It is amazing that we are so habitually programmed into doing something and yet we do it for one aspect of life and completely ignore it in another. How often do we forget taking the trash out of our house when we know that trash collection days are let’s say Tuesdays and Fridays? And if we do forget!? It STINKS right? So knowing the consequences we have programmed ourselves to make sure that our trash cans are sitting out on trash collection days without fail. Even our own body is programmed to function that way! Daily intake into our body and daily we take the trash out. Imagine not taking the trash out there! I am scared to even think about the consequences.
So why can’t we program ourselves to just take the trash out in our professional world of working with information? We create so much information so fast that soon it turns into ROT (Get it!! Redundant, Outdated, Transitory). Soon it starts STINKING within our file shares and repositories and even within our highly configured ECM systems. Yes! It STINKS but we can’t smell it. However, have we pondered on the consequences of not taking this trash out? There innumerable examples in this world where such information has led to sanctions, fines, bankruptcy’s and more. So why not program ourselves to just take the trash out regularly? Emails, Files, Documents, Images… Why can’t we set trash collection days within our organization? Depending on the volume of information created by each individual how easy it will become to just put your trash out there every week or twice a week or even daily? Then let the Records Coordinators, Records Managers, Information Governance guys come pick it up, take a quick look at it to make sure it is indeed trash and POOF!!! OFF it goes! DONE. With just a click of a button and without much physical effort.
Sometimes people argue that I don’t know what can be deleted. Please! How much thought process do we put into while taking trash out of our house. How many times have you regretted it? The same principle applies here. Plus, rest assure that the trash you are putting out there is being examined by someone before it is gone gone. So why not start doing it and if you run into a pattern where some trash ends up coming back in, you will be notified and educated. Over a period of time it will be the easiest thing to do for you without putting much effort. I’d love to see company's setup digital trash days weekly or twice a week just like waste management comes to pick up trash at our houses. Office door to office door, everyone setting up their digital trash bins to be collected twice a week. Imagine the world of clean information! Why pay millions later when you can do it for practically nothing right now?