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By: Jamie Collins
Today, we’re here to discuss productivity and the happy life. They go hand-in-hand, as far as I can tell. If you have productivity and organization, you are happy in your work life. If you don’t, it’s highly likely that you feel the law firm walls starting to close in around you.
A friend of mine once told me about a particular method he likes to utilize at work called “Eat the Frog.” Each day, once he arrives at the office, he determines what the worst project is that he will need to do that day and he “Eats the Frog,” meaning he does the task (to get it over with) and completed. Now, for us as paralegals, it’s not quite that simple. We have so many frogs that you may think you’ve stepped into the Frog Freedom Festival at the Brooklyn Zoo. In some regards, we have limited control over “what” we do because our frogs come with assigned esquires. It’s a bit trickier. While I liked the concept of “Eat the Frog,” I felt it could use some tweaking for our paralegal world. Therefore, for us (the paralegals at large) it shall be considered the “Slay the Dragon” method. Yep. You have at least one dragon which you know must be slayed today and you will slay it. You with me here? You and one dragon each day. True story.
Next, we’ll talk about the desk in your life. Yep, the desk. It’s probably wood, but you can’t readily tell because it’s covered in baskets, file folders, piles, post-its and papers galore. I have to say, I believe the desk’s closest cousin is the closet. Huh? What did she say? Yep, that’s right, I said it, “Your desk’s closest relative is the closet.” What in the world am I talking about? Please allow me to elaborate.
Several weeks ago, I found myself in one of those perpetual, paralegal states of chaos. You know the one! It’s not that there was anything wrong in particular, as there was no full-on crisis (at least not in that moment) and generally speaking, my work world was running along quite smoothly and life was good. Yet, there are those days when we, as paralegals, seem to allow all of the moving pieces that are swirling around in that invisible air in the periphery that surrounds us to start to make their way into our minds, as we type away on that keyboard. That invisible stress shield comes down and there we find ourselves, in a state of “Oh my gosh…where is that paper I need, there are 30,000 projects and deadlines looming right now, I need to do this, I need to do that, how can I get it all done…and why, oh why, does my happy, little, work world suddenly feel chaotic when nothing at all transpired to shift my stress level and precipitate a minor, inner-office, paralegal, panic attack?” You been there? (No need to respond, that was a rhetorical question – if you work in a law firm).
Anyway, there I found myself, at my desk, throughts starting to swirl, brain starting to pound (and no, I wasn’t having a real aneurysm or anything, just a self-induced one, perhaps). My heart began to beat faster – pitter, patter, pitter, patter – much like a jack hammer at a construction site when there’s a $1 million dollar early completion bonus looming and one day left until D-day. That kind of moment. Perhaps you had one recently? If not, perhaps you will.
Now, next door to my office sits another paralegal whose desk is made of wood (you can actually see it). It’s impressively tidy and uber-organized. Now, this isn’t to say my office isn’t immaculately tidy or my desk isn’t organized, because it is. All my co-workers can confirm that my office is a well-decorated and happy place where everything (at least off the desk) is always in its place. In fact, so much so, that they like to annoy me by coming into my happy space and cocking one of my client chairs completely out of place or altering some other happy fixture (in a friendly attempt to irritate me, of course). I always promptly return the item back into its place on my next pass through happy land a/k/a my office. It’s a constant battle between my annoyance and their personal amusement. Perhaps I’m a little bit Type-A, I admit it.
However, with regard to my actual desk, I’ll admit it’s organized in more of a closet fashion. I carry a heavy caseload, so I don’t frequently admire the lovely wood sitting beneath it. I can readily find anything you need in my stacks of papers, but over the years, I failed to realize that my desk was broken. Perhaps yours is too, and you just don’t know it…yet. Today, I’m sharing my story in the hopes that at least one other paralegal out there in paralegal land will take heed of this life-changing, work lesson and feel compelled to revamp his or her desk life to alleviate the “broken.” It can happen. I’m living proof.
So, how was my desk “broken?” Well, having spent the past four years at the same firm, it’s become a whole lot like my closet. That is unfortunate. You know how you continue to keep clothes you just don’t need, won’t wear (some new with tags and other so old it’s like you’re holding onto a dream) and the only real reason you aren’t getting rid of them is because that would require a lot of time, effort, and endurance in sifting, sorting and reorganizing?
Desk = first cousin to the closet. I told you!
My desk was still neatly organized with piles. In my life, it looks a little something like this:
(1) discovery pile
(2) demand pile
(3) medical request pile; and
(4) miscellaneous pile
Besides these, I also have a “what I’m doing today” pile, although I don’t always make it all the way down to the wood because I may be just a wee bit overly optimistic when planning that particular pile. In reality, we could refer to that one as the “go-getter pile.” On the really fun days, I may even have two of those “go-getter” piles, with one cross stacked on top of the other; the “miracle worker, high priority” pile and the regular “go getter” pile. What fun!And then there are the “needs to be signed” and “outgoing mail” piles, in addition. As I stated above, if you need something, I can promptly find it and I generally know where all my stuff is at any given time. However, it wasn’t until that day of person panic that I realized the systems of organization on my desk were broken.
