When you stop to think about how much time you waste (lose) searching for things, and the amount of stress it causes, you will understand the value of taking the time to get things organized. You will gain back the time you spent getting organized in no time, and you will save lots more time and stress on top of that!
These days we all spend a lot of time on the computer. How many times have you wasted valuable time looking for documents that you know are on your computer, somewhere?
It is important to set up your electronic filing systems for your email and documents in the same way that you have set up your paper filing system. Then your thought process for filing and retrieving information will be the same whether it is a paper or electronic file that you are looking for.
◦ Create main folders. Try to group things you do into categories. The categories will then be used as the main folder names. These categories might be included in a lenders filing system – refinances, new home loans, etc.
◦ Create subfolders within each main folder. Within each category there are bound to be subcategories. Create a subfolder for each subcategory. These subfolders might consist of each client who is refinancing, getting a new home loan, etc.
◦ Don’t get carried away. Just like with any other filing system you are setting up, don’t make it too complicated. Too many files or folders is more of a hindrance than it is a help.