This article by Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive, and a Paper Tiger Expert, gives us some great tips on organizing vacation planning and packing so that taking a vacation won’t add even more stress to our busy lives!
I remember my very first client and the day we were planning out her hectic family schedule. The kids were young and involved in a lot of after school programs, there was a birthday party to plan and a million other things to get done prior to the end of school year and before the family vacation. Her anxiety and stress levels were high and she just couldn’t see how she was going to accomplish everything prior to leaving on vacation. At this point she wasn’t even sure she’d be able to make all the vacation arrangements or get everyone packed. Taking a family vacation was just too stressful!
First Things First
Together, we began to plan out on paper everything that was on her mind. Getting it onto paper is the first step to reducing stress. Next, we prioritized projects and began making a list of things that could be delegated. There was a lot of complicated logistics and juggling of schedules that needed to happen prior to even thinking of planning the family vacation.
Batch, Prioritize and Schedule Tasks
Once we had everything that was on her mind on paper, we batched and prioritized her tasks. Then we began scheduling everything into her calendar. This would give her a more realistic time-line of when things needed to get done and how long tasks would take. We even customized her planner based on her lifestyle and how she wanted to use it.
The Family Packing List
After a few hours of planning, we took a short break and she mentioned that the family vacation was really stressing her out. She just didn’t see how she would be able to make all the arrangements and get ready in time. I asked her if she had a packing checklist for the family? The tears began to roll down her face. She said that she dreamed of having a packing list because she knew that it would simplify her life. But she didn’t know where to begin and the thought of creating one was just too stressful.
That was the day I realized that the simplest of things can transform a life and reduce stress and anxiety for a person. What comes natural for me, which is organization, isn’t easy and natural for others. So I made her a promise that I would type up a family packing checklist for every member of the household and I’d help her every step of the way to make this family vacation extra special and stress-free! And that is exactly what happened – an outstanding family vacation!
Organizing is a Learnable Skill
One of the most rewarding moments for me when I’m working with my clients is when a highly creative, outgoing person who says they can never be organized, decides to make different choices. They develop new habits that support them and in turn transform their life. Then the positive impact that has on the rest of the family members because they teach the organizational skills to their kids. For me, that’s beauty and order at it’s best!
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“Organizing is what you do before you do something,
so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”
A.A. Milne
“Life is what happens to you while
you’re busy making other plans”
John Lennon
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Did you forget something? You know the story…you all pile into the car, you’re trying to beat the rush hour traffic, you’re frantically making a list in your head and hoping you didn’t forget anything, you head out of town and suddenly you remember you forgot something. It’s too late to turn back, so you tell yourself you’ll just pick it up on the way or when you get to your destination. Who wants to be running around buying necessities and spending extra money when you could be having fun on your vacation?
Make your next vacation more enjoyable and relaxing so those obstacles don’t get in the way of you having fun! Here are a few simple vacation planning tips:
Create a Trip File
Keep all your trip related papers together in a file and when you return from the trip recycle or toss papers you don’t need and file receipts and travel expenses in your financial files. Move towards being paperless and create a document on your computer for each place you visit. List your favorite restaurants, accommodations, and points of interest. Years ago I created a “New York” document and it’s been updated and passed onto many friends over the years and I’ve completely eliminated all my travel reference files!
Create a Pre-Travel Action List
Make a list of all the tasks you want to accomplish prior to the trip either on paper or electronic. Every time you think of something capture it and get it out of your head otherwise it will keep coming up for you as a reminder to do something and increase your stress levels. Look at your list each day and schedule time to accomplish these tasks.
Packing Checklists Reduce Stress
For the past 10 years we vacation at this wonderful place with my family, and every year we pack the same things. Some years forgetting crucial items, while other years packing way too much. So, one day I sat down and wrote out everything we needed to take with us, clothing, food, sporting equipment, games and other necessities. I even made a simple meal plan with healthy meals with minimum effort to prepare. What a huge time-saver and stress reliever this has been over the past 15 years. A little pre-planning can go a long way towards a fun-filled vacation instead of disappointment and disaster.
Create different packing checklists for different types of trips or regular activities. You could have a packing checklist for summer and one for winter vacations. We have a family vacation that we take every summer and all I do is open up that file on my computer, print a copy and begin packing. I even have a small checklist in my gym bag so I don’t forget to pack a key piece of clothing! I’m sure you can relate!
Independent Traveler has a fun interactive packing checklist that you can customize for different types of trips.
Avoid Last Minute Packing
Whenever possible, pack 3-7 days prior to the trip to reduce last minute stress and a late night with little sleep. This is not a relaxing way to start a vacation. Get out your suite case and review your packing checklist and begin packing what you can. This is especially helpful if you have several family members to pack for plus yourself. You may also want to pack a separate overnight bag to carry on the plane for long flights just in case the airline misplaces your luggage you’ll have a change of clothes. Or if you spend a night at a hotel on the way to your destination you don’t have to haul in your entire luggage for one or two nights.
Savvy Travelers Packing Tips
Check the weather forecast at your destination before you begin to pack. Also, store all your travel items in a container, drawer or one location in your home. Passports, other currencies, shoe bags, luggage tags and any other travel items you use from time-to-time. This makes it easy to pack when all the items are together. Keep travel size items stocked and on-hand to avoid last minute trips to the store. Here are some other savvy packing tips:
Have fun and enjoy the peace of mind a little pre-planning and preparation gives you when you are organized!
