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All clients who have applied my radical approach so far confirm that the unconventional order of the work – first organising, then decluttering (read more about that here) – has made things easier for them.

They successfully dispose of a lot – usually more than 50% – of their physical papers and digital information and data.

Are you curious about the application of the radical paperwork optimisation process in real life?

Let’s have a look at a (very simplified) example:

Imagine you sit in front of a 20-cm-high pile of papers.

Before you sat down to confront the pile, you had already decided what information you considered to be ‘very important’ to you from now on.

(This is a very personal decision that only you can make. For example, I might decide that all the birthday cards I ever received are still very important to me, while you decide that from now on, only the cards from the most recent year are very important to you.)

You are determined to pick only those pieces that meet your various ‘very important’ criteria from the pile and get them organised by storing them in a designated place (Example: All birthday cards will go into a small box.). Anything else will go into the recycle bin.

Now, you take paper after paper in your hands and immediately decide if you will keep it.

Making the decision about each piece of paper is simple (although it’s still not always easy) because you must answer only one question:

‘Is it very important to me now?’

And since you have already clearly defined what’s important in advance, providing the ‘right’ answer is not complicated.

Your paper pile is quickly shrinking. And the recycle bin next to your chair is getting fuller and fuller. 😉

Why my approach prioritises organising over decluttering.

Have you ever sat down and tried to devise a great plan for the next stage of your life – like your retirement life?

A plan that aligns with your passions, interests, skills, capabilities, dreams, and aspirations?

And then you got stuck?

If so, you are definitely not alone.

Designing an inspiring plan for our life or for the next phase of our life is a big challenge for many of us.

Of course, there are many ways to determine what you want to do next.

At the end of this article, you will know more about an additional and quite unusual approach to developing your life plan.

The CHALLENGE of creating a life plan from scratch. And the RISK of creating it solely based on the past.

Many people hesitate to start planning their future because they don’t know how to do it. How to ‘create’ a purpose for the next stage in their lives.

Or they decide to start planning, sit down, and stare at the wall, forcing themselves to make lists or mind maps. They get frustrated because these exercises often feel artificial and/or useless.

Others direct all their attention to their past, hoping their past experiences, actions, successes, ambitions, and preferences will give them the information they need to plan their future.

However, the past can only tell us about our past potential; it doesn’t say much about the possibilities and opportunities the future may offer.

The OPPORTUNITY to use the radical paperwork optimisation process to create an inspiring plan for your life.

Depending on what and how much you have kept over the years, sorting through your paperwork can feel like sorting through your life.

And that can feel challenging!

My suggestion is that you take up the challenge.

Reorganising and decluttering the personal paperwork you have collected over a lifetime can help you better understand the most important person in your life – you – and what this person wants the future to look like.

The BENEFITs of the radical paperwork optimisation process

In a recent article, I presented a list of the beneficial results and outcomes of the Radical Paperwork Optimisation approach.

You can find the introduction to the radical approach HERE and the list of its benefits HERE. ​​

Today, I want to have a closer look at the benefits that the process itself – the organising and decluttering work – offers to you:

The radical paperwork optimisation process helps you leave the past behind and focus on the future.

Sorting through all the paperwork you have collected over a lifetime brings up many memories and emotions, both good and not-so-good.

Making decisions about what you want to keep from the past allows you to acknowledge and appreciate all your life experiences deliberately, the happy and the challenging times, the accomplishments and the failures.

Then, after giving your full attention to all the reminders and leftovers of the past once more, you are now free to let go of what you no longer need and want to leave behind.

You will have a better understanding and stronger appreciation of the person you are now:

your unique strengths and capabilities, specific knowledge and skills, all the precious experiences and insights, and all the other good stuff you gained in the past and definitely want to take along in the present and future.

This allows you to move into the new stage of your life with more lightness. More clarity. And more confidence.

The radical paperwork optimisation process helps you design your future intentionally.

It is not easy to sort through all the paperwork, to focus only on what is very important to you, to select exclusively what is truly relevant to you now, and to decide what is no longer needed.

However, while you force yourself to decide, again and again, what you no longer need and want to leave behind because it is no longer important, you become increasingly aware of what you truly value in your life and what you want to have in your future.

You find it easier to make decisions and create inspiring plans – plans that give your life purpose and direction.

What do you think?

Can you see how radically sorting through your paperwork can help you feel more excited while you are developing plans for the next stage of your life?

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The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Process can help you create and enjoy a better-organised and more relaxed daily life.  

My article series, ‘Radical Paperwork Optimisation and the VIP Directory’, provides you with all the information and tools you need to start and complete the process successfully.

Continue reading HERE.

The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Approach (read more here) is super effective in helping us radically organise our physical and digital paperwork.

It also helps us enjoy a more relaxed life, especially in retirement.

Benefits/outcomes of your Radical Paperwork Optimisation Project

I recommend you invest some time in identifying the specific outcomes and benefits you want to experience at the end of the optimisation journey – before you start your Radical Paperwork Optimisation project.

