Seriously, this is just a different way of living and I suspect I'm a lone voice. But I really feel that the second you decide to keep paper is the second the paper wins. Scan it... with your phone instead of a bulky scanner. And the second you decide to have a desk, a desktop computer, a monitor, printer and shredder is the second you decide to have a mess. Use a laptop and a table if you need a flat surface, stick the wireless printer on a shelf, preferably in a closet with an outlet. And why do you have a printer anyway? To feed the shredder? ☺️ Clean up the project end of day and put the everything in a drawer or on a shelf. How did I become this crazy person? During the pandemic I was forced out of my office so other people could work in labs. But my work required me to be on site, so no teleworking for me. Yet there was no let-up on the demands, in fact the growing staff shortage increased my work load. And then people with nothing to do started getting lonely and scheduling Zoom meetings and Team meetings. I learned that all I really needed was a laptop, power source, and internet. Sometimes I spent all day with my laptop plugged into a vehicle parked near a hot spot. No, I didn't enjoy it, but I decided an office was totally unnecessary. I did have our telecommunications guy installed ethernet in a couple of our buildings because the vehicle thing was a bit much, but I only use my old office now when dignitaries visit. It's all for show, and I am gradually getting rid of everything in it. If you are not as crazy as I am, take comfort in knowing that anything in your "office" that you don't like the look of can be replaced by something beautiful or eliminated.
Kl23, you are no doubt a unique voice, but I am really glad you shared your perspective. I will never be able to do it as extremely as you, but I am inspired nonetheless!
I’ve avoided going totally paperless with bills because I was afraid I’d lose track of things - i.e. not remembering to pay them on time if not sitting on my desk as a reminder or wanting to have them to go back to when I am trying to budget for the next year. But hey - lightbulb moment - I can create a folder in my inbox for paid bills. So I’ll know they’ve been paid when no longer in my inbox and they’ll be accessible if I need to check them. Not revolutionary but helpful, so thank you! And then maybe I’ll just keep moving in that direction.
And I hear you on working from a car during the pandemic. I spent the first 15 months working from my car in my garage!
Scanning and filing and hiding stuff away in drawers and pretty boxes all takes time too. The world is not as simple as some of these commenters suggest, at least my world isn't. I am very efficient and neat, but I am working on many projects at once, from different parts of my life, and it is impossible to do them all without physical traces. I tried pretty boxes for a while but only ended up forgetting about what was there, sometimes to my regret. In my opinion, a real office (as opposed to a table where one pays a few bills that aren't already on autopay, is going to have some piles in view. Keep them as neat as you can, but don't stress over having everything out of sight. You still have to do this work. Be grateful that you are being of service in so many ways. On the other hand, keep your other rooms "picked up" continually and enjoy the "joy" of zen there.
Seriously, this is just a different way of living and I suspect I'm a lone voice. But I really feel that the second you decide to keep paper is the second the paper wins. Scan it... with your phone instead of a bulky scanner. And the second you decide to have a desk, a desktop computer, a monitor, printer and shredder is the second you decide to have a mess. Use a laptop and a table if you need a flat surface, stick the wireless printer on a shelf, preferably in a closet with an outlet. And why do you have a printer anyway? To feed the shredder? ☺️ Clean up the project end of day and put the everything in a drawer or on a shelf.
How did I become this crazy person? During the pandemic I was forced out of my office so other people could work in labs. But my work required me to be on site, so no teleworking for me. Yet there was no let-up on the demands, in fact the growing staff shortage increased my work load. And then people with nothing to do started getting lonely and scheduling Zoom meetings and Team meetings. I learned that all I really needed was a laptop, power source, and internet. Sometimes I spent all day with my laptop plugged into a vehicle parked near a hot spot. No, I didn't enjoy it, but I decided an office was totally unnecessary. I did have our telecommunications guy installed ethernet in a couple of our buildings because the vehicle thing was a bit much, but I only use my old office now when dignitaries visit. It's all for show, and I am gradually getting rid of everything in it.
If you are not as crazy as I am, take comfort in knowing that anything in your "office" that you don't like the look of can be replaced by something beautiful or eliminated.
Kl23, you are no doubt a unique voice, but I am really glad you shared your perspective. I will never be able to do it as extremely as you, but I am inspired nonetheless!
I’ve avoided going totally paperless with bills because I was afraid I’d lose track of things - i.e. not remembering to pay them on time if not sitting on my desk as a reminder or wanting to have them to go back to when I am trying to budget for the next year. But hey - lightbulb moment - I can create a folder in my inbox for paid bills. So I’ll know they’ve been paid when no longer in my inbox and they’ll be accessible if I need to check them. Not revolutionary but helpful, so thank you! And then maybe I’ll just keep moving in that direction.
And I hear you on working from a car during the pandemic. I spent the first 15 months working from my car in my garage!
Scanning and filing and hiding stuff away in drawers and pretty boxes all takes time too. The world is not as simple as some of these commenters suggest, at least my world isn't. I am very efficient and neat, but I am working on many projects at once, from different parts of my life, and it is impossible to do them all without physical traces. I tried pretty boxes for a while but only ended up forgetting about what was there, sometimes to my regret. In my opinion, a real office (as opposed to a table where one pays a few bills that aren't already on autopay, is going to have some piles in view. Keep them as neat as you can, but don't stress over having everything out of sight. You still have to do this work. Be grateful that you are being of service in so many ways. On the other hand, keep your other rooms "picked up" continually and enjoy the "joy" of zen there.