The Daily Reset: Your 10-Minute Paperwork Taming Routine
A system is only as good as the routine that maintains it. The most effective way to manage the flow of paper is with a daily or, at minimum, a weekly “reset.” A reset point is a scheduled time you dedicate to bringing a system back to its baseline state. It’s not a deep clean or a major organizing project; it’s a quick, consistent tidying habit that prevents small messes from becoming overwhelming problems. For your paperwork, this means a 10-minute session to process everything in your Landing Strip. The key is to make it a non-negotiable part of your day, like brushing your teeth. Anchor it to an existing habit—perhaps right after you finish dinner or just before you shut down your computer for the day.
Here’s what your 10-minute reset looks like in practice. First, bring your Landing Strip tray to your processing station—the spot with your Action/Reference files and your shredder/recycling bin. Set a timer for 10 minutes. This creates a sense of gentle urgency and prevents the task from expanding to fill more time. One by one, pick up each piece of paper. This is where you apply the one-touch rule. As you handle each item, make a swift decision using the “D.A.F.T.” method: Discard, Act, File, or Transfer. Does it have personal information? Shred it. Is it junk mail? Recycle it. Does it require an action? If the action takes less than two minutes (like signing a permission slip or RSVPing online), do it immediately. If it takes longer (like paying a series of bills), place it in your Action folder. Does it need to be kept for your records? Put it in your Reference file. Does it belong to someone else in the household? Transfer it to their designated inbox.
This same reset principle applies to your digital files. Your computer’s desktop and your email inbox are the digital equivalents of a cluttered counter. Schedule a separate 10-minute reset for your digital life. Open your email and apply the one-touch rule: delete, archive, reply (if it takes under two minutes), or move to a “To-Do” folder. Drag stray files from your desktop into their proper folders. The consistency of this ritual is what builds momentum. After just one week of daily resets, you’ll notice that your 10-minute session becomes a 5-minute session. You’ll feel a sense of control and calm knowing that no piece of paper, physical or digital, can overwhelm you. This simple routine is the engine that powers your entire mail organization system, ensuring your surfaces stay clear and your mind stays focused.
