A Better File Storage Method for Higher Productivity

A Better File Storage Methodology

Have you ever spent frustrating minutes, or even hours, searching for a particular file in the abyss of your file explorer or cloud storage? I found a video by Jeff Su about a Simple File Management System. After trying it out, I can say that it has helped me stay organized and made it faster to save and find files.

Over time, my file management has become, let's say, less than organized. I was a perfect example of Jeff’s fictional character that chooses the chaotic approach of "It doesn't matter if it's messy, just search for it."

I have invoice documents in my “Pictures” folder and branding guidelines in my “Downloads” folder. There was no rhyme or reason for where they were so I just went off of my memory which failed me frequently.

Jeff’s system strikes a perfect balance between form (how neatly organized everything is) and function (how to name your file so you can quickly find it). I'll share this simple framework that I’m now using to organize and name my files and detail five specific file management tips that revolutionized my productivity.

The Core Framework

Below I have an example of this file structure but I’m going to explain the concept first.

Let’s start with file hierarchy. We limit the number of folder levels to a maximum of five. This means that you can only click through 5 folders maximum to hit files. The sixth level can only house files and documents – no more folders. Each folder level can contain up to 99 folders, but in reality, you’ll likely never hit that.

For naming the folders, I decided to number them and wrap them like “[01] Personal”. Jeff did this as well and I thought it was a clean look to the folder structure. The folders I frequently access have lower numbers because they're closer to the top. Folder 99 is always reserved for an archive folder, a haven for outdated or inactive files I can't bear to erase. I never realized how many files were just around because I may need them in the future. You may be surprised how many files and folders fall in here. Remember, you can implement this anywhere you have granular control of your files.

My Canva files, folders, and projects are the first place I started this. If you’ve worked in Canva you understand how easy it is to clutter your storage area exponentially.

Example of the Framework

Level 0 (root directory):

01_Personal
02_Work
03_Regular_References
04_Quick_Share
05_Backups
99_Archive

Level 1 (inside the 'Work' folder):

01_ProjectA
02_ProjectB
03_Meeting_Notes
99_Archive

Level 2 (inside the 'ProjectA' folder):

01_Design
02_Development
03_Marketing
99_Archive

Level 3 (inside the 'Design' folder):

01_2023_Q1_Design_Plan
02_2023_05_May_Design_Updates
99_Archive

Level 4 (inside '2023_05_May_Design_Updates'):

01_2023_05_05_Design_Brief
02_2023_05_10_Design_Drafts
99_Archive

Level 5 (inside '01_2023_05_05_Design_Brief'):

01_Meeting_Notes
02_Presentations
99_Archive

Level 6 (inside '02_Presentations'):

2023 05 Client Presentation.pptx
2023 05 Momentum Presentaion.pptx

Naming Conventions

Jeff provided two options for naming documents: include a date or leave it to be sorted alphabetically. I chose to leave it alphabetically as I did not want to overdo the level of structure. His recommendation was to mix the two; if you’re interested in that, check out his video.

The golden rule with anything I recommend in the Momentum newsletter is doing what works for you, so don’t worry if you’re not following everything to a T.

Jeff’s Five Pillars of Productive File Management

1. Organize information by where you will use it, not where you found it. An invaluable nugget from productivity guru David Allen. If you're working on multiple projects, each project folder should contain all the relevant documents.

2. Make use of a file manager's native features. Learn to quickly search and filter your files using your file manager's capabilities.

3. Attach keywords to a file or folder. If you can't change the name of a shared folder, you can add a keyword in the description field to make it more searchable.

4. Ruthlessly prioritize which folders to star or flag. Only the files you use daily, need to access on your phone quickly, and don't exceed a maximum of five at any given time should be starred.

5. Know when to create a shortcut. Whenever a file or folder is shared with you, decide whether to make a copy, add a shortcut, or do nothing. Creating a shortcut allows you to organize a shared file under your own system without moving it from its original location.

Remember, there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to file management. Over-optimizing leads to decreased productivity, and consistency is key. Find and stick to a system and naming convention that works for you.

Productivity isn't about perfection; it's about progress, and even the smallest improvement in file management can lead to significant gains in efficiency and work satisfaction over the years you will be working in it.

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