Self Help

How do you handle the mail? Well of course you must open it first, but then handle it only once if possible. By refining a distribution system, you can easily know where each piece of mail will go and thus cut down on the paper shuffle. When you open a piece of mail that is a bill and that doesn’t require immediate action, put it in the action file for pending bills.

Always open bills. There may be some items that need immediate attention or someone else may have used your phone or credit card.

Put magazines in the place you have agreed upon. Newsletters from church, professional organizations, schools, clubs, etc. need to be processed as soon as possible. A calendar will help you eliminate much of this paper if you write down meetings, appointments, and commitments as they come to your attention. Include details of who, where, when, what you need to take, and directions for getting there. Toss out the paper if you dare. If not, put it in your pending box (wait-and-see) until the uncertainty is past.

Naturally, there are some pieces of mail you can toss out without hesitation - things you have no interest in, you won’t need, or that can easily be replaced. Get it out of your life immediately so you don’t have to deal with it again.

When it comes to the incoming mail that is addressed to other household members - do you leave it on the stereo? On the side table? Ask each individual where his or her incoming mail should go. Where will they see it? Some may want it on their bed or desk, or perhaps they have an “in” box.

The hardest pieces of mail to deal with are those that need to be reviewed by several people. This is the kind of clutter that stays on the table for days until someone takes control and can get everyone to say they have read it and make a decision. This is where you need a more sophisticated form of inner communication. Some families take care of such business at dinner or breakfast. Others have a formal family planning meeting.

Another option is to use a variety of written messages to advance the paper race. As each interested person finishes with a letter, magazine, or newsletter, a simple notation is made in the corner, “finished by Mike” and it is passed on to the next person.

If business offices use memos to save time and reinforce a message, why not use this strategy at home? Self-sticking notes are fun and effective. Attach one: “Bob, you may find this article interesting,” or, “I can’t go to this meeting at school, can you?” (Initial and note date). Newsletters from work, church, and school keep circulating because no one is sure if everyone has read it. Notes can prevent this.

Another technique is to use the refrigerator or a bulletin board by the phone for pending items and immediate reminders. The kitchen seems to be a favorite spot. If it works, use it.

Handling the mail is more than bringing it in from the mailbox. It involves everything from junk to legally binding documents. It pays to set up a simple program for sorting, delivery, and taking action.