For Better Organization, Send Mail To Yourself
David Allen, in his book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity recommends "mailing" items to yourself as a way to stay organized. This is done by setting up a folder system consisting of 43 folders. Twelve of the folders are labeled with each month of the year. The other 31 folders are labeled 1-31 representing each day of the month.
The folders are then placed in a file drawer near one's desk, with all of the numbered day folders up front and all of the month folders in the back. When items are received they are placed in the folder corresponding with the items due date. Each morning the folder representing the current day is checked, the items in the folder completed, and then the folder is placed in the back of the pile behind the 31st folder. When receiving items that are due in future months, the item is placed in it's corresponding month folder. At the end of the month, the next month's folder is checked and it's items are placed in it's respected day folder according to due date.
All of this may sound complicated, but it is really quite easy. For example, It is January 2nd, and you received a form to be completed on January 20th, you would place the form in the folder labeled "20". On the 20th, as part of your daily routine, you would check that day's folder, see the form and you would complete it. On January 3rd, you received an item that was not due until April 25th, you would place the item in the folder labeled "April". On the last day of March, you would check your April folder and place the items in their respective day folders according to their due dates. For this item you would place it in the folder labeled "25". When the 25th of April came around, it would be there waiting for you.
With this method you are staying more organized by essentially mailing items to yourself... but without having to pay postage.
