Reduce Paperwork - Stop Paper before It Gets to You

One way to reduce your paper load and save time is to stop unnecessary papers ever reaching you in the first place. Think of simple ways to achieve this. First, get your name taken off junk mail lists. Write to the Mail Preference Service. It takes a few months for this to be effective but eventually your junk mail intake should reduce.

Next, take your name off any internal mail lists that are not absolutely vital. You might enjoy receiving several magazines and all the internal memos but if you don't need to see them, take your name off. Lydia found that she was on so many internal lists that the amount of paperwork she had to read at the end of each day was more than she could get through in a week. She took her name off all lists except those directly concerned with her work. The paper load reduced dramatically and she did not miss any of the papers she no longer received.

Don't ask people to send you faxes or write you letters 'just for confirmation' unless they are vital. Incidentally, the same applies to e-mail and computer faxes. Just because they are on a computer doesn't mean they are not junk mail. Responding to e-mail can take a disproportionate amount of time out of your day if you don't take steps to limit it.

Probably the biggest producer of paper is the photocopier. It is all too easy to run off lots of copies of practically anything made of paper on the grounds of 'we might as well send so-and-so a copy just to be on the safe side' or 'just to keep them informed' or 'we'd better keep a copy of that, in case anyone wants to see it'. Don't do it. You only need to photocopy something if the original is vital and you need to replace it or you are producing several copies for a specific reason. If at all possible do not photocopy anything. You rarely need several copies of letters. The original usually suffices, as long as it is stored centrally. You can now get computer filing programs that can store and file scanned documents on your computer. Why not invest in one of those and eliminate paper letter files altogether?

Any letters or documents that must be kept for legal reasons or for future reference should be moved to a central archive. The date when they can be destroyed should be prominently marked on each folder or box. Once every three months send a member of staff to check these dates and destroy any of those on which the date has passed.