The 6-Month Rule

Some people think they'll regret getting rid of papers and wished they'd kept some of it.

You can create a holding box: put papers in that box for six months—or even a year, if you're really worried—and see if you ever need to retrieve anything from that box. If you don't, get rid of...

We often hold on to things just in case we need them: We don’t let go because we might need something in some far-off, nonexistent, hypothetical future.

We needn’t hold on to these things just in case : We rarely use our jus...

• If you get turned down, ask what you need to do to improve. "Get as much specific feedback as possible so you can figure out what steps you need to take to get to the next level,"
• Put something on the calendar for a few months out. Ask to revisit t...