Travel Supplies Tip for the Frequest Traveller:
If you are a frequent traveller, then it pays to buy a second set of travel cords and accessories. Keep them in a small compact carry case so it’s easy to grab and carry on the plane with you, your purse or in the car.
Check out these cool travel solutions at Magellans.com.
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About the Author
Sherry Borsheim, owner of Simply Productive, has been helping people to work smarter, not harder for years. She specializes in resolving paper, time and information management issues. To learn more about eliminating the paper pile-up and in vastly improving your productivity, contact Simply Productive at 604-233-7076.
Mention the word “filing system” and most people picture an office with filing cabinets. The thing is, with an organizational system for filing, cataloging or managing your life, you can file or index anything that can be cataloged or that you can put a number onto. Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management allows indexing of items to help you get organized, clear the clutter problem and know exactly what you have and where each item is located with a quick search in the filing system database.
Of course, that can still include an office either at home or in the professional world. Things such as hanging files and binders can now be located with greater ease than even alphabetizing. That’s because, though alphabetizing method was as close to an effective filing system as possible before this indexing method, it has its problems. Is someone filing things under “vehicle” or “automobile”? Or, even if it is someone’s name, it is under “Erwin” or “Irwin.” By being able to include keywords in your filing search, you broaden the possibilities for finding what you need using filing system software.
There are many items a person may keep in the home that can be a great collection to have, but a little frustrating to keep organized and be able to find quickly when needed. In fact, it may be downright disorganized. You may have an extensive library of books, but if you can never find the one you are looking for, it starts to lose the enjoyment factor. Maybe you want to find a medical book to reference but aren’t sure where it is. You could want to reread a classic work of fiction before seeing the new theatrical adaptation of it, but can’t even recall if you have it at home, put it in the attic or lent it to someone.
The point is, having an organizational system for all your filing and document management needs will help keep your things in order. The same holds true for keeping track of items like CDs, DVDs, video games and even old vinyl records, just to name a few of the possibilities. Whatever you have a good number of, you can catalog or index with this system.
Those plastic storage bins may be a handy and useful system to keep your belongings safe and dry, but they can be a real bother when it comes to trying to recall what items are in which bins. Indexing the items that are in the bins into the database of the filing system software and number them to match the assigned item number from the software, and you now know from your list or from searching by a keyword that you’ve input previously into the database, exactly what’s inside and where certain items are. Looking for the bin that may have extra camera lenses could be an all day task, while looking for bin #3 takes just minutes.
The same thing goes for moving boxes. While you may have in the past, managed to have time to scrawl the word kitchen on the side of a moving box, that was about the extent of organization when it came to knowing what was inside the boxes until unpacking. This made it difficult when, in a rush during the first morning at a new place, you need to find the toaster to get the kids breakfast before school. Having a filing system software that allows you the ability to index items input into each moving box, will help you to have a more organized move especially on the unpacking side. You can also use the information that you’ve indexed for each household or office item to indicate where they are placed in the new location.
It is estimated that the average person wastes 150 hours per year looking for lost information. Instead of wasting time searching, implement Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management and get organized. You’ll be surprised how much time you will save when you can find what you need, when you need it!
From the average household to a home based business to the person who is part or sole owner in a business outside of the home, we generate tons of paper every year, building up in piles and stacks on our desks, in our drawers and on top of various surfaces throughout the home or office. Things accidentally get thrown away because they just were not where they needed to be. Or, things get moved by one family or staff member while they are searching for their missing item causing another person to have to go on their own seek and destroy mission when they need something that had originally been in that pile.
The need to manage paper documents is one that is more than just about getting organized, however. Paper can be a major problem in many households and offices because there are so many questions about what to do with all the paper that comes in. What papers can be thrown out and which ones must be saved? How long do you have to save these papers? And worst case scenario, what will happen to you on the day that you find out that you absolutely need one of those papers and you just cannot find it at all?
There are several different ways to manage and organize those paper documents. You can try to work out your own system, praying that you won’t forget your cross referencing system in the meantime.
There are other products that claim they will get you organized fast and easy, eliminating all of that paper mess in the process. Some of them rely on a scanner, sending all of your papers to a little computer disc. But, what do you do with the papers once you scan them? Do you want to shred them or throw them away or do you need to keep some just in case you need the hard copy again? They are organized, technically because everything is neatly on the disc, but what happens if you need one of those documents for a tax audit or to file an insurance claim? There is also a product that has several pockets and dividers that can hold the papers that you generate for a week or month, but what happens at the end of the month when you move the old out and bring the new in?
Thankfully, there is a better organizing tool, Paper Tiger, that allows you to file all of your papers and other documents in one easy to manage and easy to update filing system. Organization in the home, the office or the home office does not mean just papers all of the time – in fact, you can use this same system to get organized in other areas, such as items that are just too big or bulky to be included in the other types of systems that require scanning. The system does not rely on scanning or trying to consolidate all of your items into a small disc or having to keep purchasing other digital storage, such as external harddrives or cloud storage.
It is important that your paper files that you keep in hard copy format, and other physical items, be indexed into the filing system, so that anything you want to find later can be retrieved quickly with a simple Google-like search in the database. Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management can help you get organized so that you can find what you need, when you need it – quickly! And even better, Paper Tiger Online will soon be able to connect Digital Tiger to Google Docs which will allow you to search for both your physical paper that you’ve indexed and your digital files that you’ve scanned, uploaded or created in Google Docs! Yes, we recommend Google Docs for your cloud storage because it is the least expensive digital filing storage that you’ll find anywhere. You’ll be able to search for both physical items and scanned or digital files from one search. This will make your time management and productivity even easier to maintain!
