How to keep paperwork from accumulating

1. Research says

At least 60% of the items on a manager’s desk is garbage, and 80% of papers in the filing cabinet are outdated.

2. Here's an idea

Get into the habit of placing a ‘dump date’ in the top right hand corner of any papers you decide to keep - that is, the date after which it can be safely thrown out.

So often our files can become cemeteries.

3. Quotable quote

"Paper mismanagement can cripple your ability to function effectively… The real cause of a paperwork crisis is a problem with decision-making: picking up the same piece of paper five times and putting it down again because you can't decide what to do with it. It is curious but true that many executives who are experienced in making major decisions feel stymied by individual pieces of paper." …