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Piles and Piles of FILES! (Oh My!)

Buried at work? Clutter grows on your desk and inside your in-box!

I thought we were headed towards becoming a paperless society…but…OMG! What is a person supposed to do with it all the ‘paperwork’ that turns into clutter? There are people that pile, and people that file. Which one are you??

Paper clutter is one of the biggest irritants in business. It’s not just physical clutter, all clutter affects you mentally and emotionally; it all messes with your focus to move forwards.

In a large office, people are encouraged to save, save, save, just-in-case a document is needed to defend, clarify or initiate some action. Filing cabinets are full, full, full and legally companies cannot destroy records for many years.

A home office can have a similar mind-set: save-save-save, just-in-case.

Earth-people are people that pile papers. They can be hoarders of lists, documents and contact information. Earth-people have skills such as nesting, nurturing, and arbitration. When these qualities show up in the business world, the HR gal that has piles and piles of stuff on her desk, knows EXACTLY where everything is! She can find a piece of paper in a haystack. (If she put it there.)

This works great as long as she works by herself; the rest of the team may not understand her filing system.

Metal-people tend to file everything. They think in black or white: paid/not paid, finished/incomplete, legal/illegal, policy/not policy, etc. They like things clean and neat. Metal-people gravitate to positions in I.T., accounting, legal or controller positions. They make sure everything is accountable, backed up, copied and submitted. (They are really the backbones of society.)

Filing your papers is a great idea, and I love the ‘clear desk look’, but filing EVERYTHING leaves you vulnerable to the obvious: out-of-site/out-of-mind. You may be so swift that you forget it ever happened.

There are different types of people, therefore different types of work habits. Making an effort each day to deal with some of the piles can help; recycling, scan and shred or save electronically, is only a start.

As e-clutter is: the next biggest stressor!

Any clutter can have mental effects; feeling like you are surrounded, stifled or even chained to your work. In addition, you now need to sort through the piles and piles of files in your email! This feels like twice as much work!

(My I.T. guy told me he wished his customers were half as organized as I am! Really? And, I thought that I was losing it…)

So, what can we do to take back control? Here are a few new habits I developed this year:

1. I red-flag the things I need to deal with that day. A quick check early in the morning to ‘delete’ junk, ‘unsubscribe’ and things I’ve already dealt with.
2. Once a week, I purge, organize, and set up the next week in less than an hour; both my e-box and papers. Once you actually do this for a few weeks, it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of time. Sunday’s are usually quiet, and I can find an opportunity. (Choose your best time; you have to start a new habit in order to initiate change.)
3. If you really want to access those ‘replays’, webinars and marketing tips, you need to schedule them separately. They take up a lot of time.
4. Print out what you need to: inspiration, travel tickets and reminders.
5. Back-up your entire computer at least once a month.

Yes, it takes true ‘metal-energy’ to find discipline and develop an organized routine. (I know you have more fun doing other things, but this is important.) Creating new habits that can deal with the piles and piles of files promptly, will leave you more time to have fun.

Put those files in the clouds, and go have some fun.

All the best, Kathryn

~ Kathryn Wilking is an Author, Home Stager and Feng Shui Consultant.  With over 20 years of experience in Decorating and Home Improvements, she added Feng Shui to her skills. Feng shui is the ‘Art of Balance’. Kathryn works with Home Owners and Small Business to find balance and harmony in each situation. She is available for both site consultations and innovative talks about how Feng Shui can work for you! Kathryn delivers ‘Practical Solutions for Life!

As an active Professional Member of the International Feng Shui Guild, Kathryn is available for private consultations, talks and workshops. Check out her book ‘Practical Feng Shui for the Office’ (2013) and connect with her through kathrynwilking.com

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About Kathryn Wilking

Author, Home Stager, Feng Shui Consultant

Kathryn has inspired women for more than a decade to take charge of their lives; arranging their environment, home and office, to support a positive, prosperous lifestyle. She provides informative tips and talks to organizations and small groups through her Facebook Group and Blog Posts and recorded podcasts. Contact her today for more info about bringing the practical application of Feng Shui into your space.

Her book, Practical Feng Shui for the Office; never goes out of style!
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