In this webinar, Anne McGurty, productivity expert of Strategize and Organize, presented an overview in how to manage your digital and paper worlds, giving statistics and showing problems that people have in finding their information, whether it be digital or paper/physical items. Anne demonstrates how to upload files to Google Docs, and how Digital Tiger, powered by Google Docs, will work and, using just one search to Find Anything In Your Office In 5 Seconds or Less…Guaranteed! (Digital Tiger Beta testing to begin soon)
As information, Anne is a professional speaker, productivity expert, and author. If you want to learn more about Anne and her services, please visit her website at www.StrategizeAndOrganize.com. She may be in Colorado, but she’s nationally recognized as an expert and works with people throughout the US in person and virtually.
See more information here on Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management
You can contact Anne at amcgurty@strategizeandorganize.com or by phone at 303 881-0174.
Q: Need info about scanning receipts and business cards and being able to retrieve them by various categories.
A: When you scan your receipts and business cards to Google Docs, your documents are OCR’d. See our knowledge base article regarding What is OCR?
Q: Will there be an efficient way to import file names from existing file structures to facilitate including them in Paper Tiger?
A: You can upload existing folders to Google Docs. See our knowledge base article entitled, “Uploading Files to Google Docs”
Q: All of our electronic files are stored on our network. We have HIPPA considerations for our files. I’m concerned about security of files in a cloud environment. How secure are these files?
A: Google Docs is secure, but I haven’t seen HIPPA information in their security information. Your digital data would be housed at Google Docs not at Digital Tiger. Digital Tiger will only search your Google Docs along with your physical items that you’ve indexed in Paper Tiger.
Digital Tiger will only connect to Google Docs, so Digital Tiger does not actually store your data. All data will be housed on Google’s secure servers. Below is additional information from Google’s website regarding security and privacy:
“Information security is a top priority at Google, and we employ dedicated teams with experts in their fields to handle these important areas. Your files are, by default, set to private, but you can choose to publish them to the Web or invite collaborators or viewers. Your files will not appear in Google Web Search results, but published files may appear in other search engines.
If you are working in a Google Apps domain, your files are, by default, set to your domain’s default setting. This setting might not be private, but you can make your docs private when you create or upload a doc or file. Additionally, to help keep your data private, it’s important to have a strong password, to not share that password with others, and to understand the sharing options in Google Docs.”
Below is a concluding statement issued by Google in their Google Apps security whitepaper which is found at http://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=60762 in case you need more information:
“Google is committed to keeping the information stored on its computer systems safe and secure. Each of the ten components of Google’s multi-layered security strategy is endorsed and defended throughout the organization. Google Apps provides controls at each level of data storage, access, and transfer. Millions of organizations, including Google, run their businesses on Google Apps, and Google invests in that
trust every day. With Google Apps, users can rest assured that Google values the privacy, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data.”
We also have information on our support portal regarding Security
Q: Is the keyword searched for in the digital and paper files or do you have to search each separately?
A: When you have the digital search turned on in Paper Tiger, you will be able to search both digital and paper/physical items with one search.
Q: On Digital Tiger, do you have “key words” to help find the document
A: With Paper Tiger Online, you would type in keywords to be able to search on those keywords to find the paper file or physical item in the future. With Digital Tiger, for any digital file that you convert to Google Docs, Digital Tiger will find based on the searched word in the file name or within the contents of the document. For any digital file that you have uploaded to Google Drive, but have NOT converted to Google Docs, Digital Tiger will find based on the searched word in the file name only.
Q: How does the Paper Tiger work with the physical docs in an archive?
A: When you have your paper files indexed in Paper Tiger, you can conduct a Transfer – Move function to move the files from their original Location in the database to another Location, such as Archives. Then you can move the physical files and place the new tab with new Item Number assigned by Paper Tiger Archives Location on the Archives hanging file folder tabs. Your Paper Tiger Archives Location will then match your physical Archives files.
Q: Which documents do I need (for legal reasons) to keep physical copies? I’d like to be able to just scan everything else and keep it all online (on hard drive, Google Docs, and Carbonite backup). I work from home in a small office area, and I’m drowning in paper.
A: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been accepting digitized or scanned versions of paper documents since 1997 in lieu of paper documents. See additional information in our knowledge base article entitled “Does the IRS accept digitized or scanned versions of my documents instead of paper documents?” For other types of legal reasons, you would need to contact your lawyer or accountant.
Q: Will this work with ScanSnap system?
A: We recommend the Fujitsu Scanner 1500 (or 1500M for Mac users). We have tested several scanners and this is by far the best scanner that we have encountered.
Organizing memorabilia is an approach to take to avoid your precious keepsakes becoming a disorganized mess. Getting organized can declutter your home, as well as your life in general. Keeping and collecting memorabilia can be rewarding, but keeping track of your inventory can still be a task, nevertheless. The best thing you can do, to actually be able to enjoy your different collections is to get it sorted, documented and displayed appropriately. This can often times mean in storage, and so it is a good idea to have a record of what you are keeping — an inventory with Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management that allows indexing of items.
