| Today's high-tech world is deluged with more | | | | hiring an organizing consultant ( to give a short |
| information than ever imaginable. In spite of all the | | | | presentation on The Art of Wastebasketry(R) at the |
| promises of the paperless office, statistics show that | | | | beginning of the day and to facilitate the process |
| exactly the opposite is happening. It is projected that | | | | during the day. (See Tip #5.)4. Use, and train others |
| by 2005 there will be 50% more paper than there was | | | | around you, to automatically use The FAT System |
| in 1995! Those who have tried the paperless solution | | | | (TM) . There are only three decisions you can make |
| find it has its own challenges. How many lunches have | | | | about any piece of paper: File, Act, or Toss. Make |
| you missed because you were searching through files | | | | decisions on paper as it comes in. Put papers that |
| - never finding what you needed?Asking four basic | | | | require action into "Action Files." Papers you may |
| questions will help you make decisions about how to | | | | never need, but are afraid to throw away go into |
| manage the information in your office - whether it's for | | | | Reference Files. As Reference Files become old, they |
| paper or electronic files.1. What information do you | | | | become Archive Files, or can be tossed.5. Continually |
| really need to keep?2. In what form do you need to | | | | practice "The Art of Wastebasketry(R). Research |
| keep it?3. For how long? 4. How can you find it when | | | | shows that 80% of what we keep, we never use. |
| we need it? (That's the really big one!)To improve your | | | | Don't make today's mail turn into tomorrow's pile! Ask |
| chances of retrieving information, consider these six | | | | yourself: 1. Does this require action? 2. Can I identify a |
| possibilities:1. Create a File Index (a roadmap for | | | | specific use? 3. Is it difficult to get again? 4. Is it recent |
| available information!) for your company. One of most | | | | enough to be useful? 5. Are there legal |
| valuable lessons I learned from my father was "Half of | | | | considerations?If the answer to all these questions is |
| any job is having the right tool." The network version | | | | "No," ask one final question: "What is the worst |
| of The Paper Tiger software ( allows colleagues to | | | | possible thing that would happen if I didn't have this |
| share information in a way never before possible and | | | | piece of paper?" If you can live with your answer, toss |
| to avoid wasting time recreating information that | | | | - or recycle it! Since security if a big issue today, I've |
| already exists because no one knew it existed. While | | | | discovered that a shredder is one of the best tools to |
| many people are looking at scanning as a way of | | | | encourage people to throw things!6. Take Advantage |
| coping with information overload, make sure that you | | | | of Report Features of The Paper Tiger If you're afraid |
| are really solving a problem, and not just creating | | | | to toss something, don't worry about it - just keep it! |
| another. Using a computer software program can | | | | Your File Index will help you find it in case you do need |
| make handling paper so easy that the investment of | | | | it, or help you clean it out when your files get full. |
| time and equipment to go "paperless" may not be | | | | Recently, my assistant informed me there was no |
| necessary, or when you do convert to electronic | | | | more space for new projects. Instead of just adding |
| storage you will avoid just creating a faster mess!2. | | | | more file cabinets, I took the File Clean-Out Report |
| Develop Retention Guidelines. Clutter is Postponed | | | | automatically created by The Paper Tiger software on |
| Decisions(R). Paper will continue to pile up because | | | | my next trip, and made notes on what could be |
| someone needs to make a decision about retention. | | | | cleaned, tossed, or archived. When I returned to my |
| Clients often ask me how long they should keep | | | | office, I gave the report to a high school student, |
| documents. Determine the answer by looking at your | | | | working in our office for the summer. She did the |
| own past experience. Often, that means asking the | | | | cleaning out and transferring of files for us!Your office |
| people with whom you work who really use the | | | | is a reflection of you and your organization. An |
| papers! If you're not sure, consult the guidelines in | | | | organized, uncluttered workspace will make you more |
| Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work. That's one | | | | productive and less stressed. You can stop losing time |
| of the major reasons I wrote the book! (If you need | | | | searching for files. In fact, you may even find time for |
| retention information for files at home, consult | | | | lunch!© Barbara Hemphill is the author of |
| Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Home.)3. Hold a | | | | Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and |
| File Clean-Out Day. Make the day fun! Wear | | | | Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of |
| comfortable clothes, order in lunch, and give prizes - | | | | Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The |
| such as the "Most Progress" or "The Funniest | | | | mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help |
| Discovery". Provide staff with storage boxes for files | | | | individuals and organizations create and sustain a |
| that can be kept in less accessible spaces. Create a | | | | productive environment so they can accomplish their |
| "white elephant room" for employees to put items they | | | | work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing |
| aren't using, but other people might want. Consider | | | | space, information, and time. |