Until We Go Paperless

From time to time I hear this question from an audience member during one of my presentations. They express a dire hope that getting organized is a one-time event based on acquiring the right tools?and then secretly hope for a magic pill. The bigger picture depicts something of more concern. The price tag for not getting organized is significant in time, money and frustration for the individual and thus the organization.

The Wall Street Journal reported "the average US executive loses 6 weeks per year retrieving misplaced information from messy desks and files. The cost in salary and lost productivity is enormous." Six weeks a year translates to about one hour a day. Simply take one hour a day, multiply it by the average hourly employee rate and then multiply that by the total number of employees in your organization. This gives you an annual dollar figure of lost productivity. Keep in mind that this figure does not reflect the $250 cost incurred in order to re-create each document that can't be found. And it does not reflect the amount of time lost pursuing new opportunities. The cost of not being able to find information can be staggering.

There is no magic pill, but strategically speaking there are three key elements involved in getting organized.

Customize your system

If thought and planning are not given to a home's foundation, in time the house may crumble. If the organization of an employee's working environment has not been given the time and attention it needs in order to create a user-friendly foundation, then clutter and DISorganization are just a step away?and so is the negative impact on the top and bottom line. Remember? paper, time, space and electronic management systems are all interconnected. A non-workable system in one part of the environment will more than likely result in a similar situation elsewhere.

It isn't about a paper-free workspace

Once a workable system has been established, the next objective is to practice the processes required in order to keep work moving forward. The processes help the employee become effective (doing the right thing) and efficient (at the right time) which reduces stress, increases personal performance, team performance and ultimately company-wide productivity. It's not about a paperless office yet.

Manage behavior with commitment

This is, of course, the most difficult step because it represents change and for most of us change is a challenging and difficult arena. It takes commitment to overcome delayed decision making (aka procrastination), let go of unneeded paper or remain focused on priorities. But the rewards are there to be had by anyone who pursues. Just remember that everything we do and don't do is dependent upon how organized we are?.or can be.

Copyright Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.

Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file management.

Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International Society for Performance Improvement ? Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.

---

Clutter Clearing Tips that Work

Coping with clutter is rarely easy. There's more involved than just catching up on overdue housework, and staying focused and motivated over the weeks or months it may take to get the job... Read More

Basic Organizing Principles

So you've decided to get organized, but you just don't know where to begin. Here are four basic organizing principles that will help you regain control over your schedule, your environment, and your... Read More

Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually

How to do keep track of all you have to do on a daily basis? How about things that have to get done this week?.. How about for the month? I used to... Read More

Don?t Be A Clutter Victim

There are 3 kinds of clutter: Inner (between our ears); Outer (stuff and things) and Other (people.) The more stacks and piles of outer clutter we collect create distractions that keep us from... Read More

Stress Management: 10 Universal Laws to Get and Stay Organized

1. The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in getting organized is to 3-pile everything:pile one is for those things to throw awaypile 2 is for those things that need immediate... Read More

Overcoming E-mail Overload Using Microsoft Outlook

Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail? If you're like me, some days you just don't know where to dig in. Fortunately, I've found a few tips that can help... Read More

The Most Frequently Asked Questions about Organizing Your Kids Rooms

1. In terms of organization, what is the first thing a parent should do before decorating a kid's room?Get rid of the clutter! Because we are such a materialistic, marketing, socializing-driven society, kids... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 2

In part 1, we discussed a system you could use to organize your office. In this article we will discuss what material is needed to implement that system. You will need the... Read More

Daily Systems Keep You Organized

Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook prepares tasty meals in a hectic, rush-rush environment, and does it all with a smile? The answer is simple: A system. The next... Read More

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?Do You Really Know for Sure How Much You Earned? Do You Really Know for Sure or Just "Think So"? Do You Really Know for Sure Which... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that drops from trees, washes in on the tide, or is blown by the wind into your backyard. Birds molt, animals shed, snakes slither... Read More

3 Simple Filing Guidelines

One of the most basic ways to find papers when you need them is to retrieve them from an effective filing system. A good filing system will allow you to find what you're... Read More

Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore

The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered and dusty, but obviously used and loved. I toured the aisles and backrooms with storeowner and publisher Britton Trice. Celebrity book signings and... Read More

How Can I Deal With It All?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile long? An in-tray that's about to collapse? Closets that are jam-packed with junk and a stack of family photos?Now school is starting and... Read More

Simplify Your Life! No Really...Simplify Your Life!

We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your life!"Now really, how can buying and having more stuff make your life simpler and easier? I hear it from women all the time,... Read More

Effective Closet Cleaning Tips - Let Go of More Than Skeletons

I know I have a problem when I have to battle with the overflow every time I try to shut my closet door. Well, okay, it's not really a closet, more like an... Read More

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for starting work early and finishing late.It's about time employers recognised that their people have a life and that working from dawn to dusk... Read More

Simple Ideas to Conquer Paper Clutter

Are stacks of papers, mail, newspapers, and growing "to do" lists cluttering your home? Has it been months since you've seen your countertops or have you completely forgotten what your countertops look like?... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 1

Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like a daunting and insurmountable task. Let's face it, paper can be intimidating and overwhelming. It comes relentlessly and without warning, and it never... Read More

Control Your Childrens Clutter!!

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and other items your kids bring home from school? Don't be a pack rat!! We'll show you how to "Trap the R-A-T" (RETAIN, ACT,... Read More

Organizing Tips to Help You Conquer the Laundry Monster

Laundry. You sort, you wash, you fold, you blink ? and the pile of dirty clothes has grown all over again. Laundry is a fact of life, but approaching the task in an... Read More

10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter-Free- Now!

1. THE LOVE IT OR LOSE IT PRINCIPLE: Every item around you represents a choice you made. You either went out or selected it; or it came to you, and you accepted it.... Read More

The Problem With To-Do Lists

Do you use to-do lists? Do you find it satisfying to check off the items on that list? Too satisfying perhaps?More than once I've found myself adding something I've already done to my... Read More

Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur

After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a consultant to entrepreneurs, I am convinced that for many entrepreneurs, "organized" is an enigma. "Organized entrepreneur" may even be an oxymoron, because the... Read More

Just How Organized Are You? Take This Quiz For Individuals

The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your reactions to each pair of phrases. Decide where you rate on the scale from 1 (You rate yourself low) to 10 (You rate... Read More

Addiction to Clutter

Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a lecture that I gave, I asked for a show of hands regarding how many people had problems with clutter and disorganization. I was... Read More

Balance- What Does It Really Mean?

Balance- what a popular topic these days! Finding a work-life balance, being balanced in body, mind and soul, eating a balanced meal, balancing work, play and learning. But what does it really mean?... Read More

Everything Fits Together Perfectly!

Here's a little lesson I experienced while packing boxes for my move to Victoria, BC.I decided to pack my own belongings so that I would have more money to set up my apartment... Read More

10 Myths of Clutter Clearing

1) It's easy to have a good clear out: Not always. For many people, breaking a life-time habit is really hard - everyone has a choice whether they want to make that break... Read More