What to Include When Organizing Memorabilia
Memorabilia could be anything you keep as either a collector or for sentimental reasons. For some, this could be a collection of sports related items, including baseball cards or jerseys, for example. For others, it could be items that have been picked up from around the globe during travels. And for some, it can be family photos as well as other types of family history documentation. To get the most enjoyment from having a collection of memorabilia though, it is a good idea to get organized with it.
Photos, for example, can get lost, shuffled, destroyed and become otherwise clutter if not set up in an organized manner. The best thing you can do is put them in photo albums, especially if you can sort them by date or subject matter first. At the very least, keeping them sorted and kept protected in smaller boxes will help preserve the photos and help you with your organized living.
When indexing your photos, you would want to input into the filing system software who is in the pictures, where the pictures were taken and any other pertinent information so that you, your children and grandchildren, will know who or what they are 20 years from now. A suggestion for indexing your photos in Paper Tiger: you might name a separate Location for each set of photos, such as Vacation June 2011 or Suzy’s Wedding; or you could have a separate database named Photos. Then have a Location within the Photos database for each set of photos, Vacation June 2011 or Suzy’s Wedding. Then for each picture within that Location (subject), you can write on the back of the photo the number in which Paper Tiger assigns to it when you input the information such as mentioned previously, about each individual picture. So the number on the back of the picture coincides with the Item Number in Paper Tiger.
Of course, if you don’t want to get that detailed, within your regular database, you could have one Location for all Photos, and have an Item Name for each group of photos. In this case, the Item Name would be Vacation June 2011, and you would just input all information (general or specific) into the keyword section relating to all of the pictures in this group.
Get Organized!
While it may be great to keep every letter from your child when he was at camp or the crayon drawings from each of the grandchildren, it can cause disorganization in your life and home. But, before you go on a cleaning rampage and toss out things you might later regret getting rid of, get organized.
Organizing memorabilia means you can keep the movie ticket from the first date you and your spouse went on, but not have it thrown together with other things. Allowing your keepsakes to be mixed with things that aren’t dear to you increases the chance something will get damaged or thrown away accidentally.
So, you create storage for these types of items. Baby books, photo albums, boxes with small loose items, or collectible plates you want preserved not displayed, all of these things get their own safe storage. Once you have these types of items sorted you can use the filing system software to keep track of what you have and where you have it – even if you store it somewhere other than your home.
Getting organized means that these keepsakes can be preserved not just for you, but for generations to come. Not only will you have your items protected but your filing system will help others know what there is and how to locate it. Organizing memorabilia and indexing the items into Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management means you can love and enjoy your collection without it being a clutter problem and know exactly what you have and where each item is located with a quick search in the filing system database.
This article by Sherry Borsheim of Simply Productive and a Paper Tiger Expert, provides great tips to getting your children’s stuff, whether it be for back to school or just every day clutter, organized to cut down on the chaos and ensure your family’s sanity and peace of mind. Sherry recommends Paper Tiger filing system software for document management to help you find your paper files and other items again after finding a home for them.
No matter how chaotic it gets at home, having a system for keeping track of kids’ things is essential. There’s sports schedules and phone lists, papers to sign, health records, music books, report cards, and precious keepsakes that tend to pile up around the house.
Then there’s the sports equipment, jackets, shoes, backpacks, lunch containers, homework, projects, and electronics that your children drop at the door when they come home from school or other activity each day. Times this by three to five kids and you’ve got a giant heap sitting on the floor on a daily bases.
The key to keeping your sanity and peace of mind is to create a place for them to easily hang their coat and backpacks. I love the storage locker system if you can create space for this in your home. Also, create a homework area and have all the necessary supplies handy for their projects as well.
Then gather all the sports equipment and store each child’s items in separate bins, for each sport. Store bulky equipment in a one area, sports clothes in their closet. If they play soccer and baseball, then have a small clear container for each sport and make sure to label the bins “Soccer Clothes” and “Baseball Clothes.” When you’re rushing out the door to soccer, the right socks and shorts will be in one place verses all over the bedroom or house.
Next create a Family Reference Binder with tabs for each child. Behind each child’s tab you can file their sports schedules, music schedule and any other important phone numbers that you want to have at your fingertips! Everyone in the family will thank you for gathering all the papers and putting them in one central location!
Now to deal with all the other papers. In a filing cabinet, create a hanging file for each child and keep any awards, report cards and other keepsakes in this file for the current school year. At the end of the school year, simply take out the papers and file into their keepsake box. For larger artwork, just take a picture and store the photo in their school photo album. Or store large artwork in an art porfolio.
Be realistic about what school papers and artwork you are going to keep. The more stuff you have, the more time and space it will take up to store it. A good rule of thumb is to “keep the best of the best and let the rest go”. Ask yourself, when was the last time you looked at your keepsake box stored in your attic?
About the Author
Sherry Borsheim, owner of Simply Productive, has been helping people to work smarter, not harder for years. She specializes in resolving paper, time and information management issues. To learn more about eliminating the paper pile-up and in vastly improving your productively, contact Simply Productive at 604-233-7076.
You can visit Sherry, access her free article archive and grab lots of free stuff at http://www.simplyproductive.com. Sherry lives in Vancouver, BC Canada with her husband (her high-school sweetheart).
Also check out Sherry’s Calm Your Choas special that will give you a JUMP-START on ORGANIZING your office, home and life. She will give you her trade secrets and steps to setting up your organizing systems, including recommending Paper Tiger filing system software for document management, to be organized and manage the paper files that you need to keep in hard copy format and other physical stuff in your life.
Published with permission.
