As the publishers of Association News magazine, we’re constantly touting the value of membership in associations. The latest research report from The William E. Smith Institute for Association Research indicates that, on average, association members earn higher salaries, like their jobs more and are happier people than those who do not join associations.

While the findings initially seem to read like a member recruitment brochure, the report actually interprets the data as indicating reverse causation. It’s not association membership that makes a person successful. It’s being successful that leads a person to join an association. Regardless, the study’s greatest value may be in helping association executives understand what it is high-quality prospective members are looking for when they join an association. Click here to receive a copy of the complete report.

Though I rarely admit it, I’m old enough to remember a time when you could visit someone’s office and not see a computer on every desk. So I’m also old enough to recall that computers were supposed to lead to paperless office environments. Instead, the reality—judging by my own desk and the desks of many of my colleagues—is that paper clutter is just as bad as it’s always been. If it’s your New Year’s resolution to keep your desktop clear, professional organizer Christi Youd—author of “Organize Your Office for Success”—offers the following six tips for de-cluttering your workspace:

1. Create a “home” for your active paperwork. Youd says many people rely on an “inbox” for active paperwork, and that’s one of the biggest mistakes when it comes to de-cluttering. An inbox inherently lends itself to inaction. A better solution, says Youd, is to have a work-processing system in your desk file drawer.

2. Prepare your file drawers. Before you start filing the rest of your papers, Youd suggests you need to put an efficient filing system in place. According to Youd, for a filing system to be easily maintained, it’s necessary to keep it extremely simple.

3. Create individual files. Youd suggests that within each of your five broad categories you should create individual file folders. Realize that it’s better to have fewer files with broader headings than many specific files.

4. Insist on proper file placement. Don’t fall into the trap of complicating your filing system by using file folders with multi-cut tabs. Anything that complicates your system creates the tendency to set papers aside rather than filing them.

5. Speed sort through the de-cluttering process. As you handle each piece of paper, Youd suggests asking the following questions: Can I discard this yet? Can I delegate this? Can I handle this in 60 seconds or less? (If the answer is yes, then do so.) Youd suggests checking with your accountant and attorney on the documents you are required by law to save.

6. Insist on maintaining a proper fit inside your file drawers. You should be able to open your file drawer, open the file, insert a paper, and close the drawer using only one hand. If you need two hands to file, the process becomes a bother and you tend to procrastinate.

According to Youd, a clutter-free desk helps reduce stress and increase concentration, which ultimately leads to increased productivity. Youd can be reached at (801) 756-3382 and offers more organizational tips on her company’s Web site at www.OrganizeEnterprise.com.