The Paper Chase
Those paper piles on your desk? They’re a lot lower than they would have been some years ago, and you may not have any at all. But from time to time, we do have to deal with paper documents, and it’s important to have a system for dealing with them so they don’t end up in a mess taking up space in your bag or desk. Note that if your role still involves dealing with a lot of paper, then this post may not really be for you—it’s more for those of us who are mostly digital but occasionally need to handle a small number of paper documents.
Temporary Filing
Think of temporary filing as your “holding zone” for paper documents that come your way. Create a single designated folder or tray for incoming papers, whether its letters, printouts, magazines, etc. Regularly sort through this folder, throwing away (shredding, in the case of confidential items) what you don't need and transferring any papers you actually need to keep to a long-term archive folder or cabinet.
Scanning Magic
Ideally, you want everything to move to your digital world, and to do that you have to scan your paper documents. Now you don’t really need to buy a traditional scanner anymore; most good smartphones have apps that can take a photo of a piece of paper and store it as a PDF. Whenever you receive a paper document whose content might be handy later, or that you need to archive, scan it right away and store the digital copy in organised folders on your computer. When saving the file, use a descriptive file name and add tags or metadata.
You can even use OCR software to convert your scanned document into searchable, editable text. Many phones will have that option built in.
Once your digital file is safely stored away, you can then throw away/shred the paper version so it doesn’t take up any room. Obviously, there may be some papers (like contracts) you literally need to keep, so have some kind of folder or safe for safely storing those long-term.
Notebook Nirvana
(Physical) notebooks aren't just for doodles; they're great for jotting down quick notes, ideas, or tasks that pop up during your day. However, that’s more paper to keep around. Just like other paper documents, scan your notebook page and convert it to a digital file and store it in OneNote or whatever notebook app you are using. Handwriting recognition is really good nowadays and you can even have your notes converted into actual text that you can further edit and format.
Cloud Cuddles
Sync your scanned documents and digital notes to the cloud. Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive make it accessible from anywhere. No more “I left it at the office” moments!
The Business Card Dilemma
The one bit of paper/card many in professional roles still have to deal with is the trusty business card. Yes, I’ve seen some people try an app version where you scan a QR code, tap phones etc, but the good old card will probably still be around for a while.
However, that doesn’t mean you should allow a random pile of cards to build up. Scan business cards as soon as you receive them and store them as contacts in Outlook or just as a page in OneNote, for example—again, many phones have a business card scanning feature.
Once the deatils are safely stored away, dispose of the originals.
Dealing with Paper Magazines
For those work-related magazines that seem to multiply overnight, consider switching to digital subscriptions where possible. If you must receive paper copies, set a limit on how many issues you'll retain. When the new one arrives, recycle or donate the oldest. Keep only what's absolutely relevant. If there’s an article you really like and want to keep…scan it!