Organizing home libraries is a great way to display what you want, store the rest, but keep track of everything you own in your home library. Much of how you get organized for this area of your home depends on how much space you have for your books. Maybe you have just acquired or inherited a sizable amount of books or moved to a smaller space and have less to work with. It could even just be that you have stacks of books that are still unpacked from the last move and you are ready to get proactive in your organized living. Whatever the reason, it is time to sort through those books and make sure they are organized to prolong their shelf life, as well as your sanity, and Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management can help you get your home library organized.
Why get organized when it comes to your book collection? Well, for one thing, it is easy to lose track of exactly what you have in your book collection. If you need to reference that home repair book but don’t know where it is, you may end up having to buy another copy.
Another reason to establish an organization system for your books is for your peace of mind. Clutter can be a real cause of the added stress you feel. Getting your life in order and making sure your collection is stored in a manner that will prevent damage, in addition to being able to actually find the book you need without having to search in different places can set your mind at ease.
Don’t forget also, your book collection can become a family heirloom, a collection of literary treasures to hand down to the next generation. Should something happen to you, it is good for your family to be able to have an understanding of the filing system you implement for organizing your home libraries.
To get organized when it comes to your book collection, the first thing to do may be to determine what you would like to keep on display among the shelves, and which books you might want in other rooms. For some people, this is a stock of books they refer to a lot, plan to reread or just like to have on display. This inventory of display items can also be rotated or changed on a regular basis, if desired. Or, when a new book comes in, it may be time to retire an older one to storage or another room in the home.
After you have decided what to display and what to file away, it is time to box up the rest or keep it filed in another part of the home. To keep track of what books go where, it is a good idea to use a filing system or document management software in which you can index your books based on the location you are displaying them. This will enable you to get organized enough to be able to easily look up which of your favorite reads are located on shelves in the home, which have been boxed up and put in a closet and even those books being stored outside the home or borrowed by someone.
After you have divided your books and decided where each stack will go, you can then start a location in the software database to match the physical location where each set of books will be located. Once you have named the first location, you can begin to index each book, similar to how you might file paper files, with the book title as the item name. Then add keywords with the author’s name and maybe some information about each book, and the shelf number or box number where you’re going to place the book. For each book you add to the respective location, the software will assign an item number to that book. You would then affix a label or mark the number on the book itself to match the assigned item number.
You can categorize your books in the software by book type, such as Cookbooks, Home Repair, Photo Albums, Marketing, Finance, Business, etc. When you’ve indexed all of your books, you will be able to conduct a Google-like search in the filing system database, and the software will tell you exactly where the book is located.
You can also print out an item list report with your list of books and where they are located, either by item number or alphabetically by book name.
Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management can help you get organized so that you can find the book you need, when you need it – quickly!
It seems that pretty much everyone has stepped into the computer age, and there is not a business in the world that does not rely on computers for a lot of their work. Even organizations that are steeped in thousands of years of tradition, such as churches, are not immune to this, and you will find that most churches are finding ways to use computers to their advantage. Churches are using Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management to set up their filing systems so that everyone on the church staff can find the files they need quickly.
You would probably be quite surprised to see just how much paperwork an average church has, and how many filing cabinets are filled to overflowing. The church is a business like any other, and it is necessary to be as efficient as possible so that time and money is not wasted. Most people don’t think of churches as businesses, but church staff must manage the money received just like any other business to be able to maintain the buildings and pay staff.
Church fundraisers are not the only way that churches acquire money, and everything they do must be accounted for. This means that they have to record information from all business transactions, which means a lot of paperwork. Don’t forget about all of the paperwork for weddings, funerals and other special services performed at churches. All of this information must be saved for future reference if needed, so again, there are more papers to be filed.
Then think about all the sermons and other service notes, and books that are referenced, and CD or DVD recordings. How are these maintained to be able to retrieve again when needed?
When church administrators make the switch from paper filing or document management software, they are doing their secretaries a huge favor. No longer will they have rely on memory or guess how someone else filed something or search through mounds of papers to find a particular file. After indexing everything into the software database, all it takes is a few clicks to conduct a Google-like search in the database and you’ll know exactly where the needed item is located. Not only does this make finding things easier, it also makes it so one can declutter the office.
If you work in a church office that is overflowing with paperwork, implement document management software to help you get organized. Even if your church is considering going to a paperless filing system, there are some things that can’t be scanned, as mentioned previously, i.e., books, CD and DVD recordings. In addition, things such as drama team props and costumes, children’s church items, youth group projects — basically anything that you can put a number onto, you can index so that your staff can find what is needed quickly.
It will make everyone’s work a lot easier, and if you are the person who usually takes care of keeping track of where everything is, it will definitely make your life easier, saving you time and energy.
See other information at Organizing Church Documents The Easy Way for tips on labeling and categorizing.
If your church is planning on scanning even some of the paper that flows through the church, try Google Docs. Unlike many digital filing systems, Google Docs is more cost effective in digital storage, and with Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for document management, you’ll be able to search for both physical items and scanned or digital files from one search. This will make your time management and productivity even easier to maintain!
“I’ve spent the past week re-reading Sherry’s book Conquer Your Chaos and cleaning out the last dregs of debris in my office and emails. The filing system here was in such disrepair when I first started three years ago that I made six attempts to deal with it before finally calling Sherry Borsheim for help.
Between her skills at moving us through the unmovable and the ease of implementing the Paper Tiger filing system, we are now finally able to literally find pretty much anything within five minutes – not five seconds yet, as we had a LOT of paper to put into the system. However, just this week, twice I produced critical documents in no time at all, whereas before, we would have been searching for hours.
