The good news is: I just moved my office to a better space. The bad news is: I had to move my office. All that paper, those files – UGH! It’s not really bad news, though. I had time to go through my files and PURGE! Oh, how nice it felt! I was also able to reorganize my files that had gotten so out of hand. How does that happen?

This whole experience has really gotten me turned on to the idea of a PAPERLESS OFFICE. I know I can’t go totally sans paper because there are just some things I need to have in hard copy. Reading articles, for example, is very difficult for me on a computer screen if they’re over a certain number of pages. It just doesn’t feel right, especially if it is something I wrote. I need to have hard copy that I can mark up and expand on in the margins. I know you can do that with Word – sort of. It just isn’t the same.

But for me, everything else is GOING DIGITAL! I’m embarking on a mission to simplify my office and my life by eliminating as much paper as I possibly can. Good for me, good for the environment. I’m just getting started, but I’ve already come up with tips on what you need to do to go paperless:

1. Invest in an easy-to-use scanner. It doesn’t have to be high-end quality as I’ve found you don’t need a really high resolution device if all you’re doing is archiving. Just so you can see what’s on the paper should you need to print it is good enough. Mine is a multi-function printer/scanner/fax machine with a document feeder – an essential add-on for hands-free scanning, especially of multi-page documents. It hooks right up to my computer and creates the image.
2. Switch to online statements and bills. If you’re not already doing it, you’re probably like me and afraid that you’ll miss something if you don’t have that bill staring you in the face. We use QuickBooks to schedule our business bills that need to be paid and Quicken to set up reminders for the home bills. The challenge becomes when you don’t open those programs on a regular basis, but I have a reminder set up in Outlook to pay bills. I haven’t missed one yet!
3. Buy Adobe Acrobat. No, I’m not talking about the free reader that allows you to view PDF files. This one allows you to create them, too, which is a great way to archive off documents and e-mails that you would otherwise have to print. You can get the old 8.0 version for under $200 and it is worth the investment. I am not even familiar with all the capabilities, but just the ability to send out contracts and proposal in an unchangeable but readable format is worth the price. If you’re a pro at all Acrobat has to offer, please e-mail me! I would love to learn more.
4. Set up a good filing system on your computer. Storage for digital files on your computer needs to be just as organized as a paper-based filing system. Better yet – purchase software that is supposed to be able to help you find anything on your computer. They even have software that can act as a file and retrieve system. If anyone has recommendations on these types of systems, please share them!
5. Make sure you back up your system. The last thing you want to do is have all your records on your hard drive and then it gets a virus or crashes and you can’t retrieve anything. You should be backing up your system ANYWAY, but even more so when you go paperless.

I’m not there yet, but who wants in? I’m challenging you to join me in my quest for the paperless office. What have you got to lose other than a few hundred pounds of paper??

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 at 8:36 pm and is filed under Work/Life Balance, Entrepreneurship, business success secrets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.