| 1.
|
Develop
a system for handling the paper that flows through your
life. Are you a stuffer, stacker, or spreader?
If you do not have some sort of system the paper will
end up everywhere. For papers that require some follow
up before you file, throw, or shred I use hanging files
numbered 1 to 31. Each day I look in the files and am
reminded of what I need to do on that particular day.
I also like to set up ‘January through December’
files for my long-term reminders. |
| 2. |
Take
appropriate action on paper as soon as you touch it
the first time. I do not believe the old adage
“Handle each piece of paper only once.”
That is only true for Charmin and Kleenex! My favorite
system chooses one of five options for the first time
you touch a piece of paper:
 |
Discard
or recycle |
|
Delegate |
|
Take
immediate action |
|
Put
it in the follow up file |
|
Put
it in a reference file |
|
| 3. |
Open
the mail over a trash can or shredder and immediately
get rid of any junk mail. |
| 4. |
Put
all reading material in one place and when it’s
full you know it’s time to throw. Scan
a magazine quickly and tear out the articles that interest
you and put only the article in your reading material
place. |
| 5. |
Handle
e-mails just like you would handle incoming paper.
The same five decisions apply in a slightly revised
form:
|
Discard
- The delete command |
|
Delegate
- The forward command |
|
Take
immediate action - The reply command |
|
File
for follow up - Print out and put in 1 to 31 files
|
|
Reference
file - Print out and put in reference files or
electronically store in folders |
|
| 6. |
Handle
voice mail messages just like you handle incoming paper
or e-mail. The same five rules apply. You simply
have to create a piece of paper if your decision is
to file for follow up or reference. |
| 7. |
Ask
co-workers to stop sending you unneeded memos, newsletters,
printouts, etc. so that you can stop unwanted
paper at the source. |
| 8. |
Do
not postpone things that are considered unpleasant tasks
– this is called procrastination. If it
overwhelms you, break it up into pieces and attack the
first piece today. |
| 9. |
Take
care of or get rid of anything that has been unfinished
or overdue for a long time. These projects clutter
your physical space and your mental life. Finish the
project or call it what it is – trash. |
| 10. |
Throw
or give things that you do not need, use or love having
around. If it doesn’t fit into one of these
three categories, it’s probably clutter. |
| 11. |
Clean
up one room, one drawer or one area at a time. Taking
on the “whole thing” usually leads to feeling
overwhelmed and hopeless. |
| 12. |
Use
sorting containers to clean up an area. Get some
empty boxes or containers and use them to sort out the
mess. Have garbage bags marked Throw and Give. |
| 13. |
Do
not move from your chosen clean up area until you have
finished or have worked for a budgeted amount of time.
If needed, set a timer for 30 minutes and don’t
leave until it goes off! |
| 14. |
If
you use storage boxes or bins, use a uniform size. It
makes them easier to store, stack and keep organized.
|
| 15. |
Clearly
label things in storage spaces. Make it easy
to find them in the future so you will not clutter up
the area when you are looking for them. List the contents
on a 3x5 card and tape to the bin. |
| 16. |
Take
Will Rodger’s advice: “Quit buying things
you do not need, with money you do not have to impress
people you do not like.” Learn to stop
the clutter at the source. |
| 17. |
Never
use the ”someday/maybe” reason to hang onto
something. Attics, basements, drawers, and other
spaces are filled with “someday/maybe” stuff.
Take a chance and let it go. |
| 18. |
Reduce
mental clutter by not worrying so much. Negative
thoughts are like snowflakes. They are easy to melt
when they first begin to appear and difficult to deal
with when they become avalanches. Remember, one definition
of worry is “thinking about what you do not want
to happen.” When you find yourself doing this,
reverse your thinking and think about what you do want
to happen. |
| 19. |
Get
started! You can never finish something that you don’t
start. Make up a checklist of all the places
you want to organize and start today! |
| 20. |
Invest
in one of my customized presentations for you and your
staff or one-on-one consulting. Within a few
hours, the new work habits and organized workspace of
your employees will advertise competence, confidence
and professionalism. Don’t just tell people to
get organized. Provide them with an effective system
that shows them exactly how to do it! |
