How long has it been since you saw your desk? Has your polished mahogany (or pitted Formica) been buried for so long that you can't remember what your desk is made out of?

If so, use these tips to clear yourself some space to work in-and stay on top of your most urgent action items.

"I know I had it here somewhere..." One big reason we can't find information we need when we need is that there's just too much of it. Not just too much coming in, but too much piling up. Resist unnecessary information overload and protect your mind-and your desk-from clutter. Why go through three inches of stuff when you're only looking for one piece of paper?

When you take a piece of paper and you put it somewhere flat, it takes up almost a square foot of space. The instant that you put anything on top of it-Bingo! You're halfway to compost. You're creating a random access office.

On computers, RAM works really well. In humans, most of our memory is in context, so random access is a recipe for disaster.

Having to look through piles of paper steals your time every day. Even worse, while you're looking through those piles, your focus is dissolving. And then you have to get back into what I call work-state or focus in order to do a good job again.

Get it VERTICAL! When you get your paper vertical, you can fit more than two reams of paper into that same one square foot of physical space that just one piece of paper occupies when it's horizontal!

To start with, let's consider an escalating wire sorter, which makes a great visual to-do list with most important things in front. Notice how it "climbs" - so top of each file sticks up above one in front of it.

That means you can see all of contents at once, without having to actually touch any of others. You can use several sorters to improve fingertip access to your information. For example use one each for related People, Projects and Meetings to-dos.

There are many different organizing tools to help you get your paper vertical, and most are available in any office supply store.

Does it really belong on your desk? The only things that live on top of my desk are computer monitor, desk caddy with pens/paperclips etc., my phone and message book, and electric stapler. I strive for nothing else on my desktop unless I'm working on it that day.

In deciding what really belongs on your desk, you need to think: "Frequency of use determines ease of access." If you're not using it that day or every day, put it somewhere farther away from you. Or when a bunch of paper is 'sticking' to your hand, try "The more often I use it -- closer it has to be."

Remove any materials, supplies, etc. that you are not using or actually working on today or tomorrow from your Action Zone. Even if you don't take time to file them now, get them off your desk and out of your way.

Nowhere is line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains' and 'Electronic brains' than when it comes to way people prefer to keep and use their calendars. These scheduling tips will really make your calendar talk to you, whether you use a packaged set, print out a computer calendar because you like paper 'view' for better planning, or you synchronize your Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with your laptop and office computer and it never hits paper.

Time Guidelines Although everyone's situation is different we can learn a lot from CEOs who are running multi-national corporations. Forbes magazine ran a one-page article based on interviews with CEOs and CFOs about their time guideline practices.

Not one scheduled more than 75% of their time, and majority scheduled no more than 65% of their time. So you're looking at no more than 2/3 to 3/4 of their daily time being scheduled. Here are earth-shattering reasons that these world class MBAs came up with for these Time Guidelines.

First, everything takes longer than you think it will. Second, things come up that you've got to deal with right away. (No matter how important what you're working on is.

And Third, he told as an anecdote, "You never walk into a meeting when there are millions of dollars at stake having worked right up until last minute before meeting. Because no-one else in room has." Take a break before important meetings: you'll be more creative.

I share these with you because more I apply these Time Guidelines better my workday goes.

The Buffer Zone Allow one hour in-between any meeting's scheduled finish and your next appointment. If you work with someone who schedules meetings in your absence, explain that you want them to hold this line for everyone except your boss and their boss (or perhaps your spouse).

Leaving/Returning from a Trip If you are returning to work at beginning of business day, schedule no appointments before noon. Give yourself some time to unpack and thoroughly review your voice mail and e-mail. If you return to work mid-day schedule nothing until next morning so you have re-entry time to process action items from your trip or meetings.

The reverse is true if you are leaving on a trip: allow at least a half day to prepare for trip itself, as well as a final review of your in-box and e-mail to make sure there are no 'time bombs' hidden among rest that can wait.

Auto-Response e-mail For every day you will be out of office (or in meetings all darned day again) set up an auto-response e-mail that includes an alternate contact, if appropriate. Even if you're only going to be out for one day, informing every one when you will actually be available, creates more realistic expectations.