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“0. Inbox”
Put unprocessed items that don’t have a place yet in here. This may be items like software installers you’ve downloaded, files sent to you from colleagues, and random text clippings. I numbered this “0″ to reinforce the idea of it being a temporary folder. This folder must be emptied everyday, at the end of the day.“1. Actions”
Put items requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes in here. This may be items such as forms to fill out, large applications to install and setup, and files to upload.“2. Incubate”
Put items you aren’t yet ready to do or complete in here. These may be articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about classes you’re thinking about taking.“3. Current Projects”
Put files related to active projects in here. This folder contains files you’re currently working on as well as reference files for a project. Each project gets it’s own unique folder. For client projects, I organized each project folder with subfolders that map to phases shown on the project schedule. Once the entire project is complete, move it into “4. Archive”“4. Archive”
Put completed projects, general reference items, and anything else you might want to look at again in here. I have aliases of Mac OS X’s “Music”, “Pictures”, and “Movies” folders in here. I also have an “Archived Projects” folder in here to hold completed projects.
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- Do it.
If it takes less than two minutes, just do it. - Delegate it.
If you’re not the right person to do it, then send it to someone who can. - Defer it. If it takes more than two minutes to do, but it in “2. Actions.” Or if it’s project-related, put it in “3. Current Projects.”
Start by asking yoursefl: can I act on this file? If yes:
- Do it.
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- Trash it, if you don’t need it
- Put it in “2. Incubate,” if you’re not ready to deal with it
- Put it in “4. Archive,” as a reference for later
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empty it at the end of the day
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end of the week, move completed projects in “3. Current Projects” into “4. Archive.
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Go through your “2. Incubate” folder and decide if you’re ready to act on any of the files
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end of the month, go through your “5. Archive” folder and prune any files you don’t think you’ll ever need again.
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Backup your archive
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Mark K"64 Comments
How to organize your cluttered desktop and regain your sanity
Chanpory Rith
Jul 24, 2006
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A cluttered desktop gets cleanI’ve always been known as the messy kid, so it’s no surprise that zillions of random files and folders often litter my desktop. Every time I clear my desktop, it gets congested again a few days later, each icon reminding me how much I suck at organizing. What I lack is a system.
After reading David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, I’ve finally found a system for organization that’s both logical and fun. The book doesn’t give detailed information on how to organize files on the computer, but I’ve adapted his ideas into a system that’s kept my computer desktop pristine. Here’s how I did it:
Setup: Five folders for everything
Five folders to organize all your filesThese folders will contain all of your documents. Once you’ve implemented the system, nothing should touch your desktop again. Create them in your “Documents” folder on the Mac, or your “My Documents” folder on a PC. They’re numbered so that when you arrange the folders by name, they remain in order:
*
“0. Inbox”
Put unprocessed items that don’t have a place yet in here. This may be items like software installers you’ve downloaded, files sent to you from colleagues, and random text clippings. I numbered this “0” to reinforce the idea of it being a temporary folder. This folder must be emptied everyday, at the end of the day.
*
“1. Actions”
Put items requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes in here. This may be items such as forms to fill out, large applications to install and setup, and files to upload.
*
“2. Incubate”
Put items you aren’t yet ready to do or complete in here. These may be articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about classes you’re thinking about taking.
*
“3. Current Projects”
Put files related to active projects in here. This folder contains files you’re currentl -
12 Jun 10
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20 Apr 10
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13 Apr 10
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“0. Inbox”
Put unprocessed items that don’t have a place yet in here. This may be items like software installers you’ve downloaded, files sent to you from colleagues, and random text clippings. I numbered this “0” to reinforce the idea of it being a temporary folder. This folder must be emptied everyday, at the end of the day.“1. Actions”
Put items requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes in here. This may be items such as forms to fill out, large applications to install and setup, and files to upload.“2. Incubate”
Put items you aren’t yet ready to do or complete in here. These may be articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about classes you’re thinking about taking.“3. Current Projects”
Put files related to active projects in here. This folder contains files you’re currently working on as well as reference files for a project. Each project gets it’s own unique folder. For client projects, I organized each project folder with subfolders that map to phases shown on the project schedule. Once the entire project is complete, move it into “4. Archive”“4. Archive”
Put completed projects, general reference items, and anything else you might want to look at again in here. I have aliases of Mac OS X’s “Music”, “Pictures”, and “Movies” folders in here. I also have an “Archived Projects” folder in here to hold completed projects.
Setup: Five folders for everything
These folders will contain all of your documents. Once you’ve implemented the system, nothing should touch your desktop again. Create them in your “Documents” folder on the Mac, or your “My Documents” folder on a PC. They’re numbered so that when you arrange the folders by name, they remain in order: -
Inbox - Red In Progress - Orange Upcoming - Yellow Read/Review - Purple On Hold - Green
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How to organize your cluttered desktop and regain your sanity
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Noah UllmannThis is a great way to organize docs on your desktop using quicksilver and GTD methodolgy
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