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How to organize your cluttered desktop and regain your sanity

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Saved by 16 people (5 private), first by anonymouse user on 2007-05-28


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How to organize your cluttered desktop and regain your sanity

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Setup: Five folders for everything

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will contain all of your documents.

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Create them in your

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“My Documents” folder

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numbered

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“0. Inbox”

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unprocessed items that don’t have a place yet in here.

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software installers

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files sent to you from colleagues

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random text clippings

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his folder must be emptied everyday, at the end of the day.

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“1. Actions”

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items requiring an action that takes more than 2 minutes

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uch as forms to fill out

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files to upload

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“2. Incubate”

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articles you’re thinking of reading, sketches for potential projects, and information about classes you’re thinking about taking.

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“3. Current Projects”

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his folder contains files you’re currently working on as well as reference files for a project. Each project gets it’s own unique folder.

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Once the entire project is complete, move it into “4. Archive”

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4. Archive”

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completed projects, general reference items, and anything else you might want to look at again in here.

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After you’ve created the five folders above, make aliases or shortcuts to them on your desktop.

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Usage: Process, Organize, Review

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Process
Put all files and folders (except the five you’ve just created) on your desktop into the “0. Inbox” folder.

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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.”

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    Organize
    If the file has no immediate action for you to do, you can:

    • 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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    Review
    The most important part of the system is setting up reviews

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    Daily
    Process your “0. Inbox” as often as you like throughout the day, but do it at least twice a day: once around noon and again at day’s end.

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    empty it at the end of the day

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    Weekly
    At the end of the week, move completed projects in “3. Current Projects” into “4. Archive.” Go through your “2. Incubate” folder and decide if you’re ready to act on any of the files, following the steps you would to process your “0. Inbox.”

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    Monthly
    At the end of the month, go through your “5. Archive” folder and prune any files you don’t think you’ll ever need again. Backup your archive to DVD or external hard drive.

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