I used to be a piler that wanted to be a filer, which just means that I was a mess. I hated the piles, but I never filed the content because I wasn’t sure where to put things. It’s not something I worry about anymore as software makers are offering a mix of tags and saved searches, effectively removing the need for hierarchical data storage. (I just wish this option was available for physical files.)

I often encounter people who look at my email inbox (using Outlook 2003) piled with hundreds of email (right now I have over 2500 messages in my inbox) and I see them cringe. Especially the GTD folk. But it’s so much easier for me to locate what I need when I need it using saved searches and tags than if I were to actually place it in another folder. My system works like this:

• I check my email once every hour. Or, at least, I try to limit it to once every hour.
• If something comes in and I can respond to it in two minutes or less, I do it.
• If I need to respond sometime today, I flag it with a red flag
• If I need to respond sometime in the next few days, I flag it with a blue flag. I review these items once in the morning, early afternoon, and just before I head home.
• If I need to reference the email at some point in the future, I flag it with a green flag.

I also have search folders for different projects. Each search folder includes email addresses, keywords in the subject, and some keywords in the body. I try, though, to limit the keywords I search for in the body as it is often too broad.

Now, I’m really looking forward to Windows Vista when a lot of this stuff will be built into the file system. For now, though, I use a program called ContentSaver. The application allows me to tag files and save searches, which makes finding files that much easier.

I bet the next big leap in digital organization will be abandoning the concept of the file altogether, and instead we’ll focus on storing information and how to interconnect that information more effectively. Maybe they’ll make that leap in Windows 2010.

I was just recently reminded about something I heard several years ago: everyone should have a list of 100 things they want to do before they die.

Can someone from the GTD crowd say @someday, please?

I think I’m going to split the “Things I want to do for fun” from the “Things I may get around to doing, but don’t really want to do.” I’ll have a list that I actually enjoy looking at versus one that’s just depressing.

Also, speaking of the @someday list. When was the last time you checked yours? I try to get to mine in the weekly review, but don’t always manage it. If I’m honest, I rarely get to it. After sorting through all the work I need to do, looking at future projects just seems pointless.

I know, I know. I’m only ever going to get to the items on my someday/maybe list if I make them a priority. Maybe it’s time to start?

I made the announcement last week that I was back. It’s been a week and half since that announcement and this is my first post. I’ve been working on a post for the past week, but I have been unable to say what I really mean. The words aren’t coming. It’s not quite writer’s block as I’ve written plenty of words. I’m just at a loss for the words that actually say what I mean.

In part, the post was suppose to explain my absence as well as review some issues I’ve been pondering over the past few weeks. With some reluctance, I’m giving up on any detailed explanation and have boiled my thoughts down to three statements:

• Happiness is a choice
• My future is determined by the choices I make today
• I don’t need to know where I’m going—I just need a general direction

I wish that I could better elaborate on my journey and why these points have come to mean so much to me, but the words aren’t coming. So, I’m giving you the short and sweet version and hope that it might be of some use to someone.

I’ve been neglecting the blog these past few weeks—okay, okay, it’s been over a month. I got a ton of excuses (and maybe a couple of reasons wrapped up in there). I’m back, now, though. Expect a couple of posts later this week, including more thoughts on my “Motivation and Values” post as it generated some interesting discussion.

Anyway, it’s good to be back.