I am currently reading the book and I have completed the first two parts of the book. And I am really confuse at tools for filing system. I did not get the idea of how I should I arrange files, after reading the second chapter’s filing part (where david talks about tools you need) everything is looking complex. One of the things that confused was organizer part, where divid talks about organizer. I am 19 year old student and I don’t things like meeting and other discuss in the book. As an student how should I create good filing system that is not to complex yet good for keeping the things. I really need someone to explain the filing tools and how should I use them as student.
Actually, David’s pretty clear about filing systems and what goes in them in his book “Getting Things Done” both editions. As I understand him there are basically two types of files. One type of file has some kind of action attached to it or embedded in it and the other type has no action attached to it which he calls reference files that go in your filing cabinet sorted A-Z. The files that have action attached to them go with your project files till the projects are completed and then they go back to reference if not needed again. Proper filing he says means keeping a clear distinction between files with current action items embedded in them and files that are just reference. The biggest problem is allowing these two types of files to blend into each other because then you will have no clear cut way of knowing precisely what you’re chossing NOT to do in the moment. There may be action stuff embedded somewhere in reference and now you can’t trust your system anymore because you can’t now pinpoint that action stuff. So that unknown then crawls its way back into your psyche to get managed there.
Great questions! I think the answer depends a bit on what, how and how much you need to file. Here are some things to think about to help guide you to a solution.
Do you need to store paper? How much? Can you store everything digitally? If so, look at solutions like OneNote or Evernote for your filling needs. The ability to scan and store things digitally could help make you quite a bit.
If you do need to store paper, how much? Would a simple A-Z filing system work? I would get something like this to help you out. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61JdAv1Z0fL.SL1000.jpg
Go through it periodically and move what is no longer active to a archive set of folders.
I would also keep an index of all the item you put in the file system. You could use GTDNext for that, or a tool like OneNote, Evernote or a simple piece of paper!