Simple Wisdom Tip #33: A Good Filing System is Critical

This may not sound very important but it is. Having a functional filing system that is easy to interact with can will pay huge dividends. David Allen in his best-selling book Getting Things Done, recommends using a simple alphabetical filing system for all one’s files. It should have drawers less than 75% full. Allen contends that your files will either attract you or repel you -- and jammed, messy files are a turn-off. Buy a labeler and begin labels with a noun. Some examples: Use “Reports - 2013”, not “2013 Reports.” Use “Travel - Europe”, not “European Travel” Use “Taxes – 2014”, not “2014 Taxes” Avoid “Articles”, “Issues”, “New Policies” “Miscellaneous”, “Pending”, etc. They’re not clear enough. David Allen’s bottom line: If your filing system isn’t fast, functional, and fun, you’ll resist the whole process. Call us if you want to know more.