Take Charge of Your Paper

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“I hate being a grown-up. Having to learn things

I didn’t want to know really pisses me off.”

- Overheard by Barbara Scher,

author of “I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was”

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Managing paper is a challenge for many people.  A lot of people resist managing their paper and creating filing systems because it seems too boring, too stuffy, too reminiscent of being bureaucratic, or just too grown up!  But getting a grip on the paper in your life is a necessity if you want to become truly successful.  If you are drowning in paper, and can’t find important papers when you need them, it’s hard to feel the confidence you need to go after what you want in life.  So taking charge of your paper at work and at home is a great way to build your confidence and prepare to succeed.

Here are some tips to get started.

If you have papers scattered all over your desk and office, take a few  minutes to pick them all up and put them in one basket or pile.

Sort your piles one at a time.  As you hold each paper, ask yourself, “What is my next action with this?” Make a note of it on the paper or on a post-it note you attach to the paper. If an action is time driven, make a note in your calendar or follow-up system including where to find the paper you need.   If not time driven, put the action on a to-do list.   

Categorize as you sort.  You can sort actionable paper into categories such as Pay, Call, Email, Enter in Computer, Shred, Errands, Decide, Buy, Look up on Web, File, Get My Money Back, etc.  Whatever makes sense to you.   Just don’t get too granular – you don’t want a separate file for every piece of paper.  If you get stuck on categories, start with just a few categories like:

o Read

o Act / Follow-Up (Personal & work can be split up)

o Decide

o File

Every paper you have will fit into one of these categories.  Later, if you find you have a bunch of papers that say "Call" on them – split them out into their own pile.

Create a vertical hanging filing system to get paper you don’t use frequently off your desk.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.  If you don’t want to take the time to use little plastic tabs to label your files, you can use super sticky post-it notes instead!

TIP: When you get an extra supply of file folders, don’t store them on a shelf or in a closet.  Dump the packaging and store the files in a file drawer so they are ready to use when you need them!

Alternatives to Filing. Be Creative!  If you love your piles, or just can’t stand to have files in drawers, or if you hate the very sight of a file folder, you can still be organized!  Alternatives to files in drawers include:

BINDERS- If you really hate filing, try using binders with tabbed pockets to organize projects. Be sure to label your binders.

THE STEP FILE – Get a large sturdy step file sorter with 8 sections.   Use file folders in a favorite color.  Keep them all the same color for a neater look. Make sure you can write directly on the tab with a Sharpie and still read it. Yellow folders are great for this.

I recommend getting a very tall and sturdy step sorter like the one in the picture that supports your files well. This will make it much easier to take your files in and out easily. You won't use it if your files flop over!

GIVE PILES A HOME - One client I worked with needed things to be out and visual and hated file folders. But her boss HATED messy offices.  So we created a system she had several 3 tier shelves on her wall and could create labeled piles!

For another client, we created an area where she could keep her 4 - 5 piles for active projects on her credenza.  We used portfolios (all the same color) to lay on top of the pile and make it look neat. We also neatly labeled the spot on the credenza top for each pile with a post-it. So each pile had a home.  We also labeled the folder with a post-it. She had all the same piles, but everyone commented on how neat and organized her office looked, and she still got to have her piles the way she liked them!

Purge your project piles and files regularly!  Once a project is over, recycle or shred the paper you no longer need.  Create what I call a project closedown file or binder and keep only the most important papers such as the project plan, design, and deliverables. Filed inactive project paper in an archive – out of your way. Even better, recycle the paper and create a project closedown CD for your project files to put in the folder.  Clean the files off your computer if space on your hard drive is an issue.

Archival Files. Everyone needs a system to get paper that don't need to use, but must keep, out of their way.  I call this the archiving system.  It should be stored somewhere not in your immediate office (or at home not in your living  space.) If you use a file archive box at work, label it neatly and find an appropriate storage place for it in your company.  Don’t leave file boxes hanging around your office for weeks and months. It looks like you don’t care about finishing up the details or following up.

If you aren’t sure what paper you must archive or how your company wants it stored/disposed of, ask an executive assistant, HR rep or Facilities Management Representative.

