Last week I helped a client to clean out her office, when we
came upon a newspaper clipping bearing the same name as this month’s blog post.
It was from the Careers section of
the Globe and Mail and was dated April
6, 2013. This is noteworthy for a few reasons:
1. This piece on organizing our paper flow wasn’t
in the Life section, or Homes section. It was in a section about
being successful in business. So, organization plays a critical role in
realizing greater success and peace of mind in our career. Can you imagine the benefits
to be realized in your personal life if your living and working spaces at home
were organized?
2. The
lovely lady with whom I was working had
waited 3 years before grabbing that lifeline (i.e. seeking help). That’s a long
time to postpone our personal satisfaction and serenity. Why do we do this to
ourselves?
3. This topic never gets old or goes away. The Globe covered it three years ago,
everyone I work with, entrepreneur or otherwise, complains that paperwork makes
them crazy. This is a real challenge for a lot of people.
At the time the article was published, the lawyer who was
interviewed said that “having those piles of paper visible and touchable in my
office were not helping me be efficient and keeping me calm and ready, but
rather increasing my stress levels every time I walked into my office.” Can you
relate?
To further prove the point, after getting the piles sorted
out, this woman recognized that she spent less time in the office, worked fewer
nights and weekends and increased her billings. Have you ever wondered what
life would look life for you if the stress created from piles of paperwork were
eliminated?
One of the most important tips I can offer, whether in
reference to paper or a LEGO collection, is this: Only handle it once (OHIO).
Don’t pile paper on your desk, committing to filing it later. File it now.
Don’t put an article or research material to the side, promising to make a
folder for it later. Make that folder now. The more you pile around you, the
more inclined you will be to add to the pile: clutter attracts clutter. You’re the
only one who can cut down those paper mountains; and let’s be honest you will
feel so much better once you know what’s contained in those papers, than
spending time worrying about what’s in there and how you will ever get through
the task of dealing with it.
