The Basic Tool Kit for Managing Paper
When using the FAT system for processing the contents of your in-tray, the items in your basic toolkit should ideally be within reach of where you sit.
If they are not within reach, you may end up making piles on your desk of papers 'for recycling', 'for shredding', 'for forwarding' and so on.
If you get interrupted before you've finished the job, you may find yourself putting those piles back into your in-tray and having to start all over again another time.
Your Toolkit:
- Set of 3 stacking trays labelled 'In', 'Out' and 'To File'
- Recycling Bin/Box
- Shredder
- Action Files
An effective filing system also requires the use of Reference files and Archive files but these do not need to be within reach of your desk.
Located On or Near Your Desk
In-Tray
This is for items that you haven't looked at yet: incoming mail, and anything that someone wants to leave for your attention, especially if you're away from your desk.
'Out' Tray
The Out Tray is where you put things that need to leave your office: outgoing post, and any items that must be forwarded to someone else.
Don't forward items onto others without a genuine reason; they don't want junk mail any more than you do.
'To File' Tray
Make the bottom tray the 'To File' tray so that it can't get too full; that way you'll have to do your filing more often.
Get into the habit of doing the filing on a regular basis so it doesn't become a major chore; ten minutes of filing at the end of the day/week isn't a mammoth task. Failing that, delegate.
If you hate filing, you're not alone, but you have to file the information you keep for future reference if you want to be able to find it in the future. Taming the Paper Tiger software enables you to find anything you file in 5 seconds or less. It's also low maintenance and easy to use.
Recycling Bin/Box
Locate it within easy reach of where you sit so you can toss things into it without getting up. The bigger it is the better; don't let a full bin become an excuse not to toss things away.
Shredder
Locate this within easy reach if possible. This may depend on the location of your plug sockets or on whether you share the shredder with others in your office. If it can't be located nearby, consider having a separate 'To Shred' box nearby instead (maybe underneath your desk).
Action Files
Any piece of paper requiring an action by you needs a place to go so that you can find it when you need to act on it. Action files are essentially the paperwork related to your active or current projects and your To Do list.
By using permanent and temporary action files you can eliminate piles of papers and keep your deskspace free of all but the paperwork for your current task.
Keeping them in piles on your desk and/or floor is not a fool-proof method for following up on them. It also clutters up your workspace, serves as a constant reminder of outstanding tasks, and can be very distracting when you're trying to focus on another task.
Permanent and temporary action files are part of a paper management methodology described by Barbara Hemphill in her book 'Taming the Paper Tiger at Work' and used in Taming the Paper Tiger software.
- Temporary Action Files are active project files that will come to an end at some point in the future, e.g. a Solicitor's client files, paperwork relating to a forthcoming conference.
- Permanent Action Files are for the paperwork connected with frequently occurring tasks, e.g. reply, call, discuss, pay. You can think of them as a way of categorising your To Do's. This may be paperwork that simply needs to be filed for future reference or destroyed once it has been actioned.
Locating Your Action Files
How and where you keep your Action files will vary depending on the type of work that you do and the volume of paperwork that you need to manage. It may not be possible to keep your Temporary Action files within reach of your desk but Permanent Action files should ideally be within reach.
If most of your paperwork relates to current projects (Temporary Action files), then you may only have a small quantity of papers that fall into the category of Permanent Action files. If this is the case, then setting up separate Permanent Action files may be complicating your system unnecessarily.
For small quantities you may only need to place these papers into a separate tray or a single hanging file in your desk pedestal, for example, and label it 'Action' so that you know where these papers are when you need them.
See Temporary Action files and Permanent Action files for more information.
If used consistently, a Tickler file can be an effective follow up system for managing small quantities of paperwork that require action on a particular date.
Reference Files and Archive Files
Reference files are where you put the papers you want to keep for future reference. Typically these are hanging files in a filing cabinet but bulkier reference materials may be kept in boxfiles, binders, magazine files, etc.
Archive files are also kept for reference purposes, perhaps because the information they contain must be kept for tax or legal reasons. If you keep a record of what they contain, your archive files could be stored off-site.
Taming the Paper Tiger software can help you keep track of your documents regardless of where they are located. The Action Date feature is an invaluable tool for keeping track of your To Do list and reminding you when to take follow up action.