Knowing where you want to go will help you stay motivated and committed even if the journey takes a bit longer than planned or becomes a bit more uncomfortable than expected.

Consider these potential benefits/outcomes of your Radical Paperwork Optimisation Project:

Mental and emotional relief

By radically focusing on organising the very important paperwork and radically decluttering the no longer relevant paperwork, you will also experience a significant reduction in mental clutter. This approach helps you relieve stress and gain peace of mind, allowing you to enjoy a (more) relaxed retirement life.

Maximised space

Clearing out physical paperwork frees up valuable space in your home, making changes like downsizing or moving into a smaller living space much easier. And reducing clutter on your devices creates digital space and order.

Decluttering no longer relevant paperwork also increases your mental space and capacity.

Efficient use of time

With a downsized and well-organised paperwork system, you will save significant time and energy previously wasted on worrying about or searching for important documents. This efficiency allows you to spend more time on activities you enjoy.

Clarity in important information

Focusing on only what’s very important makes it much easier to distinguish essential documents from non-essential ones. This clarity ensures that you retain only what’s necessary and can quickly access critical information when needed.

Proactive future planning

Organising your paperwork effectively supports better planning and managing life changes, such as downsizing or handling unexpected events. This proactive approach simplifies transitions and ensures you’re better prepared for anything that might come up in the future.

Support for your family in emergencies

Having a radically optimised paperwork system ensures that your family can easily access necessary documents in case you get seriously ill or even die. This reduces their stress and confusion during already challenging times, providing them with a clear roadmap to manage your affairs.

Enhanced enjoyment of the present

By eliminating unnecessary paperwork, you free yourself from being tied to the past. This allows you to fully embrace and enjoy the present and future, engaging in new experiences and activities without distraction.

Regained sense of control

Organising your paperwork efficiently gives you a strong sense of control over your life and affairs. This feeling of being in control brings confidence and peace of mind, making the transition into retirement smoother and more empowering.

Simplified legacy planning

Well-organised paperwork makes creating wills, trusts, and other legacy documents much simpler and more efficient. This helps prevent legal complications and ensures your legacy will be handled according to your wishes.

Increased self-awareness, self-appreciation, self-empowerment

(This is my favourite benefit/outcome. And it often gets ignored or overlooked.)

Organising and decluttering your paperwork in the suggested radical way requires much practical work. It can also be emotionally and mentally challenging.

To get from start to finish, you need to be(come) curious, courageous, compassionate, determined and decisive.

And that’s exactly what makes the whole exercise so valuable. And powerful. And empowering.

It’s not just that your paperwork will be clutterfree and efficiently organised at the end of the process.

Your whole life will be more efficiently organised and less cluttered. You will know exactly what you want in your life – and you will be well-prepared to get it.

I know – this was a long list to go through.🙃

But I didn’t manage to make it shorter because I feel all these benefits are so important.

What about you?

Have you discovered some benefits of a radically optimised paperwork system that haven’t been on your radar before?

Write them down!

Knowing your reasons is so important because it will help you a lot while you organise and declutter your paperwork.

If you are constantly aware of the desired outcomes, you can re-motivate yourself and keep going when things are not so fun.

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The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Process can help you create and enjoy a better-organised and more relaxed daily life.  

My article series, ‘Radical Paperwork Optimisation and the VIP Directory’, provides you with all the information and tools you need to start and complete the process successfully.

Continue reading HERE.

 

Most people I know don’t like their current relationship with their paperwork.

And that’s understandable.

We all have accumulated an enormous amount of physical and digital paperwork over the course of our lives.

And often, it’s not very well organised. It takes up a lot of space in our homes, devices, and minds!

An overabundance of paperwork can cause stress and feel overwhelming.

At any time in our lives. 

I believe it’s particularly problematic and can become a heavy burden in retirement.

Think about the many negative consequences of ‘too much’ personal information in your life:

• • The ‘too much’ contains a lot of clutter, making it difficult to distinguish between what’s important and what’s not.
  • It consumes too much space in your life and mind, leaving less room for new ideas, plans, activities, and experiences.
  • It redirects your attention and energy to the past, preventing you from fully enjoying the present.
  • It complicates planning and managing changes in life circumstances, such as moving or downsizing.
  • It prevents you from being well-prepared in an emergency or life crisis.
  • It intensifies your family’s suffering when something happens to you, such as critical illness or death, and they must take care of your affairs.
  • It creates limiting feelings like insecurity, overwhelm, inadequacy, shame, frustration, or indecisiveness.

Too much and/or disorganised paperwork prevents us from experiencing clarity and lightness. And peace of mind.

What can we do to make it easier to fully enjoy a rich and relaxed life (in retirement)?

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The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Process can help you create and enjoy a better-organised and more relaxed daily life.  

My article series, ‘Radical Paperwork Optimisation and the VIP Directory’, provides you with all the information and tools you need to start and complete the process successfully.

Continue reading HERE.

The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Process is a six-step approach to paperwork management designed to help you gain control of your personal information and achieve peace of mind.

The process emphasises a “radical” focus on what is truly important, aiming to reduce paperwork by at least 50% and organise the remaining essential documents effectively.

