Quick Tips

Paper Management

1.Think about where you would look to find a certain piece of paper. Start each file with a heading you will remember.

2.Deal with paper as you receive it. On an everyday basis, go through your mail, in-box, e-mail, etc. Sort into the following files: rubbish or delete, to do, to file, to consider, to read and to refer/ delegate.

3.Schedule a certain amount of time everyday to keep up with your ever-growing paper piles. Set a time when you are when it will be least likely that you will be interrupted - for example early morning or late afternoon.

4.Use an index file for your filing cabinets and update it regularly.

5.Colour-code your filing system by major areas of your job: one colour for projects, another for clients. This adds clarity and is more pleasing to the eye and you will locate files up to 50% faster.

6.Unfold paper before filing into folders for the best use of space in your filing system. Keep loose paper together with file clips.

7.Keep your office supplies in one area in a main storage cupboard. Keep only the supplies you use frequently on your desk.

8.Keep only active files (files that you use at least once a week) in your desk drawer.

9.Keep the naming of your files simple. In other words, to determine how to name a file: ask yourself, "if I want this file again, what word will I think of first?" Enter that word first, and then any other word or phrase that might help you retrieve that file. Use the same words for related files in paper and electronic forms.

10.Keep paper clutter under control by filing your materials regularly - at least once a week. Schedule a regular ‘clean and sort day’ every six months or at least once a year. Sort through files, throw out what is outdated, re categorise your files and archive tax and legal documents. December and July is normally a good time to do this.