Computer files and e-mails you don't need are just as detrimental to your performance and peace as piles of useless papers. Excess computer files crowd the screen, making it harder to find the file you want. Worst of all, they waste disk space.

Your decision whether to save or delete a file can help keep useful info at your fingertips or drag you and your computer down with stuff you don't need. Apply these five W-A-S-T-E questions to every computer file and e-mail you save, and stay as clear electronically as you aim to be in the hard-copy world:

• Is it Worthwhile? Keep an e-mail engaging your services and naming the terms. Toss an Internet joke.
• Will I use the file Again? Keep a handout for a presentation you may repeat. Toss an e-mail you answered or move to the appropriate folder if you need it for record-keeping.
• Can I easily find it Somewhere else? Do you have inactive files with printed copies? Decide whether you want to keep the file in paper or electronic form and toss the other one.
• Will anything happen if I Toss the file? Keep e-mails with relevant information for a current project and documents that can be used again such as form letters. Toss e-mails that pertain to closed projects and previous drafts of a document after it's been submitted or approved.
• Do I need the Entire item? Delete unnecessary information from e-mails: headers, footers, threads, and unimportant portions of the text; then save as a text file.

Remember: Computer files can be archived much more efficiently than paper files — so when in doubt about whether to save something, simply move the file off your hard drive and onto a backup.