Reducing Your Junk Mail

by Ariane Benefit, M.S.Ed.
www.lotusbridge.com

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Turning down the volume on your junk mail is a great way to:

- Save time spent sorting it out

- Keep clutter off your counters

- Reduce the amount of crap you have to put out on recycling day

- Reduce the wear and tear on your shredder

- Save time spent shredding

- Reduce the amount of paper that has to be recycled

- Save money on local taxes!  

FACT:  $320 million of local taxes are used to dispose of unsolicited mail each year.  If we all made an effort to stop the mail from coming in, we could help keep property taxes from rising so quickly!
FACTS Courtesy of:  https://www.41pounds.org/statistics/
(Check out their other startling statistics.)


Here are some Neat Links that make it easy to reduce unwanted mail.

41pounds.org  An average of 41 pounds or junk mail is sent to every adult citizen each year. Approximately 44% of this mail goes into a landfill unopened. For $41.00 for 5 years, this service proactively actively gets you off the lists and keeps you off over time.  They contact 20-30 direct mailers on your behalf to stop the majority of bulk mail that comes to your home every day. You don't have to do all the letter writing yourself!

DirectMail.com - a quick, free way to reduce junk mail.

DMA Consumer Assistance - I'm using this.

OptOut - never receive a pesky pre-approved credit card offer again. Do it online or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

Ecological Mail Coalition - businesses: stop unwanted mail through this free service.

Native Forest Network's Guide - five easy steps to stop junk

10 Most Common Filing Mistakes and How to Solve Them

Let’s face it. No one really loves filing. But many people who hate filing are often doing things that make filing more painful than it needs to be. Here are 10 of the most common filing mistakes along with ways to make filing much easier! Avoiding these mistakes will go a long way to clearing your resistance to filing.

1. Overstuffing Files

If your filing drawers are overstuffed, I guarantee you will hate filing and you will probably suffer from lots of hang nails and paper cuts too.

The solution:

1) Always have at least 6-10 inches of space available in your file cabinet or file crate. Make sure you can easily move and open each file with one hand and drop your paper in the file with the other hand.

2) Keep your files lean. A simple way to declutter your files is:

- Pick out your thickest files.

- Go through them and recycle as much as you can.

- Got a lot of files? Chunk out the task. Start with 3 or even just 1 file a day and before you know it, you will have an easy-to-use file drawer again.

2. Mixing File Folder Colors Randomly or Using Too Many Colors

This generally just makes your files look messy (as shown above).
To get the most out of using color, I recommend establishing 5 – 6 master categories, such as Household, Financial, Health, Family, Career, Personal Interests, etc. Then assign each category a single color.

This gives your use of color meaning and helps you find your files faster and put them away more easily.

In this picture, the container is all medical files. The yellow files are medical records, and the green files are for the financial medical files related to two Financial Spending Accounts (FSAs).
Most people think they have to buy a different color for every category and then they'll need to have a huge stock of different colors. Not necessary. Keep it Simple.
Pick one or 2 favorite colors and use the same colors for everything. For example, in my personal files, I use Purple (the color of wealth) for client folders and financial files. I use bright yellow (the color of cheerfulness and mental stimulation) for most everything else. I also have some red folders that I use for very hot project or reference information. I use them sparingly so they stand out.
Using only one color you love is much better than using the institutional green color that reminds everyone of being at work.

3. Not Using Color at All

This is just plain boring. No wonder you hate filing. People who use color meaningfully, and don’t overstuff the file drawers, are at least 3 times more likely to keep up with their filing.

4. Too Many Folders

Some people set up a hanging folder and then put a regular interior folder inside every hanging folder. To me this is overkill for most home filing systems. There are times as you are using your system when you will want to subdivide a hanging file by adding a folder to it rather than creating a new hanging folder. But, there really is no need for folders inside hanging folders for the average filing system. I stopped doing this a few years ago and am so glad I did. It’s so much simpler and easier to maintain your filing system. And a lot fewer paper cuts! I spend a lot less time filing and it takes less than 20 seconds to add a new file. Plus I save money on the extra folders.

5. Too Many Categories

Another way people complicate their filing systems is by using too many categories. This not only makes it harder to find the file you are looking for, it increases the risk of misfiling your paper. For example, rather than having a separate folder for every credit card and monthly utility bill, you could have one folder for all “Credit Card Statements” and one folder for “Utilities.” Utilities might include all non tax-deductible water bills, light bills, phone, cable,etc. Keep only 3-6 months worth unless they are tax-deductible.

