Paper Chase

It's not often I reference a book from more than 20 years ago, but when I read that today is National Clean Off Your Desk Day, I knew precisely what I wanted to do and whose help I would need.

Name, Barbara Hemphill. Book, Taming the Paper Tiger.

I was a Resident Assistant in college, always on the prowl for a good floor program. Managing paper (especially then) was a relevant and good life skill for the 75 residents living on my floor. So, I took the work of Barbara Hemphill and turned it into an award winning floor program. Eventually I developed a reputation, and even a following, for my presentation of Hemphill's no-nonsense approach to managing the paper in your life. I presented her material in graduate school, at conferences as a young professional, and still - even today - you might find my boys strapped to chairs, forced to listen to me rant... and rave.

There are 198 pages of no-nonsense ideas packed into Hemphill's book, but today I am only sharing two pages - five points.

Go directly to your closest stack of papers. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.00. Ask yourself these five questions and prepare to be ruthless:

• Is this only for my information and now I know it? My mother is great about sending me parenting and work-related articles from the New York Times. When an article arrives, I read it and then pitch it. Same with magazines.
• Does this information exist elsewhere? In 1989 this was a more legitimate question. Now, in the age of Google and search engines, this question is reserved for items such as contracts, receipts, warranty information, etc...
• Is this information recent enough to be useful? Old menus,to-do lists, advertisements, promotional materials, and schedules are of little value. Pitch them.
• Under what circumstances would you want this information? If your answer is "just in case" then pitch it. If you don't know exactly how you would use the information then it is unlikely you will remember you have it or be able to find it should the time ever come.
• Finally, what is the worst possible thing that could happen if you didn't have this piece of paper? If you are willing to live with the consequences, toss it immediately.

If you are interested in knowing what Hemphill says you should do with what's remaining, gather forces and make noise letting me know. Otherwise, I will leave it at this, assuming I would be preaching to an already organized choir.

One more point. Hemphill's book is 21 years old. If you are anything like me, the desk top on your computer could be every bit as messy as your physical desk top - even more! What advice would you share for organizing the files, emails, and other data accumulating on your computer?

I would suggest printing off today's post and presenting it someone you think should be celebrating "National Clean off Your Desk Day," but it seems a little ironic. Maybe with an additional note saying, "Start Here."

Signing off until tomorrow...

On Target

Make this year the perfect 10 that it can be.

Grab a piece of paper and pen and meet me back here in a minute or two. Today we're talking resolutions.

Don't ignore me. I know you are thinking, "I don't set resolutions, because I never end up keeping them." I know that's what you're thinking, because Cheryl was at my house for dinner last night and that's exactly what she proclaimed.

But, like Cheryl, you shine. You won't ignore me, because deep inside hope springs eternal and you believe all things are possible - even your capacity to make a dream come true.

Got your paper? Good. You'll be working with this same sheet of paper for the next four days, so once we're done for today, find a good, safe place to store it until we meet again tomorrow. With a little effort on your part and a touch of luck on my part, you might just learn something this week.

Side note. Highlowaha has been undergoing a slow evolution over the past year or so. We've gone from dealing exclusively in creative ideas to periodically delving into the art of shining and, on occasion, sharing an inspirational story or two. I like where we're going and I hope you do too. This week is a formal acknowledgment of the direction in which our community is already moving.

I just finished a book by M.J. Ryan titled, This Year I Will...: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True. While admittedly I enjoy self-help books, even a jaded skeptic could find something of interest in these 220 pages. But, no need to rush out and buy it. That's what I'm here for.

The plan. Each day this week we will do something interactive based on readings in Ryan's book. Then, a few times a month, for the rest of the year, I will do follow-up segments to address the more than forty other interesting points she makes. In fact, you will know we are doing follow up each time you see the great looking logo (designed by Cheryl) at the top of the post. If you are a willing partner and have an interest in shining, I know you will get something from out time together.

Let's begin.

Soul resolutions. Ryan maintains resolutions such as, " lose ten pounds by June", "live a more balanced life", or "learn to play the guitar" are doomed for failure because they are not, at their core, soul resolutions. Soul resolutions are based on saying yes to your deepest longings. Example. Instead of "Lose ten pounds by June," it might be "Care for my body so that I can continue to feel the pleasure of being fit and fully alive as I grow older."

Below is Ryan's suggestion for how to arrive at your soul resolution:

• Write every goal you think you'd like to accomplish in the next twenty years. Write as fast as possible.
• Then write the number of years you want it to take (one, five, ten, or twenty).
• Circle the top four one-year goals that you want the most.
• Write down some things you may need to do that you don't want to in order to make these goals happen.
• Choose the goal that you are willing to do the hard things for.

Bottom line. In the words of Ryan, " What do you care enough about to apply the necessary elbow grease? What do you want badly enough to keep front and center in your life? To make sacrifices of time and energy for?"

Me? I want to write a book.

Later in her book, Ryan suggests naming the year. She maintains that, "by naming the year we give our thinking something to crystallize around, so we increase the likelihood of doing what we intend."

For me, Claudia K. Beeny, 2010 will be the Year of the Book.

Your turn. Take some time. Respond to the four bulleted questions/points listed above. Mull over your answer and then visit us in the comment section to tell us what you intend to name your year.

Change starts here. Yes, it will take time - maybe even 30 minutes. But, you're worth it and the investment you make will make the rest of the week a whole lot more interesting. There are no shortcuts to fulfilling your dreams.

Join the journey.

Signing off until tomorrow...