Here is an important key to managing your paperwork effectively. The inbox must be cleared every day and paperwork must not pile up. You must keep that paperwork moving!
When I say that in my seminar, I get major groans. My clients just don’t do that every day. They let their inbox fill-up and allow their loose paperwork to grow into piles. Their plan is to deal with the inbox as needed and the piles of paperwork once a week or once a month. Simply put, this does not work well in practice.
I ask them, “Have you ever let your dishes pile in the sink or on the counter for more than two days?”
The answer is always no. I then say that because they have plenty of dishes they could use for many days, they could let their dishes pile. They are shocked. The thought of seeing piles of bowls and dishes is outright disgusting. Yet they are doing just that with their paperwork every day.
You have to deal with your paperwork every day – move it out of your inbox and then 1) act on it, or 2) move it to your stackable or tickler system, or 3) file it. Paperwork needs to keep moving until it reaches its final destination in a file cabinet or someone else’s inbox. Otherwise, those piles will grow and multiply faster than you can say, “Jack rabbits!”
Bottom line: treat your paperwork like you treat dishes and you’ll keep those piles of procrastination at bay!