Thanks, Sherry and thanks Paper Tiger!
Bev
Executive Coordinator / Museum of Vancouver
www.museumofvancouver.ca
The need to be organized in the office as well as in the home is an obvious and universal one. It is also a confusing and sometimes overwhelming need with many different options that can be used to accomplish the task. Paper Tiger Filing System Software for document management can help you get organized so that you can find what you need, when you need it – quickly!
The problem with some of the organization systems is their difficulty. Some of them are very expensive and some are very limited in their scope. They may not be very effective with certain types of items and they may not be as user friendly as some people would like them to be. The more difficult a system is to use, the less likely they are to be used on a regular basis. If papers are just stacks piling up on the desk because the system is just too much of a chore to use, then it is nothing more than a waste of time.
To correctly use a digital filing system, you have to have the right digital filing system. While that sounds like it should be a given, it is not always such a simple thing to accomplish.
The right system is one that will be easy to use, accommodates everything that you need to file and organize and is adaptable and expandable. The right digital filing system is one that is so easy to use in fact, that there is no lengthy training period, which is particularly helpful for those who need such a system in their office and may have more than one or two employees who will have to have access to this system.
The biggest amount of work that you have in using any type of organizational system should be in the initial set up and if you have opted for the right one, even that is not that much effort. Once you get your system set up, then accessing, updating or changing anything should be a step or two to accomplish. There should not be the need to tear down the system to rebuild it, even if you are making some major changes or updating a lot of information.
You can set up the system by using existing file names and add keywords to the database relating to each file and the filing system software assigns numbers to each of your hanging file folders, so your folders coincide with the item number in the database. This allows you to find an item just by conducting a Google-like search in the database based on the keywords you’ve indexed relating to the item you need to find, and the program gives you the exact location of the file or item.
You don’t have to rely on your memory for what name is placed on each file – you know, that one or two words on the file tab. Nor do you have to rely on that one person in the office that does most of the filing. What happens when that person is out of the office?
Implementing filing system software that’s not just for document management will provide you with an organizational system tool that will help you get organized and start finding what you need, when you need it without having to rely on your memory or others in the office!
There is a better way! Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management and even better Paper Tiger Online will soon be able to connect Digital Tiger to Google Docs!
Using a Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to organize an entire office or workspace in one place is the ultimate solution to document management. Of course, that also means you can get organized in your personal life, too. You can manage your digital and paper files in one place. It can be practically paperless, too. These two systems enable you to file and store both paper files and PDF files.
And, for those paper files you do need to keep, you can index those paper files and locate them while the same search will find your digital files. It really is the simplest digital filing system in the world. This is a revolutionary time saving, space saving, life changing organizational approach to document management.
The online filing system software takes less than 60 seconds to sign up for and less than 30 minutes to learn. You will have access to videos, knowledge base and FAQs (frequently asked questions) to make the process of understanding and getting started as simple as could be. The thing is, these types of paperless or limited paper filing system software help you organize things other than paper. Any physical item that you can put a number onto and index or catalog it, you can file or organize and keep track of it by using these applications.
Advantages of a Document Management System
You can gain control of your life, not to mention, find your desk again. Never before has it been possible to be this organized. Once the system is in place, you can organize your office and everything in your life.
It also means you have a secure filing system and document management system that doesn’t collapse each time you have staff turnover. It unifies team members by making data sharing easy, as well as so much faster than could have ever been done before using previous methods. In fact, users of the software save around 150 hours each year by using this approach to tracking down exactly what they are looking for right when they need it.
And not only for staff turnover, but families can benefit as well. When you implement filing system software in your home, anyone in the family can conduct a search in the database and find what is needed quickly without scrambling all over the house for the needed item.
Who Can? You Can!
The question really should be – who can’t benefit from using a filing system or document managing program? People such as teachers, homemakers and auto dealers all find this system works. Police departments, dental offices and even students have put this document management system to good use. And, funeral homes, electricians and home offices are just a few more of the many types of companies and organizations able to change their lives by getting organized with this filing system software. This includes companies, corporations, non-profits, government agencies, professionals and individuals.
So, maybe it really is your personal life you want to get organized. Or, maybe you would just like to live in an almost paperless world. You could declutter your life while recycling your old papers and being more environmentally friendly. More than likely though, you will find that using these approaches by implementing Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management will make sense in both your personal and professional lifestyles.
There are some organizational systems that claim they make everything so simple for you. They tell you to scan your item and then stick everything on a single, easily accessible disc. But, let’s think about that for a minute: that kind of system assumes that you have a scanner (not everybody does) and that systems never crash or discs never get damaged or destroyed (they do!) Then take into consideration the space on the disc where you’ve put the digital files. So you’ve scanned your paper files, but then you have stacks of CDs that you have to search through when you need a document again.
You need a document management system that will allow you to scan or upload your paper files to one place and be able to search to find your digital files again.
What about the items that you can’t scan, but want to organize and be able to find later? You cannot organize those items with a traditional scanning system; meaning that you have to use a secondary system or just go with those things being in organization limbo.
There is a better way! Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management and even better Paper Tiger Online will soon be able to connect Digital Tiger to Google Docs!
