It’s Time for Spring Cleaning

They don’t call it “the paper chase” for nothing.  In spite of computers, my desk, my desktop bins, and my filing cabinets are awash with paper. 

From post-it notes to memos to manila folders the piles grow taller.  Someday I know it will all collapse crushing me for good.  Is this your situation Bunky? 

Are you in grave danger of being smothered in paper? Time to clean up, throw out, and organize your business life.

Paul Timm, Ph.D. in his book “50 Powerful Ideas”, suggests you handle each paper only once and learn to make decisions, not just postpone action, on each memo or letter you receive.  He states there are usually 4 options:

 F          File for future reference

R          Refer it to someone else

A          Act on it – now!

T          Trash it

 This last option, trash it, is the most interesting to me.  How many times have you filed stuff away only to pitch it a year or so later.  Studies actually show that 95% of the stuff in files for one year or longer will never be used.  Periodically clean out files so your system stays lean and efficient.

Find Those Sales "Gems"
And while 95% is indeed, pitchable, I find the other 5% is often made up of long forgotten sales “gems”.  Whatever happened to good old Joe?  You know, the property manager at Bailey and Coffee?  Think I’ll give him a call.  And, hey, what about the bank downtown?  This old file says we did holiday client gifts for them a couple of years ago.  Think I’ll visit Sue at the Head Office and see if she wants to do that again.  And, look here, I forgot about Dan who used to be GM at Holiday Budget Motel Suites.  He really liked us.  Think I’ll track him down and see which property he’s managing now.  See?  You never know.

Yep, that’s right – you never know – and you never know what a little Spring-cleaning will turn up in the way of long forgotten “gems”, so get cracking!