name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies us

Are you overwhelmed by piles of paper? Does it seem impossible to catch up? Well, it does require some effort on your part and some paper management skills, but it can be done. Paper causes anxiety because it is often a reminder of all of the things we have to do. An effective paper management system can help move those piles of paper from ‘to-do’ to ‘done!’

First, designate an in-box for all incoming paper and process it frequently. Designate containers for each of the following paper decisions: Do it now, Do it later, Delegate it, Toss it, or File it.

Do it now- Actually, I recommend processing all of the paper in your in-box prior to acting on it, at least initially. If not, you may decide to keep acting on each paper and never get around to completely processing your in-box.

Do it later- Determine what the actual next step is and then schedule a time and day to do it. Your initial determination might be that you have to respond to an invitation- but later you realize that you have to check with your co-worker or significant other prior to responding. Most importantly, later never comes. It is essential to block out time in your day to actually do it.

Delegate it- Many times it is more productive to delegate some tasks than to try to do them ourselves, even when we have to pay an expert for their time. It may take you two or three times as long to accomplish the same task and often cost the same or less. Experts have the tools and skills to get it done efficiently and effectively.

Toss it- Insert ‘recycle’ or ‘shred’ here. Anything with your name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies us

ll incoming paper and process it frequently. Designate containers for each of the following paper decisions: Do it now, Do it later, Delegate it, Toss it, or File it.

Do it now- Actually, I recommend processing all of the paper in your in-box prior to acting on it, at least initially. If not, you may decide to keep acting on each paper and never get around to completely processing your in-box.

Do it later- Determine what the actual next step is and then schedule a time and day to do it. Your initial determination might be that you have to respond to an invitation- but later you realize that you have to check with your co-worker or significant other prior to responding. Most importantly, later never comes. It is essential to block out time in your day to actually do it.

Delegate it- Many times it is more productive to delegate some tasks than to try to do them ourselves, even when we have to pay an expert for their time. It may take you two or three times as long to accomplish the same task and often cost the same or less. Experts have the tools and skills to get it done efficiently and effectively.

Toss it- Insert ‘recycle’ or ‘shred’ here. Anything with your name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies us

.

Do it later- Determine what the actual next step is and then schedule a time and day to do it. Your initial determination might be that you have to respond to an invitation- but later you realize that you have to check with your co-worker or significant other prior to responding. Most importantly, later never comes. It is essential to block out time in your day to actually do it.

Delegate it- Many times it is more productive to delegate some tasks than to try to do them ourselves, even when we have to pay an expert for their time. It may take you two or three times as long to accomplish the same task and often cost the same or less. Experts have the tools and skills to get it done efficiently and effectively.

Toss it- Insert ‘recycle’ or ‘shred’ here. Anything with your name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies us

egate it- Many times it is more productive to delegate some tasks than to try to do them ourselves, even when we have to pay an expert for their time. It may take you two or three times as long to accomplish the same task and often cost the same or less. Experts have the tools and skills to get it done efficiently and effectively.

Toss it- Insert ‘recycle’ or ‘shred’ here. Anything with your name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies us

name and identifying information on it should be shredded and most other papers can be recycled. If you have a ‘to shred’ pile that never gets shredded, perhaps it’s time to invest in a better shredder or delegate this task.

File it- I have found the most effective method for filing papers is by their shelf life. A ‘to-do’ may only have a shelf life of one week, whereas insurance policies usually have a shelf life of one year, while tax papers can have a shelf life of ten years. So divide your filing into sections for active, reference, and archive. Active papers should be stored in your ‘prime real estate’ on your desktop. Reference documents can be located in desk filing cabinets or close by. And finally, archive papers should be stored in another location.

Designating an in-box and understanding the decisions to be made when processing paper is just the beginning of tackling your paper clutter...but it is your first step towards success.