Organize Your Digital World
By Anant Patil, askSam Webmaster
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I am a huge fan of Monica from the sitcom Friends. I just love the fact that she likes to organize things. So like Monica, I am pretty enthusiatic when it comes to organizing my information (the house is another story). Following are some different ways to organize your information and reduce your time searching for files, email, and more:
1. Organize Files in Folders
I use the folder organization scheme very heavily. I create folders and sub-folders and store files in them. For example, I store all my project files under C:\asksam\projects\clientname\, all my databases in C:\asksam\databases\, all the downloaded EXEs in C:\downloads and purchased products at C:\asksam\licenses\.
A general rule of thumb is -- start by having a folder that has all of your files, documents, and sub-folders inside. Many people use the "My Documents" folder for this purpose. This will help you make back-ups easily. Make sure you are taking time to back up your information. It may not seem important at the time, but if something fails it will become very important.
Also, do not store data files in program directories, if possible. Use a dedicated data directory or set of directories. This will help you in the long run when you upgrade programs or back-up your data.
2. Archive Documents into askSam
I archive various documents (Word, WordPerfect, PDF) into askSam. askSam is perfect for this task. I also attach documents whenever needed. See the Animated Tutorial on Manage Notes, Research and Other Random Information.
3. Archive Miscellaneous Files on CDs
Each spring, I undergo a clean sweep of my desktop. I clean up un-needed files and archive them onto CDs. This technique has helped me remove the clutter of things I don't need to have easy access to anymore on a daily basis. For example, I archive old project files onto CDs that have been completed.
4. Manage Mailboxes
I use PocoMail as my email client and I love it. I've created mailboxes for co-workers and filter messages into them. This lets me find messages quickly. I also have a couple of general mailboxes called Todo and Archives. For emails that require some kind of action from me such as a reply or some work and a reply, I put them in the Todo mailbox. After I finish replying, I transfer that email from Todo to Archives mailbox. I've thousands of emails sitting in my Archives mailbox. I import this mailbox periodically into askSam. See Tips for Better Email Management by Marlinda Bullock.
5. Archive Emails into askSam
askSam is a great way to organize emails. I import all my incoming and outgoing emails into askSam. For simplicity, I've created two databases - INBOX.ask and OUTBOX.ask. I import all the messages from Archives mailbox (see tip 4) into INBOX file and all the outgoing messages in OUTBOX.ask file. We have a handy email template with various reports for email archiving.
6. Jot Down Notes
I use askSam for just about everything, no surprise there. askSam has a nice template for notes. I write down all my thoughts in the notes database.
7. Create Todo Lists
Each year, I make a todo list for the entire year. I call it the big picture list. I record all the major projects and activities I'll be doing for the year in this list. And then, I create daily todo list. I use the Calendar template for managing daily todo list. This keeps me on top of the things.
8. Research Dump
I've created a database called Research Dump. I affectionately call it a Dump as I dump everything I come across into this database. This database is purely free-form and I dump everything into it -- articles, news, research papers and everything else.
9. Master Database
I've created a master database that contains links to various askSam databases. This allows me to navigate to all of my databases from one central location.
I also have this database set up in such a way that it opens automatically every time I start my computer. I find this extremely useful because it instantly reminds me to clock in first thing in the morning and create a todo list for the day. I do these two things without failure. To have your computer automatically launch a master database when you log on, see this FAQ.
10. Google -- My Best Friend
What can I say...I am good at conducting research and I love Google. I search for information on Google for just about everything. The Internet has tons of information and Google comes to my rescue when I need it the most. When I do find something I have to have, which is often, I save it on my computer using SurfSaver. See my previous article on Finding the Right Information on the Web.
11. Organize User Names and Passwords
I've seen many people spend a lot of time and aggravation trying to recall their user names or passwords. askSam has a template to manage user names and passwords. I store all my passwords in an askSam database.
12. Organize On-line Transactions
I pay all my bills on-line. Most web sites offer a confirmation number when the transactions is made. I save these confirmation pages using SurfSaver. For more information on SurfSaver, visit - http://www.surfsaver.com
13. Miscellaneous Databases
Besides the databases I mentioned above, I use the Address, Phone log, and Fax /Memo databases in askSam. askSam has a good collection of templates for just about any situation. To download these templates, please see http://www.asksam.com/templates/templates.asp
I organize and search pretty much everything in askSam. I hope you have found a few of these tips helpful. If you want to share any tips or any ideas for templates you may have, please feel free to email me at anant@askSam.com or post them on the forums. I will post all the tips you share with me on the forums.
Anant Patil
askSam Webmaster
anant@askSam.com
Related Articles:
For Better Organization -- Understand Your Information
Phil shares inside secrets on how he stays organized and on top of information.
Battling Information Overload
Research Professional Mary Ellen Bates shares her tips on Battling Information Overload.
Research Tips: Finding the Right Information on the Web
Anant shares his tips on searching on the web.
Tips for Better Email Management
Marlinda shares her tips on email management.
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