Article: Paperwork: Don't Shuffle, Simplify

Paperwork: Don’t Shuffle, Simplify

Do you find yourself spending more time shuffling paper and piles of the stuff beginning to overrun your office? Well, stop shuffling and start simplifying.

To begin digging out from under the blizzard of paper, sort your paperwork into three categories:

Items which require action.
Items to be read.
Items to be discarded.

Do not waste time on category three. Dump those in the nearest wastebasket and focus your time on the more important items.

Category one includes those materials that require some action on your part. Take your action file and handle one item at a time. Clear your desk of all other clutter. A desk stacked with other items provides distractions. Each time your eyes fall on another file or other paperwork your mind goes on a side trip relative to that item.

Minimize the number of times you handle a piece of paper. Take action while it is in your hands the first time or schedule a time when you will perform the necessary action.

To discover if you are guilty of paper shuffling, put a red dot in the upper right-hand corner of an item each time you handle it. When you find your paperwork has contracted the measles, you will realize it is time to stop procrastinating and time to act.

Most correspondence you receive can be answered immediately after being read. With many items you can simply write your comments on the original letter and send it out. Or use the phone to reply. This also provides a personal touch.

Reports can be major time wasters. Before you prepare a report, be certain it is necessary. What is the purpose of the report? How will the information be used? How detailed does it need to be? Who is to receive the report? What would happen if the report were not produced?

Not only is much unnecessary paperwork produced, much of it is saved. Experts estimate that twenty to thirty percent of paperwork could be discarded and never missed. Files are cluttered with even more useless paper. Studies indicate that ninety-five percent of all items filed are never used again.

Before you file an item, ask yourself how you will use that piece of paper during the next twelve months. Could you obtain the information if you needed it and it was not in your file?

For two or three months keep track of what files are used. Each time a file is removed write on the folder the date, the item in the file used, and by whom. Review this record at the end of the trial period to discover what materials are useful and which need not be saved. Of course, some documents must be saved for legal purposes, but many items are simply clutter in the cabinet.

Another contributor to clutter is the unread materials stacked about the office awaiting a more convenient time for your perusal. Schedule regular time for reading. Consider dividing reading materials with other staff members. Each person can then summarize what they read and discuss it during lunch or staff meetings.

Instead of reading an entire periodical, scan the table of contents for the articles relevant to you and ignore the others. Clip articles you want read and carry some with you to read during waiting times, such as when at the airport. You can save more time by having your administrative assistant do the scanning and clipping for you.

Your assistant can be your greatest ally in the paper battle. Have your assistant sort your mail for you into the three categories mentioned earlier. Your assistant probably can even answer some of the more routine correspondence, thereby allowing you more time for higher priority items.

As you better manage your paperwork you will find yourself with increased time for more important and satisfying activities. You also will gain a neater office.