Kreamer Connection

February 2002

KREAMER CONNECTION
By Patty Kreamer

www.kreamerconnect.com  

ISSUE: February 2002
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Please feel free to FORWARD this to friends
or associates who may be interested in getting
organized. Subscription is free to all.
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IN THIS ISSUE

1. February = National Archive your Files Month
2. February 12 = National Clean out your Computer Day
3. In Closing - Don't wait until March
4. Subscribe, Copyright, Contact, & Reprint permission
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1. FEBRUARY = NATIONAL ARCHIVE YOUR FILES MONTH

According to the National Association of
Professional Organizers, February is the month
to archive your files!

So what does this mean? It means you have work
to do. Whether you are archiving company files
or personal papers, you need to check with your
accountant and/or lawyer to see what papers need
to be retained and for how long.

A purge and retention schedule is essential if
you don't want to keep unnecessary files. Storage
is expensive and, if kept on sight, can use up
prime real estate that can inhibit your company's
growth.

There is a reason for purging. Many people like
to hold on to things "just in case". However,
if you do have those papers that you should have,
by law, purged, they must be produced if any
legal matter arises. This could involve you
in litigation that could have been avoided
if you had destroyed them.

To eliminate the confusion of what to keep or
purge, contact your accountant or lawyer, devise
a purge/retention schedule, and distribute it
to all involved.

As you archive boxes, be sure to clearly mark the
contents of the box on the outside along with what
year it needs to be purged. This prevents extensive
searching if retrieval is necessary.

The bad news is that archiving is a necessity.
The good news is that you have the whole month
of February to do it and it's worth it!


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2. February 12 = National Clean out your Computer Day

When was the last time that we REALLY cleaned out
your computer files? The answer may be embarrassing,
as you may have files that have been there from
day one. There is good news - February 12 is
"National Clean Out Your Computer Day".

Won't it be refreshing to delete those old files?
You need to realize just how much time -and money-
is lost trying to find files.

By deleting old, unnecessary files, you'll make
the searching process for a file much quicker.
Scrolling through endless columns of documents can
waste precious time. You will see an immediate
return when you invest the time to clean out your
computer.

Start by learning the quickest way to delete files
in each program. Set aside the time to do it,
literally block it off in your planner and commit to
it. Work with one program at a time. While deciding
on what to delete, create folders that categorize
and sort the files that you are keeping.

If you find that you have a hard time knowing
what each file contains, you may want to standardize
HOW you name your files. (ex. Client, date, authors
initials, content - ABCCO11502pkproposal) This
makes future retrieval simpler for anyone looking.

If you need some help, please click here to visit
the Oct, Nov, and Dec issues of Kreamer Connection
for the 3-step process for getting organized.
http://www.kreamerconnect.com/Tipsarchive.htm

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4. IN CLOSING - DON'T WAIT UNTIL MARCH!

One word that always comes up is PROCRASTINATION.
Why do we do it? Normally because the tasks that we
put off are things that are overwhelming to us.

Try this. Instead of looking at a project as a
whole, break it into little bites. For example, if
you need to clean your house, don't say, "I need to
clean the whole house!" That's a lot to do. Instead,
say, "I am going to clean one room at a time, first
the bathroom, then the bedroom, etc".

If you have to organize your office, start with
just one pile on your desk. Don't keep looking around.
Use "flashlight focus". Zoom in on one tiny
area at a time and stay focused on that spot until
it is complete.

By doing this, you will see small successes as you
work, which will encourage you to continue the project.

So go archive your files---one file at a time, and
clean out your computer---one program at a time!

Here's to simplifying your life!

Until March,

Patty
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5. SUBSCRIBE INFO ~ COPYRIGHT ~ CONTACT INFO ~ REPRINT PERMISSION

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Copyright © 2002 by Patty Kreamer
Kreamer Connect
Phone: 412-344-3252
Fax: 412-344-3253
Email: patty@kreamerconnect.com
Web: www.kreamerconnect.com

CONTACT INFO:
Patty Kreamer
Kreamer Connect - Connecting you with what matters most!
President, Professional Speaker, Consultant, Professional Organizer
(412) 344-3252
patty@kreamerconnect.com ~ www.kreamerconnect.com

REPRINT PERMISSION granted in part or
whole when the following credit appears is full:

Reprinted with permission from
Patty Kreamer's FREE Kreamer Connection Newsletter.
Kreamer Connect - connecting you with what matters most!
Please visit www.kreamerconnect.com.