Do you use a different system for storing information in your smartphone, paper, computer, and e-mail files?
If so, a better method is to use the same information storage system everywhere. Start with your computer. Use only one directory where you store your files such as My Documents in Windows Explorer, or a shared drive. Create a list of twelve or fewer Support Categories, storing all electronic files under these Categories.
Next, use the same Category names to set up your paper system. (With paper files, assign a color for each Category, such as blue for Forms. A good way to remember the Category color is to tie it into something with which you associate that color, such as “I become depressed and blue when I fill out Forms.”)
Use either Windows Explorer, Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, etc. as the primary place to store your files.
In some cases you may want to have both paper and electronic copies. Some examples would be:
a. You don’t want to print out frequently used files, such as forms or brochures, every time you need one so you have a bunch in a hanging folder.
b. You don’t have a scanner or printer to scan in the sheets.
The total number of systems needed is just one.
© Greg Vetter 2017. All rights reserved
