Reply To: Setting up desk space

[kc5jck]

Good to see you back for a post, Tiddler.  I’ve been wondering how you’ve been.  I can relate to your problem.

As I try to remember how it was some thirty years ago when I worked for a company, I think that I went around visiting with other employees until the last moment I could do so and still meet the deadline with a marathon hyperfocus effort.

I tend to be visual, so anything that needs to be done needs to be where I can see it  I also am one who has organized clutter.  That is to the casual observer, the room, office, kitchen, etc. looks like a mess . . . but I know where everything is and am usually able to find what I need quickly.  If I were to let someone organize things for me, I wouldn’t be able to find things any more.

There have been times though when I have hovered over a small area for quite some time before finding what I’m after.  Sometimes going off to search elsewhere, but always returning to the same place before being successful.

And when I go to put something in it’s place, I think, “Now where is the first place I will look for this the next time I need it.”  Note: This is usually different from putting it in a place where “it belongs” or where you will “remember where you put it” because as you know, you never remember where you put things.

There are several things I have found useful which I’ll pass along.

1.  I have a microsoft word file on my windows desktop where I keep a to do list.  It’s easily accessible and I can add and delete items as I think of them or I get them done.  Similarly, I have a spreadsheet with months across the top and bills and expenses down the left ordered by due date.  As The bill is paid, I fill in the amount.  This way, I can see what has and hasn’t been paid.  I have monthly reminders on my iPhone to alert me on critical items.

2. Recently I have numbered some file folders 1-5, representing each of the Fridays in a month, 5 being the fifth Friday or the last day of the month.  This seems to be working well for me as follows.  When I go through my mail sorting bills and other paperwork, I’ll put the stuff into one of the folders.  (Its a way of organized procrastinating.)  So during the first week of the month, the items in the folder 1 need to be done by the first Friday . . . or at least before the second one.  That folder goes to the back and #2 is now next in line with things needing done on or before the second Friday.  This has worked well in sorting the workload (and mail) by week and gets it off my desk.

3. I have a Neat Receipts scanner that I can scan documents and file them on the hard drive with Windows Explorer.  Using this, I can organize a multilevel file system and find things easily except in the cases where I don’t remember how I filed the thing.  Then, I can use the search feature of Windows Explorer to try to locate the document for me.  This also allows me to have all my documents with me on my laptop.  Something I couldn’t do otherwise.

Much of my stuff is accounting records.  All the stuff I’m working on this year is in a folder named “2013.”  Stuff from last year is in folder “2012”, etc.

4. Get a cup for your pencils and pens.

5. If you work on a computer, get a second monitor to be used in addition to the first.  I added a second one after seeing my daughter using two.  I would feel like I have one arm tied behind my back now without it.

REPORT ABUSE