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A Deep Dive into Radical Paperwork Optimisation

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. 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!

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.

Intentional Living: What do you want to care about? And what do you not want to care about?

Intentional Living in Retirement: Choosing What Truly Matters

The transition into retirement offers a unique opportunity to redefine our values and priorities.

We can decide who we want to be in this new stage of our life, how we want to show up, and where to focus our care and attention.

There’s no shortage of things that might draw our concern. We notice countless areas in ourselves, our lives, and the world around us that we’d like to improve, change, or act on.

However, we must recognize our limits. Our time, energy, and resources are finite, and attempting to care about everything can lead to disappointment, exhaustion, and even burnout.

Instead, retirement offers a chance to thoughtfully limit what we care about, focusing on what aligns most with our values and goals.

Consider this question: What am I no longer willing to care about?

This simple exercise and a real-life example will guide you in redefining your priorities.

#1 – Make a list of all areas of your life.

Example:   Relationships, work, home, fitness and health, finances, personal interests and hobbies, etc.

#2 – Choose the area you want to focus on right now.

Example:   My relationships.

#3 – Pick the one segment of your focus area you care about most.

Example:   My relationship with my mother.

#4 – List all the things you care about regarding that thing.

Example:   What I care about regarding my relationship with my mother:

    • a) She says she is feeling lonely. Should I visit her more often?
    • b) I wish she had a closer relationship with Aunt Mary.
    • c) I am worried about her health. I think she should eat healthier and drink more water.
    • d) I wonder what she is thinking about our recently bought house.
    • e) She is always so impatient with the waiters when I take her out for lunch.
    • f) She wants me to call her daily, which stresses me out.

#5 – Go through your list again. Can you discover specific patterns? Categories of things you care about?

Example:   It seems I am thinking a lot about what she might think of me and what she expects of me. And I am worried about her well-being, and in some regards, I am quite judgmental of her.

#6 – Deliberately choose the things you no longer want to care about.

Example:   I am no longer willing to care about what she thinks of me (d, f). I am no longer willing to care about what (I thought) she should or shouldn’t do. (b, e)

#7 – Cross these things out on your list. Promise yourself to cross them out in your mind, too.

Example:

    • a) She says she is feeling lonely. Should I visit her more often?
    • b)  wish she had a closer relationship with Aunt Mary.
    • c) I am worried about her health. I think she should eat healthier and drink more water.
    • d) I wonder what she is thinking about our recently bought house.
    • e) She is always so impatient with the waiters when I take her out for dinner.
    • f) She wants me to call her daily, which stresses me out.

#8 – Now, look at what remains on your list. These are the things you want to care about. How do you want to do that?

Are you taking care of them in the best possible way already? Is there any room for improvement? Write down what you want to change.

Example:

    • a) I care about her well-being. And although I know that I’m not able to take away her feelings of loneliness, I decide now to visit her twice instead of once each week.
    • c) I accept that I can’t make her eat healthier or drink more. However, I’ll ensure she always has healthy snacks and enough water in her kitchen.

#9 – Finally, based on the decisions made in #8, plan the next action step. And take it.

Example:

    • I will visit my mother tomorrow, and I will bring her some healthy snacks.
    • Whenever I notice that I drift back to my old caring habits, I will remind myself of the only two things I want to care about in my relationship with my mother.

Downsizing: Start your preparation by knocking your ‘Clutter Champions’ off their pedestals

Downsizing to a smaller place is impossible without rigorously ‘downsizing’ your furniture and belongings.

The best—and probably easiest—way to start preparing for your downsizing project is to identify and tackle your ‘clutter champions’.

What Are Clutter Champions?

Clutter champions are the areas and belongings that accumulate over time, serving no real purpose and cluttering your space.

They are the items and areas in your home that:

    • Are ignored and unused
    • Get hidden away (under the bed, in a garage corner)
    • Collect dust or rust

Examples of Clutter Champions

    • Overcrowded spaces like a garage with no room for the car
    • Unused furniture, such as an inherited armchair
    • Books you no longer read or recipe books you never open
    • Piles of untouched papers
    • Old school or work materials
    • Kitchen appliances that don’t match your current habits
    • Dressers filled with out-of-fashion clothes
    • Wardrobes full of clothes that don’t fit or are rarely worn
    • Unused 24-piece cutlery sets from long-ago weddings
    • Etc. 
    • (Can you think of one of your Clutter Champions right away?)

Clutter champions occupy space and weigh us down mentally. They remind us of unfinished tasks and make us feel guilty for not dealing with them.