6. Creating Hard to Read Labels

Many people create labels by hand using a pen or even worse, a pencil.This makes it very difficult to read your labels and for anyone else to help you keep up with filing. Of course you can use your computer to create labels. Avery has lots of templates set up to help you create labels easily.
If you prefer to hand write your labels, write neatly,and use a black Sharpie
on plain white filing labels.
Using 3.5 inch plastic tabs (as shown in picture) make it easier to write large and fit your whole title. This will give you best readability.
If you don’t want to use your computer to print out filing labels, invest in a label maker such as a P-touch system. P-Touch has an automatic setting for printing labels that are exactly 3.5 inches.

7. Using Company Names on Labels

Putting company names on labels instead of generic names like “Mortgage” can cause you extra maintenance work. When you use the company name, every time the company changes name or you refinance, or change companies, you have to change the folder label. If you just use telephone, cell phone, etc. your system will be much easier to maintain.

8. Not Using Label Location and File Location Meaningfully

Many people stagger the tabs / label on hanging folders randomly. This makes it difficult find files and when you have to insert a new folder into your system, it gets all messed up! That's why most experts recommend straight line tab locations as shown above. Just put all the plastic tabs to the right, center or to the left.

You can then use your label location to indicate a sub-category. For example, in my financial files, I have insurances to the left in a line. Monthly bills in the center and investments and retirement accounts to the right.
It makes it much easier to keep up with filing. I also keep all financial in one drawer and all personal, household and medical in another drawer. My business projects and reference files are in another drawer. Archives - in our den!

9. Shredding Too Much Paper

I've met people who shred every single paper that comes into their home. Shredding ALL paper is not necessary and just makes extra work. You only need to shred paper with critical information like credit card numbers, social security, etc. Just having your address on a piece of paper is not enough reason to shred it. If you are seriously interested in Protecting Yourself from Personal Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, and Identity Theft, read this post I wrote.

10. Not Throwing Away the Envelopes Mail Comes in

Keeping you mail in its original envelopes makes your files extremely bulky, and makes it very difficult to find what you need. It also creates extra steps when paying bills. When you open your mail, toss everything but the items you need and file them in your Action File system. If it's a bill, after paying the bill, lay it out flat, note the date you paid the bill on the bill itself, and then immediately file it into your financial filing system. Or even better, if you have access to the bill online, recycle it!.
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© 2007-2009 Ariane Benefit, M.S.Ed.

ADHD Accomodations at Work and Home - How do you get people to understand what ADHD is and how it affects you?

I've been asked that question a lot lately. Here's my take on that.

I went through a phase after being diagnosed with ADHD of trying to get people to understand what ADHD was and how it explained so much of my whole life story.

I didn't take too long of getting lots of mixed reactions to discover this one truth.

People don't want to understand ADHD - they want to understand YOU.

I figured out it was much better for all relationships to learn how to communicate what you NEED in specific terms rather than to try to get people to understand ADHD.  Even a lot of doctors simply don't get ADHD and they don't want to take the time to understand.  People just don't want to learn all the details about every condition people have.  Better to withhold trying to explain and only share that with people who ask about it.  

What Works Better?

I learned to ask for accomodations in ways that don't position me as "disabled"

For example:

Instead of  saying  "I have Adhd so that means I need xyx."

It's more effective to say things like:  

"When I'm super-focused on getting something done, I tend to lose track of time. 
 To get the best work from me, could we work it out so that I have a flexible start and end time?  I do my very best work that way and you won't be dissappointed."

Almost every boss or client I ever asked said SURE!  I want your best work, if that's what it takes, go for it.

Another example:

  "I do better when you put requests in writing, it gives me time to think before I say yes..I don't want to overcommit and disappoint you, could you help me out by putting your requests in an email?"  

Again, the reaction is usually NO Problem!  In fact, they often say, Great Idea, that will help me be clearer about what I really want too.

Strategies like this work SO much better...and it gains respect to boot.  People admire when you factually and clearly just ask for what you need without explaining too much why you need it. 

What strategies have you used to ask for accomodations to your unique needs?  

Frustrated with Technology? Get over it! CK Lewis Interview

What a wonderful reminder to "remember the wow factor" when technology in frustrating you!

