If you're anything like me, you do most, if not all, of your work on a computer. Sure, you use paper files, but the files on your computer are where the rubber meets the road. And based on some of the desktops I've seen, there's a lot of potential for potholes.
Here's one example of a desktop that isn't exactly being all it could be:
(Yes, I use a Mac. Don't worry; the tips I suggest will work for Windows, too.) It's not the worst desktop I've ever seen, and I'm sure some of you are shaking your heads, muttering, "Cripes, that's nothing. My buddy has a desktop so covered in icons he can't remember what his desktop picture is."
But it's still chaotic, and it's cutting into your productivity in more ways than one. Not only is the visual cacophony making it difficult to find anything on the desktop and interfering with your focus, having that many files and folders on the desktop can actually cut into your computer's operational speed.
For most users, the goals of desktop organization are to minimize the time spent looking through folders, to minimize the time spent going into Finder (or Desktop Explorer) to activate applications for opening files and to have a clear view of a desktop picture you like.
Fortunately, the only resources you need to achieve these goals are close at hand: the nice folks at Google have provided a fantastic tool for finding anything on your computer, and your operating system can take care of the rest.
Google Desktop is a great tool for finding what you need on your computer. It displays the results of your search like the results of a web search. If you were pretty sure that you had a PDF explaining debt capacity, but you couldn't remember what it was called or where you put it, entering "debt capacity" into Google Desktop would give you a list of files you could just click on to open. And it's free!
Desktops have an area where you can place aliases (shortcuts for Windows users) of all the applications you use on a daily or weekly basis: the Dock for Mac OS and the Taskbar for Windows. You won't have to gamble that Photoshop is still in your "Recent Applications" roster, you can just click its icon and be off to the races. Mac users can move the Dock to the left or right side of the screen if they want; the Windows Taskbar won't move, but it's innocuously small.
To clear the desktop proper, create a single folder on the desktop and move everything that isn't a hard-drive icon into it. Then go into your "Documents" folder (Mac or Windows) and begin creating project folders.
If your business name is "Acme," a folder called "Acme" will probably be way too generic and will wind up in subfolder hell. However, folders called "Acme-Accounting," "Acme-Current Projects," "Acme-Marketing," etc. should provide enough structure and latitude for sorting your files into a system you can navigate.
Once you've got a sorting system you like in place, put all your current project folders into a folder called "Work in Progress" (or something similar). Move that folder into the main Finder tab on a Mac or into your Start Menu in Windows.
As you've gone through your files, you've probably found some duplicates and some stuff you don't need or want anymore. Feel absolutely free to trash that. If you have files of projects you've completed, create a folder called "Archives" for those files—but sort them into folders, just in case. You'll also want to be certain to back up your hard drive every month.
Your desktop should now have only your Taskbar/Dock and your hard drive icon on it (plus the Recycle Bin for Windows), but unfortunately you can't leave it that clear. You'll need a place for downloads to go, because they can clutter up the desktop like nobody's business. Enter the "Inbox." Like the In/Out/To File unit on a physical desktop, this is where stuff goes before you've had a chance to look at it. Be sure to set your browser to put downloads into the "Inbox" folder.
You also need a place for easy access to the projects you're currently working on. As with your physical space, that would be an Action folder. Create a folder called "Action" and fill it with aliases (shortcuts) to the stuff you're working on right this minute: a problem set for a class, an updated marketing plan, a fun project for a friend. As you finish these projects, you can just delete the aliases/shortcuts from "Action" without having to move the files themselves around.
Finally, why not do something about that desktop picture? Instead of a busy pattern, why not choose a shot that brings feelings of calm and refreshment, as well as memories of your honeymoon. Now you've got a desktop you can look forward to working with.
Here's a Windows desktop with the same principles applied (and a more energizing desktop picture).
Do you have any additional desktop organization tips or questions? Let me know in the comments!
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