43 Folders

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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

How is your desk organized?

Hi everyone.

I am new to GTD and I need some advice on organizing my desk. Currently, I have a wire inbox and a stack of those lovely black, plastic, stackable trays labled "Agendas," "To Read," "Waiting for," "Delegated," "Someday," and "Projects." In each tray, I have manilla folders, neatly labled, with the relevant stuff in each folder.

I should also say that I use Outlook 2003 for XP with the GTD plug in. It seems like I feel a need to make my physical desk a mirror (with the same folders) as Outlook. The problem is that, on a physical desk, space is at a premium, and I don't like working at an ugly desk.

So any suggestions as to how you organize your space would be most welcomed. It seems like the hardest part of GTD to me (other than writing next actions instead of vague "tasks") is tying it all together (tying Outlook to folders on the computer to physical folders on the desk to folders at home, etc.)

emuelle1's picture

My work desk is an...

My work desk is an L shape within a cubicle. It came with a three-tiered inbox that I have adapted. The middle box is the in-box, the lower box is for supporting materials, and the upper box is for outgoing. I keep a folder in there for stuff to be shredded, and it gets to about the size of a three volume encyclopedia before I walk over to the shredded and spend an afternoon there.

At home I'm nowhere near as organized. I have a computer, a laptop, and an iMac (given by a friend, mostly useless, but I keep it out) all vying for space with the cable modem, wireless router, VCR, WinTV, and all the rest of the junk that I just can't seem to "GTD" into something else.

 
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