Systems? What systems? I know there used to be systems. Once I started cleaning (and I mean really cleaning) it became readily apparent. I have a 3 tier basket behind me which was basically a fully functioning, dust-bunny collector. Granted, I had some useful items on the bottom two shelves for regular usage, but the top basket? Ha. That was a doozey. I had food coupons which had expired so long ago it was embarrassing, random papers, notes, post its, etc., that I no longer needed, fax confirmations for things so old they were pointless and a multitude of other random, dust-bunny collecting, tree-killing, paper items. (It bears mentioning this was all personal papers, not work papers, which we all love to keep for about 7 years…just to clarify). Other baskets I rarely used or used in a different manner than originally intended. I began to elevate my happiness via the sort and pitch method for about an hour. I re-evaluated each and every tray on my desk to see: (1) if I even used it; (2) if so, if it was being used for its labeled and intended purpose; and (3) if not, what would make more sense for that particular spot? Could I work every dedicated pile into the baskets? Oh yes. You bet I could. Sort and pitch, sort and pitch, sort and pitch. I was on my way to paralegal happiness.
My desk now boasts trays which all serve a very specific and intended purpose, which was clearly determined and set forth, pursuant to the “Slay the Dragon” method. I infused those piles of paper with an assessment of my current reality. Each and every thing now has a place that makes absolute sense for my current work life. Those 6 piles that used to live on my desk just above the striking, cherry, wood-grain desk have made their way into their new, basket homes. Organized? You betcha. Happier paralegal? I’d say “paralegal euphoria” would be a better descriptor! For about the next 14 days that followed, every time I walked into the place, I was doing a personal shout out to myself for my organizational glory and ready to erect a dragon slaying monument in my own honor. It was my desk – and I was taking it back!!
To all of the paper pushers out there, I say, take back your desks!!! Take a closer look at those areas on (or in) your desk that you believe to be a first cousin to your closet. Whether you’re holding onto a price tag or a dream (or even an Arby’s coupon from 2009), the time has come to let…it…go. Dedicate one hour this week (or next) to slaying the dragon, transforming your work space, and getting rid of that wretched, pitter-patter, construction site, jack hammer, heart rate and self-induced aneurysm. It’s time to slay the dragon, my friends.
In case you were wondering: My desk is made of wood and my mind is at peace.
Sincerely,
The Dragon Slayer
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So who’s gonna reclaim their desk? That’s right – take it back – it’s yours! We’d love to hear from you if you’ve had a similar experience or have a confession to make about your closet’s closest cousin, the desk. Just hit that comment button and tell us all about it!
We’ll see you next week, TPSers. Until then, bask in the R&R that comes standard with this most fabulous, upcoming weekend! We’ll see you soon…hopefully, with a dragon slaying sculpture and a cleaner desk.
Ah yes, as paralegals we wear many hats – and apparently suits of armor!!
Working from home adds a layer to the chaos on my desk – I actually have 2 desks; one in my dungeo.., er, basement office and another on my second floor ‘loft’. (it sounds a lot more impressive than it is). I try – emphasis on ‘try’ – to keep work separate from personal. I bring all my mail downstairs to review, sort & shred. Then I create my little stacks for business and pile all the personal stuff to take back upstairs.
I should also add that I have my old dinning room set in my ‘office’ as a ‘work’ table so the stuff I’m fixin’ to work on/file gets relocated to the table. I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t seen the top of the table in awhile and stacks of papers have started to build themselves on my floor.
On the other hand, I have two cats that have assumed responsibility for clearing my desk. They have a knack for knocking the unimportant stuff onto the floor and then turn themselves into paperweights for the stuff I really need.
Jamie, I confess to stacks on my desk as well, even though I have two perfectly good empty shelves in my bookshelves which are just begging for organizational trays, etc. I love the idea of having on my desk only the one thing I am currently working on, but in the legal world, is there ever a time when one is truly only working on one thing? Your dragon slayer post has inspired me to launch my own attack.
I did come to my own epiphany last year about my e-mail system (or lack thereof), and realized how much easier it would be to find recent e-mails if I set up folders for each matter with enough activity to warrant same. I have basked in the glow of effeciency more than a few times since then with my ability to locate a specific e-mail within seconds.
Pamela – your office assistants sound very handy!