Using an index filing system, like Paper Tiger, allows you to keep track of your documents that you need to keep in physical format, your book collection, your music collection and anything else that you could possibly want to inventory and file without the need for a scanner or the limitations that those types of systems leave you with. Those other systems are only going to help with the paper filing. Using an index filing system gives you the ability to organize and manage items that are too bulky, too big or not made of paper.
Face it, everyone wants to organize their stuff, whether it is at their office, their home office or just items in their home, such as books, CD’s, tapes and other physical items and the question of how to organize them, and a fast way to find them when you need them.
Getting organized usually makes it necessary to discard unused or items no longer needed or wanted so you can get rid of clutter. While they can certainly donate some of these items or sell the valuable ones, there are always going to be some things that are sentimental or necessary to keep. Instead of just sticking the things into storage and then losing track of them, it is important that these items be input into the filing system, so that anything you want to find later can be retrieved quickly with a simple Google-like search in the database. This can be important if there is ever some tragedy that occurs in the home or involving the storage facility. Having the proof of the item and where it is located, can go a long way to keeping the insurance process from slowing to a complete halt.
The average household generates hundreds of pounds of paper each year and has stacks of unread books or music that they want to keep, but do not know how to get organize. It is time to implement the use of Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management.
How many times have you needed a file in your office, only to end up spending hours searching for what you need, in either paper file or digital file format? This can happen in many offices, because there is often so much information that comes into the office in all kinds of ways. Sometimes it gets filed physically in your filing cabinets, sometimes it doesn’t, and sometimes you end up with a big paper pile that is so disorganized that no one knows where anything is when they need it.
And what about the information that comes into your office via email? Are they always printed? Maybe not, but you know you’ve seen the information somewhere! Do you try to organize your digital files into folders, and do you always get that done systematically like you should?
Even if you know where everything is, it doesn’t mean that your employees will be able to find files when you are not around. It will take them a lot of time if there is not a systematic plan in place for your document management system. Disorganization costs you money when you and your employees could be more productive and get more work done, instead of searching for that needed file, in whatever format it is in — whether it be paper file, scanned image or digital file created by someone in your office or downloaded from email. These are all really good reasons to make the switch to document management software.
Even the smallest of offices have all kinds of paper files and digital or electronic files, and after a while, if things are not properly organized, it can be difficult to get your hands on a file when you need it.
You are able to declutter your office and get more organized when you have effective document management software.
For your paper files and other physical items that cannot be scanned, Paper Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management enables you to index everything physical so that you can conduct a quick Google-like search from the software’s database and find anything you need in a matter of seconds.
Often, there is one person who takes care of the paper filing. With traditional filing systems, this person would often have their own system, and if they were out of the office, no one else would have a clue how to find the files they needed. When your paper files are indexed into a filing system software, anyone in your office can easily find all of the files they need, and there is no need to rely on one person to find everything. Instead of having people spend all day trying to find a file and not getting other work done, they can retrieve the file they need in seconds and go about their work.
In addition, instead of only one person knowing where the office supplies are or where the training manuals or CDs, and the many other things in an office, all of these can be indexed into Paper Tiger’s database. This will allow others in the office to search for ‘paper clips’ and know exactly what drawer or cabinet they are located.
There will always be some paper in your office, but are you planning to at least cut down on some of the paper you have in your office? You know the myth of the paperless office? So to you, paperless may mean simply less paper. Because you may not be able to do away with all of the paper in your office, you’ll have Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to take care of the physical documents and other items in your office to get organized, but what about your digital files?
Everyone in your office probably has their own way of managing their digital files. One may be diligent in how they manage digital files, but would anyone else in the office be able to figure out the system and find a document if that person is out of the office? Another person may be haphazard about where they save documents and very difficult to find their digital files when needed.
Having a digital filing system can really help everyone in your office, and we recommend Digital Tiger, powered by Google Docs for organizing your electronic or digital files.
With just one click in Paper Tiger, connect to your Google Docs account; then your Paper Tiger becomes Digital Tiger! Digital Tiger works with your Google account to allow you to upload any document from your desktop or scan directly to Google Docs, then be able to search both your paper files or other physical indexed items and digital files with one search. When uploading or scanning your documents to Google Docs, they become searchable, so you will be able to search by any word or number within the document. You will be able to organize your digital files into folders or collections and securely share documents with your co-workers or others with a Gmail account.
Implement Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management to get your entire office organized. You’ll be able to access, search and organize all of your documents from any Internet connection. Digital Tiger promises to help clear your desk without clearing out your wallet, and gives you the tool to find anything in your office, either paper or digital, in seconds!
This article has some great suggestions for steps to get organized and create a system for yourself that will keep you organized. Notice that one of the suggestions is to implement a document management system in your office. Paper Tiger-Digital Tiger Filing System Software for Document Management. Digital Tiger promises to help clear your desk without clearing out your wallet! You may not be able to go completely paperless, but you can sure de-clutter your desk to create a more productive environment.
Ahhh, the enlightening feeling of a clear and focused mind. Everything on your “to do list” is done, time to relax on the couch, and slip in to that Zen state. Chances are this isn’t you because most people spend more time trying to organize their lives than actually making progress. Keeping organized is a daunting process that requires discipline and, most importantly, knowledge of what to do.
Once you start figuring out how to plan, and differentiate your daily tasks, you will become more proficient at accomplishing your goals. Whether you are looking to better achieve the items on your to-do list, or you are trying to better organize the electronic clutter at work, you should understand organization is a learning process. Some people are inherently detail oriented; others learn their disorganization is negatively impacting aspects of their lives. This is the way life works, but for those of you looking to better improve your organization to save time and be more productive, here are few tips and tools.
