Tag: documents

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Things Change

My prior post focused on keeping track of documents in order to lessen worry and confusion, especially when the documents are critical and you’re in a hurry. But anyone who has dealt with the long-term maintenance of documents knows there is another type of confusion that occurs when the document doesn’t match your memory or the authors prior stated intention. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about an unauthorized revision. I’m talking about an authentic last version of the document which doesn’t match your, or someone else’s recollection. This can create a whole lot of unnecessary confusion and anxiety. Trust me, this can even happen when you’re the one who made the changes (and can’t remember why).

There is another document that I recommend but don’t write about often enough, the Master Log. The log contains a record of revisions to the document, including thoughts and rationale for the changes. This short document, kept with the original copy of the document, will explain what the author was thinking when the changes were made. This can go a long way to alleviating any ill-conceived notions about the authors intentions. Especially when the author is no longer available to explain it themselves. I have witnessed the runaway train of thoughts that can occur when a will is unclear in its intent. Why not take this simple step to preclude this from happening.

For more information on how to use this, and other stress preventing documents, is available in my book, First Steps For Success is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RQZJ2VD.

Thanks for reading. Please like and share with those who may benefit from this information!
And remember to take the next step.
Mitch

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On the Record

As every parent knows, the start of every school year is filled with a list of tasks which must be completed before classes begin. Of these tasks, the one that gave me the most anxiety, was coming up with the immunization records. We had moved quite a few times, so no individual doctor had a complete set of records. I always managed to find those little immunization record books. But not without an undue amount of stress. Now, imagine if you had to provide a complete set of medical records, and time was critical.

This same scenario can also apply to financial or legal paperwork in an emergency situation, medical or otherwise. It’s easy to forget a documents location. Whether it’s paper or electronic, once it’s placed in a “safe” location, our brains automatically quit tracking it, and move on to whatever concerns are most pressing.

In my book, First Steps For Success, I discuss the creation of a Master Index. This document is a single location to list and track the critical documents for your household. The Index can also be used to capture metadata related to a document such as persons, companies, or related documents. The book also discusses different types of documents and how they may be applicable to your home. Of course, it takes a few steps to do the initial setup for your existing documents, but you’ll find that knowing where your important information is kept and having a quick place to record the location of future documents, will save both time and anxiety in the future. First Steps For Success is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RQZJ2VD.

Thanks for reading. Please like and share with those who may benefit from this information!
And remember to take the next step.
Mitch

PS. It seems as though Facebook has possibly changed its algorithms which determine who sees these posts. Please help me reach as many people as possible by liking and sharing this content. This will also let me know if the posts are reaching my readers. Thanks again!