Is it ADHD or Creative Personality Type?

Abstract

This article compares the traits of ADHD with the traits of "creative personality types" as described in the  MBTI.  

Combined MBTI Creative Personality Types with high Intuition and high Percieving are found in only about 12% of the population and 4-6% of women. (Source: "Please Understand Me" by Keirsey and Bates)   

Interestingly, ADD is thought to occur in 6 - 12% of the population.  It varies according to who you are reading.  But, regardless, the numbers are literally so close that they beg for closer scrutiny.  This article does just that. It is one of my most popular and most commented on articles when it was on my Neat & Simple blog.  Let me know what you think by posting a comment!

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How I Survived Life with Undiagnosed Adult ADD and Learned to THRIVE!

Having ADD or AD/HD is not a life sentence for living with chronic disorganization. ADD is OFTEN accompanied by great intelligence, creative personality, and passion that absolutely CAN be channeled into a highly productive lifestyle.  It requires effort, okay a LOT of effort, but there are  ways to make your life simpler and easier. It IS POSSIBLE to balance structure and planning ahead with creativity, spontaneity, and freedom.

I was diagnosed with ADD last year at 48 years old.  Even though I struggled and had to overcome many hurdles and challenges along the way, including my own attachment to clutter and near financial devastation (read How I got out of $25,000 in debt ) I learned to manage my issues and become more organized and now I help others overcome their emotional blocks, build confidence in themselves and learn the skills needed to master their clutter, time management, home office organizing, financial organizing and especially to manage the stress and chaos that often comes with having a ADD or creative personality type! 

 I still work hard to manage my own challenges, like perfectionism, overcommitting, balancing my work and personal life, and focusing in the midst of the incessant flow of ideas from my brain that nearly crushes me at times.  

But in spite of my imperfections, I have learned to set limits, and say no more often so that I can focus and reduce stress.  I attribute my ability to go through life with undiagnosed ADD to the fact that I am a whole person and not just someone with ADD.  I have developed many other qualities, beliefs and thinking patterns that drive me to overcome my fears and challenges, accept my imperfections and work around them, and acknowledge my strengths and build on them.  

Here are a few of the skills and qualities I attribute to having helped me "overcome" the odds and make a decent life for myself.  Even though I often feel that I did not live up to my "full potential", I have accomplished a lot.

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Common ADHD / Creative Personality Trait: It seems so effortless and easy for other people, why can't I make myself do things I want to do?

"I know what to do but can't make myself do it"

The above statement is like a mantra among creative, right-brain people with ADD traits!

Because we thrive on spontaneity and the joy of discovery, we tend to get bored almost to physical pain by repetitive routines. Because we can see solutions so quickly in our minds, we tend to get overwhelmed and almost paralyzed by things that take a long time to implement or have lots of steps to follow.

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Understanding Chronic / Challenging Disorganization: Are you Chronically Disorganized or Situationally Disorganized?

Although I prefer the term "Lifelong Disorganization", the established industry term is "chronic disorganization" - this is not intended to imply a medical condition, nor an "incurable" condition.

The intention is to distinguish an "ongoing pattern of disorganization" from the "short term situational disorganization" and clutter that is the normal result of grief, illness, having children, and other life changes.

That said, it is quite common for what started as "stituational disorganization" to evolve into "chronic" or "challenging disorganization". (9/2010: NSGCD has changed its name to Institute for Challenging Disorganization Read about it here.)

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My Favorite Mistake - Learning from Making an Interstate Move for Love

Originally published on Joyful Jubilant Learning, October 31, 2008

Back in 1988, even though I was very happy where I was working as a Senior Consultant and Project Manager, I decided to shake up my happy life and moved to Illinois to work for Arthur Anderson for two reasons.  I was so happy at the time.  I had lost weight, I was a size 8 and loving it.  I had gotten a promotion at work.  I loved my clients.  I loved my home.  I commuted only 5 miles to work! 

But no, I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I was in love with a guy who had moved to Wisconsin for his job a year earlier.  Even though we had broken up and I was over him for a while, we had started seeing each other long distance. (maybe that was my REAL mistake!) He assured me that he had changed, that he loved me, that I was the one for him. He said that the only thing keeping us apart was that I lived in NJ. 

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