Way to acknowledge the beast that is your desk, ladies! It really is a lot like cleaning your house…the more you clean/reorganize, the more you realize needs to be cleaned/reorganized. Then you find yourself in the “trying to fix everything” trenches. I’m guessing (with the exception of a few weird folks out there in paralegal land), if you were to “try” to find a closet-like environment in any paralegal’s office, you most assuredly would. For those who think not or are in denial, I would ask if you would want us looking into the real disaster zone — your desk drawers!! ha ha. You know that fun place where you keep your coveted snacks or hoarded stash of office supplies??? The thing is, we all do a fantastic job at making it appear well-organized (masking the chaos from the unsuspecting people who enter our office) because we are paralegals. That’s what we do; we organize and put on a good face.
Pamela, I can’t even imagine having my piles of papers at home. You aren’t slaying a dragon, my friend, that’s a full-on Kraken! Love the purring paperweights visual.
Ms. Austen, Best of luck on your dragon slaying adventure. I hope to read a future blog post regarding your success!
To the rest of you reading this — take back the desk. Seriously. Best thing you’ll ever do for yourself (short of an all-inclusive trip to Hawaii…I’m still waiting on that one…)
~ Jamie
Personally, I gave up stacks – unless you count the corner of my office that has about 20 files stacked waiting for my attention. You talk about wooden desks, yes, I have one, in fact I have a wooden cradenza behind me as well that holds my computer and printer – by the window that I never get to look out of unless something shocking has happened or I want to see if it is raining before I venture out! I learned a long time ago, I may think I can do 50 things at once but really – honestly, well – I can do maybe 5 and I keep it to that. The remaining 45 – well, they have to wait their turn. I’ll tell you what panics me – the TO DO’s that hauntingly appear in my inter-office e-mail every afternoon around 1:30 to remind me of the things I HAVE TO DO BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY OR THE WORLD WILL END! Now someone please explain to me, why wait until 1:30 to send these little gems? Why not 9:30 when I can handle them without a sheen of sweat to my brow?
Great article as always Chief!!! Where do you get the material? Oh yeah, your own profession, that’s right! ha ha ha
That was a great article. I am definitely going to slay the dragon. So many of your comments hit home. Thanks for giving me new insight.
Jamie, I have ALWAYS been a dragon slayer. It drives me NUTS to have a messy desk. I have always had a huge work load wherever I worked. I loved your article and think it’s a great idea for those who need an extra push and/or incentive to get out there and slay their dragons!! Happy hunting all! It’s so well worth it!!
I loved this article, but I totally agree with Nikki, I hate paper, I can not stand to look at a pleading or correspondence on my desk. Have you ever heard of SCANNING? I am the new paralegal who believes in scanning everything. I still file the hard copy, but a piece of paper will never sit on my desk for 24 hours. I am definitely the ultimate Dragon Slayer.
Jamie, Thanks for the great article. I’m always “slaying dragons” it seems on my desk, but now I’m ready to get more control over those dragons. I would like permission to reprint this article in the Waco Legal Professionals Association newsletter. I’m the editor of the newsletter and feel that this is an article that would be appreciated by all the members. Thanks!
Thanks for your comment, Nancy! You’re very welcome.
Karen, as always, you crack me up, my friend.
Nikki, thanks for offering a word of support to our readers to get out there and become fellow dragon slayers. They could probably use all the help they can get! I know I’ve been working my way through the desk chaos by utilizing the “one drawer” at a time method since beginning this whole adventure, and it’s certainly no short order! 36 soy sauce packets…check! Phone book from 3 years ago…check! (OMG…where did all of this stuff come from??? Really?). I keep waiting for the producers from a paralegal hoarder show to walk down the hall and into my office. Oh yeah – it looks good now! Score one for the paralegal team! If we ever make our way to the closets, it will be a miracle. ha ha.
Brenda, I’d love for you to share the article with your association. I’ll e-mail it to you with the appropriate reprint language included. Thanks for reaching out to inquire. I’m thrilled to share it!
Lastly, I wanted to share a comment that was left on one of the LinkedIn forms in response to this article. It made my whole day! It was posted by “Kelli”:
“I read the article and came up with a plan to clear my desk. I have three trays now – “Slay the Dragon” (stuff to do immediately) “Feed the Dragon” (stuff to do by end of week) and “Humor the Dragon” stuff to follow up on. I must stay, I’m worried the dragon will starve as my slaying seems to increase daily!”
Back to me: What a great system! Totally cracks me up, but I can see how it would work. Glad to hear it’s working for my fellow dragon slayer, Kelli!
To all those reading this…have you slayed the dragon? What are you waiting for? If it’s a personal invitation, it’s your luck day!
To: You
From: The Paralegal Society
What: Clean your desk and slay the dragon!
When: 1 hour this week, and repeating regularly, until said dragon slaying has been fully-executed!
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