[originaltext] Through the years of being an advisor at the university, I’ve

Through the years of being an advisor at the university, I’ve often been requested to give suggestions about how to handle "information anxiety". Now let me give you some advice. First of all, what is "information anxiety"? Well, as you know, we are bombarded daily by books, magazines, newspapers, television, and radio, We are hit with bills, letters, and reports. All of this can cause quite a lot of anxiety. It’s because we are living in the "information age" that we get this bombardment of information everyday. So today let me give you some organizing tips that should make your life easier.
    First of all, when you get your mail, open it and sort it right away. Get rid of all junk inserts, and then sort the mail into four categories: to do, to pay, to read, and to file.
    Be realistic about your reading. Check the magazines you subscribe to on a regular basis. If you find yourself falling behind in your reading, let some of those subscriptions go. And if you are one of those people who like to clip out articles to road later, then do some screening first and be sure to clip only the most important articles for reading later.
    You should have a filing system, but don’t use your files as a dumping ground. Make it a rule to clean out your files and papers at least once a year, more often if possible.
    Spend five or ten minutes each day cleaning up your desk and prioritizing your work for the next day. The following day will get off to a much better start if your desk is organized and you are not faced with overwhelming piles of paper. Don’t use the top of your desk as a storage area. It should be a work area, with plenty of room to work.