How To Organize Your Paperwork

Many people have a huge challenge coping with the incoming paperwork. (Whatever happened to the paperless office?).

Paperwork lands on your desk and somehow finds its way into your in-tray. Eventually the in-tray becomes so high it explodes and ends up all over your desktop. That's because you avoided taking action on those messy pieces of paper the moment they arrived. Now you have no option but to sort through the explosion and tidy up the pile or actually do something with the paperwork.

It's also frustrating when you need to search through the pile to look for information someone has asked you about. Many times I've contacted people to follow them up and I can automatically picture their desktop as they search their in-tray for the information I've sent them.

How can a pile of paper cause you so much stress? If only you could organize the paper so that it would disappear! Looking at it is enough to raise anyone's blood pressure. Well here are a few organizing tips to help you tame the paperwork.

Purchase a large vertical wire step file (available from stationers)

Sort through your in-tray/s or piles and organize the paperwork into similar categories, ie.

Correspondence

Reading

Clients

Invoices

Staff

Label manila folders with the above categories.

Place folders into step file.

Now you'll have all your work to do sitting in manageable files. It's much more effective than shuffling piles of paper.

This simple but practical device saves my accountant 2 hours per week. Do you know what that means to an accountant who charges out at $100 per hour?

Save Two Hours / Week @ Hourly Rate of $200

2 HRS/WEEK = $200

= 8 HRS/MTH = $800

= 96 HRS/YR = $9,600

You don't need to be an accountant to understand the significance of saving a small amount of time and the impact it has overall. It's always the little things in life - the one percenters which make the difference.

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her business The Office Organiser specialises in showing small business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a dynamic speaker and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!"

To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au

This article may be reproduced providing it is published in it's entirety, including the author's bio and all links. For further information please contact Lorraine Pirihi; lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

---

Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces

"I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common... Read More

Tossing and Turning

"The real question is, why do you want it? What... Read More

Saving Memories Without Losing Your Mind

The summer is flying by for Cindy and her family.... Read More

Essential Tips for the Kitchen

* Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped... Read More

Without a Plan, You?re Doomed to Failure

"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am... Read More

How Can I Deal With It All?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile... Read More

Three Effortless Ways to Win the Paperwork Battle

Buried under mountains of paperwork from your company? Do the... Read More

Clutters Side Effects: How the State of Your Home Affects Your Life

Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with... Read More

Family Management Tip #3: Getting Ready for the New School Year

Clothes. Check. School supplies. Check. No doubt you've got to... Read More

Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur

After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 1

The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More

3-Step Clean Sweep Program to Organize

3-Step Clean Sweep Program 1 -... Read More

The Love It Or Lose It Principle: One Simple Key to Living Clutter-Free Forever

It wasn't long ago that you spent an entire weekend... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Organise Your Computer Files

Everytime Mary had to find a file on her computer,... Read More

Spring Makeovers: Organizing Tips for the Home and a Virtual Makeover for You

Winter is starting to retreat, and hints of Spring are... Read More

Family Management Tip #2: Choosing the Right Organizer for Your Family

What method do you currently use to organize your family?... Read More

Give Up Control to Get Control

For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More

Do You Have A To-Do list?

I have a huge white board in my home office,... Read More

The Organized Move: Unpacking with a Plan

(This is the third in a series of three articles... Read More

Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life

Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards... Read More

Four Easy Steps to An Organized Closet

The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 2

In part 1, we discussed a system you could use... Read More

Quick Organizing Tips From Assistance For You

Keeping on task and getting organized starts with a basic... Read More

5 Tips to Banish Clutter From Your Life For Good

Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes... Read More

Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home

Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks... Read More

Are You Stuck In The Clutter Trap?

You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More

Effective Closet Cleaning Tips - Let Go of More Than Skeletons

I know I have a problem when I have to... Read More

Its Time To Clear Out! Clutter Busting For Every Aspect Of Your Life

'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More

Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database

What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home on a Budget with Baskets

What's an item that can help you organize every room... Read More

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More

Clear Your Clutter and Free Your Life

Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make... Read More

Daily Systems Keep You Organized

Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook... Read More