File Organization/Management: File Names for Planning Future Actions

      I don’t know about you, but I find that I am regularly dealing with files that (for whatever reason) I need to come back to at some vague point in the future. Not a precise date, as that could go on a calendar, but a more general ‘a few months’ or ‘next year’ type of thing.

      Overtime I have evolved a method of using the file system itself to keep track of this for me. I add (either at the front or back) a future year-month to the file name. Then at the start of each month, I do a search for that year-month and address whatever comes up.

      For example, last week I did a search for *2018-12*. Among other things, I found a file named “speed tracking 2018-12”. This was a reminder to test what my internet speed is, and keep track of it for future reference. Opened it, tested speed, added numbers, rename for next time and on to the next thing. The other things found were similar, usually only taking a minute or two to deal with. Occasionally it’s something more complex, which is then allocated time on the calendar. Then either rename or delete the file, as fits the situation.

      I use this for a variety of things: Maintenance tasks, movies to watch, books to read, projects that were put on hold, etc. Pretty much anything that needs to be looked at again that doesn’t come with an exact date. Exact dates go into the calendar, more nebulous ‘later’ gets a year-month stuck in the file name.

      As the reminder is part of the name, I can store the actual file anywhere. Work related tasks remain with the work files, entertainment with those files, maintenance the same, etc. I don’t make special places for these, just use the directory structure I’m already using.

Why not Calendar?

      While I could (in theory) do the same thing with a calendar, I don’t. In part, because I started this file name method well before I started using a calendar regularly.

      But mostly it’s about overhead. It is generally quicker to rename a file, leaving it where it is, then to add an item to my calendar. Combine that with a good chunk of these things actually being rescheduled when encountered, I don’t think it’s worth using a calendar.

      Having said that, “Lookup Month Filenames” is on the calendar, each and every month. At which point I do a search and deal with the items encountered. Take care of them right away, add them to the calendar as near future tasks, or rename them to eventually deal with again.

      Quick, simple, and requires no other tools. Not a perfect system, but it fits my needs well enough.