PaauwerPoints

Stress levels are at an all-time high.  A major source of that stress is information overload. Technology and downsizing have joined forces to turn office space into a dumping ground for information.  What happens when you sit down at your desk?  Are you overwhelmed?  Do you know where to begin?

Information comes to us in five primary ways:

  - Paper
  - Email
  - Voice mail
  - Verbal requests from others
  - Thoughts in your  head

There are only 5 possible choices for what to do with information. You can either throw it away, give it away, do it now, do it later, or file it away for future reference.  Notice that “I’ll set it here for now” is not one of the options!

Consider your options, in this order:

Dump it (recycle, delete,  etc.). 
Ask  yourself: What’s the worst thing that could happen if I threw this  away?
  -  Is it obsolete?
  -  If I tossed it and needed it later, could I easily replace it?
  -  Does it have tax or legal implications?
  -  How will this enhance my life if I keep  it?

Delegate it to someone else. The most productive people are those who spend 80% of  their time doing what they do best and love most, and surround themselves with people whose talents compliment theirs.

Do it now.  Ask yourself: “Is this the BEST use of my time right  now?” Plan your week ahead of time set a specific time for important  activities.

Do it later.  If the action required involves paper  that you’ll need to refer to later, use a tickler file  to help you file it for follow-up on a specific date.  If it’s a  future activity you want to remember, enter a reminder in your  calendar.

File it for future reference. No action is required, but you want to keep it for future reference.  You’ll need a good filing system so you can easily find it when you need  it!   I’ve been  using The Paper Tiger for over a decade now, and I  can find anything I file or store in 5 seconds or less, and so can anyone else  who is looking for something in my files.  If you want to check it out, I  offer a monthly  free webinar, and you’ll get a free 30-day trial when you register for my  webinar.  Try it and see what you think!

If you’d like a more assistance with learning how to manage information overload, attend my monthly free Buried in Paper webinar and learn how to eliminate that paper pile-up forever!