Are Your Personal and Business Files Still Together?
It’s Time to “File” for a Separation
to Save Time and Be More Productive
Here’s a quick productivity boost related to the separation of your business and personal information. This will help organize your physical files and your e-files so that you can zero in on what you’re looking for, find it faster and easier and ultimately become more productive by saving time.
1.) E-Files
In the drive you typically use the most, create two folders: one for “Business” and one for “Personal.” If you prefer to name the business folder according to your company name or by any other name, feel free. Same goes for the personal folder.
Also, put a “1” in front of the Business folder and a “2” in front of the Personal folder so that they both fall at the top of your folder list in that order. All else below it should be a system file or software that don’t belong in your working files.
Move (and organize!) all documents and folders into each of these two main folders and you’ll have a much easier time of finding what you need when you need it without having to skim folder names and documents, or system files and software in case those are mixed in too.
2.) Physical Files
If you have more than one file cabinet in your office, use one for business and one for personal. If you fill one cabinet with business information and need a drawer or two from the personal file cabinet (or vice versa) just be sure to define the drawers clearly.
If you only have one file cabinet in your office, define which drawers will contain personal information and which will contain business information.
If you wish to combine uses of a single drawer, use color to define which information is personal or business in nature.
