When the PC computer was invented, many people thought we would be paperless — but instead we have 20% more paper. WHY? Many people print things because they are fearful. They fear they might lose it on the computer; fear they might not remember what it is that they need to deal with; fear they might not have a proper trail unless it’s filed somewhere — so better print it off as a safeguard.

Why do you print things off of your computer? Challenge yourself to move more towards going paperless.

Time Saver #3: Have systems for your paper.

If you can’t go completely paperless and have your bills on a preauthorized payment system, here’s a great acronym to help you remember what your relationship to paper should look like: OHIO — Only Handle It Once.

This is the best rule of thumb when it comes to paper. If your credit card bill comes in the mail, file it under the day you will deal with it. Do not even open it until you are going to pay it. This way, you’re not handing the same piece of paper multiple times — opening the envelope, looking it over, putting it in a “for later” pile, forgetting where you put it, searching for it, etc. — when you know you only need to handle it once.

There are some who think that organization kills creativity or spontaneity. I’d challenge you to just try organizing your systems — just try it, for these next several weeks. You might be surprised how clearing clutter actually opens up new ideas and spontaneous energy in unexpected ways.

Can you find important papers when you need them?

Can you see by looking at your desk where your most essential writing tools are?

Do you know where your keys are?

Your glasses?

Your wallet?

Your kids? (That’s a joke.)

Maybe you’ve always struggled to stay organized, or maybe you’re what I call “situationally disorganized.” Perhaps you used to have a system, used to be able to get out of the door on time, and used to be able to find your keys. But maybe something has come up in your life that has made you unable to follow the systems you once had set up, or you have too much on your plate/mind, or life just simply got away on you.

This does not mean you have failed. It just means you need a new system — one that works for wherever your life is now. Once you start to implement these strategies, I guarantee you will be able to find what you are looking for in 20 seconds or less.

Let’s start with your workspace.

Time Saver #2: Put everything from your desk in a box. Give your desk a good cleaning. Put back only the bare necessities. Your phone, your computer, your small jar of pens/pencils, your calendar or datebook — perhaps your 1to31 Organizing System.

Keep a photo or two close by of your favorite pet or person, or an image of a place you’ve traveled or would like to see someday — any image that evokes happiness, hope, joy, and freedom.

The rest of the stuff in the box can be dealt with in 15 minutes or less. Take each piece of paper out of the box and deal with it: delegate it or dump it.

Things that get delegated are things that do not require your attention. If you have things that do require you attention ( within the next 30 days — bills to pay, cards to send, deadlines to meet) then file these to do’s in your 1to31 Organizing System.

Anything else — junk mail, fliers, that thing you’ve been kinda-sorta meaning to get to for the last six months but you know you really won’t and don’t have a desire to — let them go. Recycle them. Start fresh.

Your workspace is like a table of contents: you should be able to look and find everything you need — and if it’s not immediately in front of your eyeballs, you should at least know exactly where to turn to find it. This is the structure that holds your physical work environment together.

A cluttered physical space is a challenge, certainly — and we’ll get to that for sure — but the primary challenge for many of us is a cluttered inner world. We get so caught up in what we should be doing, what’s left undone, conversations we want to have or wish we’d had, worries about what’s to come and regrets about what’s happened.

It’s very difficult to clear a space for productive energy when there are so many things tangling up the pathway.

I know that real problems exist, and that they can be genuinely challenging to deal with — and my intention here is not to diminish the reality of those experiences. What I want to address here is the mental debris — the small things that can be cleared away with a few minutes and solid intention.

And often, the best, most efficient way to clear up the mental noise from what we feel isn’t working is to spend a few moments focusing on what is working.

It’s counter-intuitive in some ways in our frenetic, busy culture — but a few minutes of grateful stillness can have a dramatic effect on our productivity. A walk outside, a quiet meditation, a cup of tea — all of these provide a great opportunity to make note of 5 things you’re grateful for as you start your work time.

Time Saver #1: That’s it — spend 15 minutes in stillness, and think of 5 things you’re thankful for. Let that be the tone that starts every day for the next ten weeks. Trust me: it will make a huge difference for you this summer.

P.S. — If you’re ready to go more in-depth right away, check out my Reclaim Session by clicking here.