a nice container and place this next to the area where you like to read.
Now that you have all your piles, files, and lists organized and more manageable - GO GET YOUR REWARD, you deserve it!
Using the 5 W's of Organizing, a Teaser, and a "Tickle"ä daily will help you keep your countertops and desks free of paper clutter and will give you more time to do the things that you want to do!
Smiles, not Piles, Janet L. Hall