1. Create a List That Works For You
Whether you work better on a Google Calendar or you are more of a physical calendar person, determine what works best for you and go with it. Create separate lists for work and personal. Carry both of these lists in portable form, around with you wherever you go (Whether it is mobile device or a hipster PDA, planner or day-timer type calendar). Keep these items in terms of priority with short term first and long term next. Once you begin achieving items on your list, you will learn how to breeze through your goals or obligations.
2. Document Management Software
Document management software allows you to organize your work files by indexing and assigning tags or keywords to each document you file. This software is incredibly powerful because it allows instant retrieval of documents by storing your files in one place. Digitizing your documents can also save space, according to Eco-officiency, “Current estimates show that 50–70% of space in an office is still dedicated to filing and storage of documentation. The real clincher is studies showing that over 45% of the files in those cabinets are duplicated information, and 80% is never accessed again.” Save yourself the hassles of cost-heavy activities and implement a document management system in your office.
3. Hipster PDA
The hipster PDA is for everyone out there like me. The person who loves mobile apps, but knows there is nothing that drives you to a call to action like a physical piece of paper. I make my hipster PDA every weekend, and it guides me through personal, work, diet, fitness and social “to do’s.” Hipster PDA planner pages are available to help you put everything you need on to an index card.
4. Eliminate Clutter
Organize your computer’s folders, itemize your Google docs, and clean your desk. Spend a weekend to get “uber” organized. This will serve as a base for your productivity as you move forward on your goals. You will find that eliminating clutter enlightens your mind. Hopefully making you feel more at peace with your current situation, and allow you to function more effectively.
5. Gcal
Google calendar may be the best way to organize and compile upcoming events on the web. Because it’s made by Google and hosted remotely, Gcal is accessible from any computer or phone. The recurring feature is great for consistent weekly events and allows for multiple different themes and skins. Gcal also has added functionality with your other personal accounts, having the ability to sync Facebook events and link them with your Mac’s iCal App.
Whether you are using a bit of tips and tricks to get yourself on the fast track to time savings or productivity apps to get organized; you will find that as you progress into a mode of functionality, things will happen faster and you will approach each “to do” differently. Good luck! Stay healthy, focused and productive.
Matt Krautstrunk is an expert writer on point of sale systems based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs such as restaurant pos systems at Resource Nation.
This article by Denise Landers, founder and CEO of Key Organization Systems Inc. and Paper Tiger Expert, outlines a great plan of action to get organized before you go on vacation so you can actually take a much needed break with your family without having to worry about what will be waiting on you when you return to your workplace! Denise also recommends Paper Tiger Filing System Software and Document Management to help with your filing system so that your co-workers will be able to find what they need while you’re away.
Summer is here, and along with the warmer weather, it means a lot of us will be headed away from the office to take a week or two of vacation with the family. Having a break with your loved ones, or at least away from the daily grind, can be a great thing… but only if you plan ahead. Otherwise, it can easily become a couple of weeks of working almost as much as you normally do, but without the tools and resources you’re used to having on hand.
For a lot of us, working while we’re on vacation – or at least peeking at our email once in a while – is a way of life. But to make the most of your time away, and to spend the least amount of time worrying about the office, here are 5 things you should do before heading out for a break:
1. Set up email and voicemail messages reminding customers and colleagues that you’re away. This is not just common courtesy; it is also a good productivity tip. Letting others know you are out is a good way to stop them from trying to track you down, not to mention leaving you dozens of messages you will have to sort through later.
2. Delegate any projects in progress . If you can pass on the project to someone else, do it. Not only will that ensure that your department’s goals keep moving forward in your absence, but it will be one less weight on your mind while you are on vacation. Even if you do not have a subordinate who can help, simply find another person in the office who roughly understands your job and have an agreement – they take care of your most critical work during vacation, and you do theirs in return.
3. Make an emergency copy of names, numbers, and files. Here’s the hard part: once you’ve figured out what you need to do to become a top performer, you can’t become distracted. Whether it means coming in to work an hour early, shutting your door and unplugging your phone, or just telling your assistant that you can’t be bothered unless the building’s on fire, you have to do whatever you can to ensure you hit your short-term goals each and every day.
4. Leave your contact information with one person you trust. In the event of a true emergency, your office should be able to contact you. Leave your vacation phone number and address with someone you trust and who knows not to send anything your way unless it is absolutely critical.
5. Organize your space so you will have a clean desk before you leave. This is a good productivity and time management tip for any day, but especially when you’re heading away on summer vacation. The last thing you want to come back to is a cluttered desk filled with old items, so make an effort to clean and organize it before you go. After all, there will be enough new material to review when you return. As an added bonus, this step will make it easier for another person to find important information while you’re gone, meaning they’ll have one less reason to call you when you should be relaxing.
Of course, this relates to actually taking a vacation. We all need that time off, yet so many Americans are suffering from vacation deprivation. They decline earned vacations days for a variety of reasons. Make sure you take those breaks to refresh yourself mentally and physically. It will actually help to improve your daily productivity when you are back in the office.
Contact Denise Landers
Author of Destination Organization
Call Denise at (281) 397-0015
productivity@keyorganization.com
Have you ever tried to “get organized” only to be frustrated after a day, or a week, or a month? Destination: Organization recognizes that reaching your organizing goals is a journey, not a one-time event, as you develop processes to cope with daily demands that constantly change.
