43 Folders

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General Reference Questions

Hi.

First post here. I just read (and re-read) the portions of GTD on creating a general reference filing system. Unfortunately, the book leaves this part a little fuzzy. I understand that that's probably to allow the user to roll their own, so to speak.

It's unclear, for example, exactly how to file a new piece of information. The book seems to contradict itself a bit here. Allen says to forgo using a categorical filing system, then proceeds to file things according to category (albeit alphabetically), in the example involving gardening references.

It's also unclear when to make a new folder. He uses the phrase "make a new folder and file it" when dealing with reference material. Is he championing using a folder for every piece of reference material, or for every topic of reference material. If, for example, I make a folder on Microwaves, should I put all microwave stuff there, or should I be making "Microwaves--propagation" and "Microwaves--recipes", etc? I.e., a different folder for each subtopic.

Thanks.

BRockNYLA's picture

Advice Request

Are there any people who have tried both Entourage 2004 and kGTD? I recently made the switch back to Entourage (from Apple's Mail app) because I'm not a fan of iCal and I appreciate having my mail, calendar and tasks in one app. I also switched because I decided to give GTD a go. I also have OOP. After being enticed by Entourage's project center and spending much of the weekend going through my first full-on purge and organization stages I'm wondering if kGTD might not be a better system to use. So, I'm curious if folks have tried both of them and where they end up.

I am a self-employed talent booker so my home is my office is my home is my office...

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Also, I haven't really read the book past chapter 8.

 
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