What are some effective organization strategies?

Question

As a programmer, I am very organized with code, but find creating order in the area around me difficult. In particular, papers accumulate around me, and I just focus more on the computer and less on my surroundings. However, now that I have been laid off and am looking at starting my own business, I understand this is unacceptable.

So - what are some effective organization practices that you employ? Especially as it relates to paper mess, or other business organization.

Most useful format for answers: Please provide 1 post for each strategy, and elaborate as needed.

Note: to those tempted to close this as not-programming related, please bear in mind that issues of personal startup are of interest to programmers, just as the kind of mouse or chair a programmer uses are of interest. So I believe this is a valid question.

Note: I will upvote any answer that is helpful (and not redundant).

Thanks!

Answer 1

Getting Things Done.

Answer 2

Here's one:

Don't allow things to pile up on the desk. Put them in a folder if you need to keep them or shred them.

I talked a little about how I manage multiple projects here. One of the things I do is keep folders for projects and that reinforces the idea of having a place for everything.

Answer 3

Treat stuff on your desk like comments and old code. Are the comments meaningful? No? Remove them. Is the code getting used anywhere? No? Remove it.

If it looks useful and you might use it some day, you definitely don't need to keep it around.

Answer 4

Go over to LifeHacker. They have strategies for everything, file cabinets, email folders, new tips on a daily basis for health, stress and organization.

I think one of the things that made a lot of sense to me, was to file papers in a filing cabinet the same way you file email. To-Do, Follow up and archived information.

Answer 5

For the paper...

Do's

1. if you need it for the records e.g. bills, invoices etc. file it (best purchase of the last 5 years was an elegant steel filing cabinet which stands in my hallway)
2. if you need it for communication or a record of actions, commit it electronically and throw the paper record away
3. if it was an idea note on paper, commit it electronically and throw the paper record away
4. if it was an artistic doodle, put it on the wall
5. make sure you empty the waste paper regularly

Don'ts

1. don't have a clipboard/pinboard, it is just a vertical waste paper basket
2. don't spend a lot of time designing a fancy cross-reference filing system, let it evolve organically
3. don't let things pile up, deal with them the second you get them, it is the most efficient moment

If you are likely to start working from home, then stay out of the kitchen - too many temptations.

One more...

if you are the sort of person who likes to draw things when thinking, then a nice quality note book is a very good addition and something you will enjoy owning. Coupled with a nice propelling pencil, it is also the ultimate portable ideas device.

Answer 6

GTD seems to work well, but if you don't want to go through the whole thing, you have the lighter Zen To Done methodology. I've picked up the few first "habits", and it already helps tremendeously.

Answer 7

On a personal level: read the book "Getting Things Done"
On a company level: read the book "The E-myth"

Starting your own business is much more than organizing your work and notes and stuff around you.

These books will help you to develop your own personal methods, there aren't really universal ones.

Answer 8

The book Order from Chaos: A Six-Step Plan for Organizing Yourself, Your Office, and Your Life really helped me.

This is, of course, in addition of Getting Things Done from David Allen that was already mentionned.

Answer 9

Since you are busy, and don't care for this kind of work, get an administrative assistant who will do a much better job than you and for much less money than you should be charging for yourself. The right person is pure gold. Be picky.