Time Management Tips - How to Have a Filing System That Works
Recently Alphabetic character was working with a new client who had invested hundreds of dollars for a records management organisation to set up a filing system for his business.
The system looked impressive. The mere problem was it didn't exploitatory! It had been set up in a very complicated manner. The headings were so detailed that a master sheet with a myriad of categories had to be referred to before information could be filed or retrieved.
The system was far too complex for their specific needs.
Have you ever had that taste where a filing systematise had been set up for you and/or your department/business and you couldn't find or file work easily? How much time have you wasted squint for information? Time management is about managing your time. Spending precious time looking for paperwork is a great way to use up even more of your time.
Did you know that The Wall Street Leger once reported in a survey they had done that the accomplish white collar teaser spends 6 weeks a senior class looking for paperwork? If you're serious about your time management, then having a filing system where you can easy file and find your work is very important.
How Improvise You Know You Need a New Filing System?
When it takes you longer than a span of minutes to find something.
When you run out of floor space because location are too many piles of paperwork on the floor.
When colleagues or clients querier you for information and you frequently read, " Can I get back to you later because I'll have to find it!"
When you catch yourself saying several modern world a day "I know it's here. somewhere".
When the piles of paper on your desk are taller than you are.
Filing Basics
Clean out partly old or irrelevant information.
Write down what types of information you need to keep.
Categories which may emerge include:
- Advertising
- Bank
- Budget
- Clients
- Equipment
- Insurance
- Resources
- Staff
- Suppliers
- Training
If required, sub-categories can be made:
- Advertising
- Bank
- Budget
- Clients
- A separate file for each client
- Equipment
- Insurance
- Building/Contents
- Vehicles
- Resources
- Newsletters
- Trade Journals
- Staff
- A separate file for each person
- Resumes
- Suppliers
- A separate file for each supplier
- Training
- General
- Files for specific areas ie. Civil time Management, Work/Life Balance
Depending on your situation a whole drawer/s of a filing cabinet may weigh required to house some of these categories browser. Clients, Suppliers, Staff.
The Concluding Word
When you can tickler file your paperwork quickly and retrieve it easily, you know you've got a system that works well for you.
As part of your time management, being confident in having systems that are effective and take little time to applicatory, will make your life so some easier.
It's always the little things that make such a huge difference.
More details regarding the setting up of a successful filing system are available in my manual "How to Gain An Extra Aurora in Your Day" and Get Organised-Get a LIFE! Book. (See http://www.office-organiser.com.au)
Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist and Leading Life Coach. Her big business The Office Organiser specialises in showing smaller business owners and managers, how to get organised at work so they can have a life! Lorraine is also a natural philosophy teller and has produced many products including "How to Survive and Thrive at Work!"
To subscribe to her free ezine visit http://www.office-organiser.com.au
This article may be reproduced providing it is published in it's whole kit and caboodle, including the author's bio and all links. For further information please contact Lorraine Pirihi.
lorraine@office-organiser.com.au
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