And, of course, –

Clutter champions don’t deserve a space in your new home!

You must confront your clutter champions and move them out of your home – before you move out.

Action Plan to Defeat Your Clutter Champions

Step 1: Identify Your Clutter Champions

Walk through your home: Open every door and look around each room.

Ask yourself:

    • Are there any clutter champions here?
    • What’s here that doesn’t serve me anymore?
    • What have I not used for ages?
    • What makes me feel ashamed or frustrated?

Be thorough: Look under beds, into cupboards, drawers, and bags. Take photos if that helps to get a clearer picture.

Step 2: List Your Clutter Champions

Create a comprehensive list of all your clutter champions.

Your list might look something like this:

    • Bookshelves in the guest room
    • Storage unit
    • Garden tools in the shed
    • Boxes with Aunt Angie’s dishes in the attic
    • Box with paperwork inherited from Grandpa
    • Lucy’s artwork (under the bed in the guest room)

Step 3: Reflect on Your Clutter Champions

Spend some time understanding each item:

    • What’s the story behind this item?
    • Why did I keep it after it lost its usefulness?
    • How do I feel about having it?
    • How would I feel if it were gone?
    • Am I ready to let it go? Now?

Step 4: Make a Decision

Choose one clutter champion to start with:

‘This is the clutter champion I will clear up first: ……’

Step 5: Take Action

Estimate the time needed: Determine how long it will take to tackle your first clutter champion.

Schedule decluttering sessions: Mark them in your calendar and commit to them.

Do the work: Follow through and create space by letting go of what no longer serves you.

Celebrate the wins: Appreciate and enjoy the space and peace of mind you gained.

By eliminating your clutter champions, you’ll create more physical space and free up mental space.

You will feel more capable and ready to tackle other areas of your home and categories of belongings that need some ‘downsizing’ before you move.

Start tackling your clutter champions today – and transform the beginning of your downsizing project into a positive, empowering experience!

Another important downsizing task:

Your Radical Paperwork Optimisation Project.

The goal is to reduce the physical and digital paperwork you have accumulated over the years by 50% and organise the remaining 50% efficiently and simply. 

The Optimised Paperwork Newsletter will teach you all you need to know about the Radical Paperwork Optimisation approach. 

Join the Optimised paperwork newsletter here

Downsizing – 9 Questions to make the move easier.

Why can it be so hard to get a house ready for downsizing?

There are many reasons – these three are the most relevant for most people:

1. – Downsizing is a major life change.

When we decide to downsize, we are not just changing our physical location.

We are also leaving behind a larger home that holds memories of our past and present lives. The smaller space we move into will initially be unfamiliar – and it will shape our future.

Downsizing is, in essence, a significant life transition.

Continue reading Downsizing – 9 Questions to make the move easier.

Your Daily Life – Simply Organised – Some Inspirations

The purpose of the Simply Organised Newsletter is to make your daily life easier:

The Simply Organised Newsletter is supposed to help you, on an ongoing basis, get things sorted out and organised – so you can gain more time, space, clarity, and energy in your daily life – and more joy.

You can sign up for the Simply Organised Newsletter here.

If you want just some quick inspiration, scroll through these summaries of some of the Simply Organised Newsletter emails: Continue reading Your Daily Life – Simply Organised – Some Inspirations

Your 10-minute Challenges help you get Simply Organised.

The 10-minute Challenge series is part of my weekly Newsletter, ‘Simply Organised.’

I introduced this series after some of my subscribers suggested making the newsletter emails even shorter, less complex, and more practicable.

The purpose of each challenge is to help you organise yourself and your life better.

The challenge could relate to managing your home, your physical paperwork and digital information, your to-do list and calendar, and, of course, to managing your mind/mindset.

The beauty of these 10-minute challenges is their simplicity.

They’re designed to be quick – just 10 minutes! -and easy, allowing you to experiment without investing much time.

You’ll know almost immediately if the suggested exercise is beneficial for you. If it is, incorporate it into your routine. If not, simply move on to the next one.

Continue reading Your 10-minute Challenges help you get Simply Organised.

Your top priorities make it easier to plan and organise your life intentionally.

Living intentionally means that you deliberately decide how you want to live – and what you want to do to create the life you want.

It means that you don’t let life just happen to you and purely react to its circumstances and challenges.

Instead, you actively define what’s important to you and how you want to experience and live your life.

You are well aware of your priorities and proactively make changes that move you toward the life you want to live.

