Paper Piles - The Hopeless Quest

• We can't say we've conquered the paper piles. Truthfully, we don't think that it's a worthwhile goal to have NO papers around. For one thing, we would miss them. If the papers aren't time-sensitive, is it even important to get rid of every pile in your house? What will you write on when you have to take a phone message or make a grocery list? You might get lucky and find an old grocery list that's close enough to what you need now, or an old To-Do List that still applies. Besides, digging out is hard. Maybe you'll never finish. But if you insist on trying - we do have some tips that work when we feel the need to dig out.Set a timer, work for a spell and then take a break. Decide ahead of time what (fun thing) you will do during your break.

• Turn the computer off. Even if you need to do some computer work, you'll lose your focus on the paper piles if you are going back and forth between working on the computer and working on piles. Besides, you may end up checking your Facebook account or your email if you turn the computer on, and your day will be blown to heck. Make a pile of papers that you'll look at when you turn your computer back on.

• Create the category "To Read" - don't get off-task by reading a magazine all afternoon! Put reading material to the side.

• Other categories: To Decide, Garbage, Bills, Time Sensitive Materials. You may want to add more categories but you get the idea.

• Keep the garbage can near your work space, at arm's reach if possible.

If your pile is a stack of magazines that you wanted to read, but you don't have much time, try scanning the table of contents first. Then, select what you are going to read instead of looking at the magazine page by page.