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Ending the Paperwork

Nightmare

by Maria Gracia, Updated September 1, 2023 Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Organizing Article is available. Dealing with the never-ending stream of paperwork can easily spin into a mess. Forms, notes, letters, and all sorts of papers can easily pile up. Leave it untouched for a bit, and bam, you've got a paper mountain. Let it sit even longer, and now you're in full- blown paperwork chaos! Here are some practical tips to help you wrangle that paperwork monster and keep it in check: • Break It into Chunks: Don't go charging in, ready to conquer all your paperwork in one go. Instead, slice the task into smaller chunks. On Day 1, hit up one pile. On Day 2, dive into that inbox, and so on. Tackling bits at a time makes the whole thing less overwhelming. • The 4 D's Rule: Guess what? A ton of the papers cluttering up your space are either old news or totally useless. Remember these 4 moves: o Do It: If it needs action, act on it. o Delay It: If it's got potential, stash it in an "action" or "archive" spot. o Delegate It: If someone else should deal with it, pass it along. o Dump It: Trash (recycle) it, but be mindful—some stuff needs saving, like legal or tax papers. • Sort Mail Like a Pro: When you open your mail, do it over the trash can or recycling bin. Ditch those catalogs and ads you're not interested in ASAP. Then, sort the rest right away to avoid a mail mountain. • File a Bit Every Day: If you're not a fan of filing, it's probably because your filing situation is out of hand. Imagine just having a couple of papers to deal with instead of a whole stack. Get your filing act together and do a bit each day, or at least once a week. Consistency is key. • Go Digital When You Can: Trade in the old-school mail and physical docs for digital. Use email to communicate and share info. But don't go overboard—don't print every single email. Store things on your computer instead. Watch out for digital messiness, though! • Chill on the Copies: Don't go copy- crazy, making duplicates left and right just in case. You'll end up with a heap of unused copies. Only copy when you really, truly need to. Spare others the same fate! • Be Real with Reading Goals: We all want to read everything, but let's get real. That pile of stuff you're "going to read someday"? Well, someday's not coming. Be honest and pare it down when it starts overflowing. If you mean business, schedule a daily reading hour. These moves will get you on the path to taming that paper frenzy. Say goodbye to the chaos and hello to a world where you're the boss of your paperwork, not the other way around! Back to Organizing Articles Index