“My life is going in a great direction, but . . .“ my coachee hesitated, “I’m not so good with the paperwork. My desk is a cluttered mess.”
What a common challenge! Three-quarters of my coaching clients voice the same despair. The papers get ahead of them. And before they can tend to one, another arrives. Pretty soon it’s a landslide.
Unfortunately , , , me too!
I’m a hard copy gal.
My paper clutter is not financial documents or bills to be paid. It’s informational. I’m addicted to collecting information. And I save it all because I know I’ll use it some day. Some Day.
If I see something on the internet that I find interesting or that I might use for my coaching clients, I print it out. I know, I know, that’s what the electronic filing system is all about. But I like to take real papers out on the porch with my yellow highlighter and red pen for comments. I like the feel of the paper. I like to write in the margins.
Two weeks ago I took every single paper off my desk and moved it all to the kitchen. It was a large stack.Very Large Stack. One by one I sorted and marked each paper with a title. Then I grouped the papers in categories and marked those stacks with Post Its.
Just like the organizers teach.
I stood and stared at the dozen-plus stacks. And stared. And stared. Oh dear.
I poured some iced tea and sat on my porch watching strong men doing hard work building a house across the street with hammers and nails and boards. Who files their paperwork, I wondered? I sat with my back to the kitchen. That way, I couldn’t see the stimagesacks that waited.
First thing the next morning I determined to “get right to those papers.”
But first. . . but first . . . I wrote two thank you notes, cleaned the space under the kitchen sink, checked my e-mail, refilled the hummingbird feeders and did some ironing. I suspect you know the drill.
Perhaps I’m preaching to the choir.
My challenge was to get those stacks filed and secure somewhere. Somewhere else that did not include moving them all to the laundry room. Though that was my backup plan if a house fire didn’t come first.
If I see something on the internet that I find interesting or that I might use for my coaching clients, I print it out. I know, I know, that’s what the electronic filing system is all about. But I like to take real papers out on the porch with my yellow highlighter and red pen for comments. I like the feel of the paper. I like to write in the margins.
Hey! I never said I was a “Paper Coach.”
My speciality is partnering with mid-life, mid-career women who, having launched their children are ready to launch themselves. No stalling at mid-life. My clients say our work together is helpful, positive, forward thinking and strength-based. Call me if you want to create a life and a legacy that you’re excited to step into.
If, however, you want Paper Coaching, the web will offer you 210,000 articles in 0.53 seconds.
And maybe I’ll check out a great new book called, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo. Apparently it’s the new bible of decluttering. I’ll keep you posted.
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