Taking my own advice, I purged my pending file yesterday. For those who need reminding, a pending file helps clear your desk by being a repository for event fliers, tickets, and other items you have calendared [use a [p] after the event in your calendar as a reminder that more info is in your pending folder] . It’s also where you keep temporarily needed info, such as the return form on something you’ve mail-ordered, and a holding file for things on which you are waiting to hear back. It is NOT a place to dump things you have not taken some action on.
The idea is that you look through the file once a week [or when you pull out some needed piece of info] and pull out what is no longer needed, or remind yourself of something that needs follow -up [see below]. Still, it’s easy to just glance at the top pieces of paper, allowing some build-up to occur over time.
During my purge, I:
- found a prescription reminding me to make a mammogram appointment
- found documentation on a class action refund request I had submitted over a year ago. This prompted me to check the listed website to see why the check had not arrived
- threw away quite of bit of no longer needed info
My doctor will be pleased to know I now have a mammogram scheduled for next week. As to the refund . . . “It’s in the mail”.
I also have a pending folder in my email – I identify calendared items with info in this folder with an [ep].
If you already have a pending folder, take 10 minutes now to clean it out. If you don’t, create one (either for paper or in your email system) now!
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