Your priorities give your life direction and guidance.

Planning your life with intention doesn’t have to be an intimidating or overwhelming exercise.

If you regularly check and update your priorities, you are well prepared to act and react confidently when faced with bigger or smaller decisions in everyday life.

Your priorities also direct and guide you when you must manage a significant life challenge:

    • A planned transition like entering retirement, becoming an empty nester, downsizing,
    • or an unexpected event like divorce, the loss of a job, a critical illness, or the death of a loved one.

How do you choose your priorities – and direct your life in the way you want it to go?

Continue reading Your top priorities make it easier to plan and organise your life intentionally.

Your Paperwork Inbox – The fundation of your paperwork management system

Inboxes are a ‘natural’ basic element of all functioning organisational systems.

In all areas of our lives, we find places and containers that act as inboxes, helping us get things done and organise ourselves efficiently.

(Check Article 1 and Article 2 for a quick recap.)

In this series, we focus our attention and discussion on the inboxes that help us organise critical elements of our daily lives – our time, space, paperwork, projects, and tasks efficiently.

Today, we discuss

The paperwork inbox.

Many organisational inboxes allow us to follow our preferences and choose a physical or a digital version.

Like for example, the inbox for our notes. We can choose a physical notebook to collect and organise our notes or use a digital note app.

It’s different with our paperwork inbox. Usually, we can’t decide to have only one paperwork inbox:

Most of us need to keep a physical and a digital inbox:

Continue reading Your Paperwork Inbox – The fundation of your paperwork management system

The 3 rules for a well-functioning inbox

In the first article of this series, I talked about why we need inboxes – if we want to get good at getting things done and organised.

I listed the inboxes that easily come to mind – like our email inbox, our mailbox, and the in-tray in the office.

I also came up with lots of other examples of containers or places that we use as inboxes in various daily life circumstances.  And I talked about the purpose and benefits of inboxes. 

This is a quick summary:

What are inboxes, and what’s their purpose?

Inboxes are temporary storage areas for things that need to get done/organised in the future.

These storage areas

    • offer an easy and quick way to get things out of the way,
    • ensure that individual items don’t get lost,
    • are supposed to store things temporarily,
    • make sorted-away items retrievable,
    • offer quick overviews of pending tasks,
    • help sort and prioritise items.

Today, I want to discuss what we need to do to make an inbox work. We need to follow just a few rules.

Important requirements of a well-functioning inbox.

Continue reading The 3 rules for a well-functioning inbox

Inboxes are the most fundamental elements of a well-organised life.

What’s an inbox?

It is not possible to get properly organised without the support of inboxes. We can’t avoid clutter from building up if we don’t have inboxes or if our inboxes are not well cared for.

Okay, but what is an inbox?

Inboxes are temporary storage areas for things that need to get done/organised.

Let’s have a look at a few examples:

The email inbox is the inbox that typically comes to mind when we talk about inboxes. It’s the easiest and simplest of all inboxes: We don’t have to install/arrange it – as soon as we create an email account, we automatically get an inbox. We also don’t have to personally arrange the inflow of data and information into our inbox, it gets filled up automatically: Any message that anybody decides to send to our email address will end up in the inbox.  

Continue reading Inboxes are the most fundamental elements of a well-organised life.

Living intentionally means that we carefully pay attention to where we put our attention.

Our lives and our experience of life reflect where we spend most of our attention.

The thoughts that we paid the most attention to in the past, the ones we thought most frequently, are the thoughts that have created our current results.

The thoughts we pay most attention to today, those we are thinking most frequently right now, will create our future results.

Our attention is our most powerful resource. And we can intentionally make good use of this resource. We have the power to control where we place our attention.

However, the amount of attention available to us is limited.

At any given moment, we can pay attention to only one thing. Just one.

That’s why it is so important to intentionally decide where we want to put our attention.

Continue reading Living intentionally means that we carefully pay attention to where we put our attention.

The 2-minute rule: If it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it.

The 2-minute rule has been around for a while.

I don’t know who ‘invented’ the 2-minute rule. Maybe it was David Allen who presented it in his book ‘Getting things done’, first published in 2001.

The 2-minute rule is still very popular and most productivity gurus have it in their toolbox.

I like it because it’s so simple and clear, it’s very effective, and it can be applied to things we need to do in all areas of our lives.

The 2-minute rule is a great tool that helps us overcome procrastinating and get small tasks done immediately, whenever they come up.

The 2-minute rule says,

Continue reading The 2-minute rule: If it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it.