An Introduction

The Core Problem: Paperwork Overload and Its Impact on Our Wellbeing

An overabundance of paperwork can become an overwhelming burden at any time in life – and particularly as you transition into retirement.

This burden ‘shows up’ in different ways:

• • Mental and Emotional Clutter: Owning too much and/or disorganised paperwork is linked to stress, anxiety, and a sense of being overwhelmed.
  • Wasted Time and Energy: Locating and managing important documents amidst clutter leads to wasted time and energy, hindering productivity and enjoyment of daily life.
  • Hindered Future Planning: The lack of paperwork and information organisation systems makes it challenging to plan for future events, such as downsizing or managing unexpected circumstances and life events.
  • Additional Burden on Loved Ones: In emergencies, disorganisation can significantly increase the suffering, pain, and overwhelm of family members who –  at an already highly challenging time – need to access crucial information and get the paperwork sorted out.

The Solution: Radical Paperwork Optimisation

The “Radical Paperwork Optimisation Approach” is based on three core principles:

1. 1. Radical Focus: Concentrate solely on information and documents essential for your present and future life.
   2. Radical Organisation: Systematically organise this crucial information in a single, easily accessible location.
   3. Radical Decluttering: Discard everything else that does not meet the criteria ‘important to my present and future life’.

The approach involves six actionable steps:

Step 1: Assess Your Current Relationship with Paperwork

Begin by honestly evaluating your current paperwork situation. The free guide, “7 Questions to Clarify Your Relationship with Personal Paperwork“, provides a practical starting point.

Reflecting on these questions helps you understand your current comfort level, identify areas for improvement, and acknowledge any negative emotions associated with paperwork management.

Step 2: Embrace the Commitment to Radical Change

Acknowledge the need for a significant shift in how you manage paperwork and commit to investing the necessary time and effort.

Identifying the benefits of an organised system—such as reduced stress, increased efficiency, and peace of mind—will fuel your motivation.

Step 3: Create a Comprehensive Paperwork Inventory

Develop a clear picture of your existing paperwork by creating a detailed inventory. This involves:

• • Physical Inventory: Documenting all physical storage locations and the types of documents they contain.
  • Digital Inventory: Listing digital storage locations (computer, cloud, external drives) and the types of files stored in each.

This step provides valuable awareness of the volume and types of paperwork you possess, setting the stage for effective organisation and decluttering.

Step 4: Define Your Criteria for “Very Important” Information

Establish clear criteria to differentiate between essential and non-essential information.

Consider your values, future goals, and the insights gained from the inventory.

This step lays the groundwork for confident decision-making, first during the organising and then later during the decluttering process.

Step 5: Create Your VIP Directory – The Heart of the Optimised Paperwork System

Develop a centralised ‘information collection point’ called the “Very Important Paperwork Directory” (VIP Directory).

This will serve as the primary repository for all crucial documents and information.

• • Organise by Life Areas: Structure the directory based on relevant life areas, such as personal identification, financial information, healthcare, and legacy planning.
  • Physical or Digital: Opt for a physical binder or a digital folder structure based on your preference.

The VIP Directory becomes your go-to resource for essential information, ensuring easy access and peace of mind.

Step 6: Radically Declutter What’s No Longer Relevant

With your VIP Directory established, systematically discard any remaining paperwork or digital information that does not align with your defined criteria.

The goal is to reduce your total paperwork by at least 50%, freeing up physical, digital, and mental space.

Benefits of the Radical Approach: Real-Life Transformations

Testimonials from previous clients highlight the transformative impact of this approach:

• • Increased Space and Clarity: “It’s amazing how much more space I have, both physically and mentally. I no longer spend time searching for information.” (T.M.)
  • Preparedness and Peace of Mind: “My sister was so relieved when I showed her my new organised paperwork system. She knows exactly where everything is.” (M.M.)
  • Freedom and Focus: “I feel I am finally well prepared for my retirement. And I feel lighter. I learned a lot about myself and have built a good relationship with my past.” (J.E.)

Beyond Organisation: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Empowerment

The Radical Paperwork Optimisation process extends beyond mere organisation; it becomes a journey of:

• • Self-Reflection: The act of sorting through a lifetime of paperwork prompts reflection on past experiences, values, and priorities.
  • Intentional Living: Defining criteria for “very important” information encourages conscious choices about what truly matters in life.
  • Empowerment: Taking control of paperwork fosters a sense of capability and agency, and enables you to navigate the complexities of daily life confidently.

By adopting the Radical Paperwork Optimisation approach, you can radically reduce your personal paperwork and simply organise what you need to keep.

You gain order, space, time and peace of mind – knowing that all your important personal information has been taken care of and is organised – in one place.

For a well-organised and relaxed (retirement) life!

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The Radical Paperwork Optimisation Process can help you create and enjoy a better-organised and more relaxed daily life.  

My article series, ‘Radical Paperwork Optimisation and the VIP Directory’, provides you with all the information and tools you need to start and complete the process successfully.

Continue reading HERE.