Message #60709

[raindance]

My Outlook inbox has sub-folders.  Once a day I shuffle emails that need to be kept into the sub-folders.  There are some that have to be printed out and filed, and those are actioned accordingly.  I aim, by the close of each day to have as little as possible in the main inbox folder - only those items that require further action.  Same thing with "sent" folder.  I also delete emails regularly, and every three months I go through my sub-folders to weed out old emails.  

My desk has only those things on it that are needed on a daily basis including a dictionary, map of London and atlas.  I have three stacking trays - intray is the top tray, pending in the middle and my notebooks for minutes in the third tray.  I keep a dayfile (old-fashioned, but it works), an information file, a scribbling block for quick notes and a telephone register.

I have one tray on top of my filing cabinets for filing.  

My job is very complex and I have an enormous amount of detail to deal with.  I have six desk drawers in two sets of three, both of which lock.  One set is for personal items - survival kit, small items of food, an emergency overnight bag in case I need to stay overnight in the city, a place to store my handbag etc.  The second set has pens, paper clips, stapler etc all store in a desk-tidy that looks rather like a cutlery tray; the second drawer has small stationery items, and the third has lables, my personal workfile, etc all in suspension files.  

I have four filing cabinets and a large cupboard with shelves.  I store my minute books there, and box files, and other larger items of stationery such as a couple of boxes of particular files I use, computer cleaning supplies, the odd bottle of wine and small items of stationery that I use less frequently (file dividers and plastic pockets).

I go through my stacking trays once a week to weed out rubbish and make sure that everything is being done in its proper order.  I never miss a deadline and I always know where things are.  

I keep a log of all the post that comes into my office, with a note of the action taken and any follow up.  I review and update it once a month and follow up outstanding matters with my boss or other people.  

Making lists is very important -whether you use a handwritten list or the task list in Outlook - but reviewing them regularly is even more important.

My advice to anyone wishing to be more organized is to look at what you wish to achieve and set up systems that will enable that goal. It is what works for you that matters.  

Best wishes,

Raindance