Formal filing or organizational systems can be overrated. Sometimes, putting things in piles works just as well.
Three examples come to mind:
- I have piles of articles, media links, and resources that I will use in future classes. Rather than spend the time carefully putting them with materials for the correct week or scanning and uploading them right away, I put them in a stack marked just with the class number. When it comes time to teach that course again, I have a wealth of current information ready to go.
- Author Dan Pink does a similar thing when preparing to write (or considering) a new book. Over a period of time, he collects relevant resources and research and puts them in a box — only to be sorted and evaluated if the project comes to fruition.
- I had a client who needed a system that worked for her, and filing things away wasn’t an option, as “out of sight, out of mind.” So, she cleared her credenza and created her own system of piles — allowing her to be organized, prioritized, and have a desk free of distractions.
Fancy folders, typed labels, and hanging tabs may work to keep track of some paperwork, but if it doesn’t fit your style — don’t fight it. Instead of letting paper accumulate until you can “get to” the perfect system, embrace the “pile method” instead and keep yourself organized in a way that works for you.
