Nowadays, more companies are trying to go paperless. As we try to be more environmentally conscious, we should take the matter of paper usage into consideration. Approximately, 2.47 million trees are cut down everyday for producing paper. Going paperless is not only environmentally friendly, it has a lot of perks as well. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. The process will take on gradually and you might even run out of patience, but think about the impact you’ll be making on your local landfill. Below is a list of habits that will tell you how to go paperless.
Work on the cloud
Thanks to the existence of technology, now you can create, store and share every kind of document on the cloud. Almost everything has a mobile version now, starting from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. Your work will be stored there and it will be easy to share it with a multiple number of people, anywhere in the world. Cloud storage allows you to look for files in a few seconds so that you will not have to do it the old fashioned way of going through old, dusty files in a cabinet. Moreover, going paperless means you have one less thing to worry about when you’re shifting your home to a new location or relocating your office because you will not have to worry about losing any important documents.
Opt for a digital scanner
Making digital copies have never been easier. Keeping a scanner in your office may just be the solution to all your problems. Nowadays, smartphones come in with built-in scanning apps and if you don’t have one already, you can download one now and scan on the go! This is undoubtedly one of the pros of going paperless because you never know when you need an important document or the soft copy of your picture. One of the best things about how to go paperless is the easy accessibility that comes with it. Since you don’t have to carry actual papers, you have to upload everything on the cloud or have them on any device through which you can share documents easily. Organize your home office for maximum productivity by including a scanner on your desk.
Think about mobile banking
Nowadays, most banks are mobile banking friendly. You can get credit and debit cards, pay bills via apps, etc. Overall, the billing system has become much easier. Receive electronic statements via email instead of tons of paper every month.
Moreover, you can now receive catalogs and magazines via email as well. Why bother piling up stacks of paper every month when you will not even go through them? It’s easier to get daily notifications on your phone anyways which is one of the pros of going paperless.
Attend paperless meetings
This is one of the easiest habits you can take on if you’re thinking of how to go paperless. Instead of handling out big stacks of binders and notes, you can go to a meeting with slides of your own and share it with your colleagues afterwards. This way, it’s a faster way of accessing valuable data and you will not be wasting paper that no one is probably not going to need after a few days. However, if the documents are important, you may have a hard copy of it if it’s absolutely necessary.
Digitize your signature
If you’re thinking about how to go paperless, this habit will save you a lot of time. There are many documents that need your approval. That doesn’t mean you should have to wait for a few days and get the hard copies when you can just sign them now. Digitizing signatures will help you fasten up processes that’d otherwise have to wait. You can easily reduce the amount of your paper waste and space by having a digitized image of your signature on an electronic device that you can attach with documents.
Replace actual books with eBooks
One of the best ways to go paperless is to exchange your paperbacks with eBooks. While most avid readers love the feel and smell of a book, replacing books with a Kindle or eBooks will not only save paper, but also save space and money. You can download PDF versions of books on the internet free of cost. Gone are the days when you’d have to carry books in a bag. Now you can read that bestselling book you’ve been meaning to read for months on your phone, anytime and anywhere.
Evaluate your overall paper use
We use tissues, wet tissues, and paper towels on a regular basis. The consumption of these things are majorly reducing the number of trees every day. One of the best ways to go paperless is to buy recyclable tissue paper and getting reusable fabrics like rags instead of paper towels. These small changes will add up to to reducing your overall paper usage.
What did you think of our list of habits on how to go paperless? Let us know in the comment section below!
