Tools for Thought

Designating a place for everything is necessary for good organization, but not sufficient. Things need to be accessible where they will actually be used, not just where they “should” be used. Organize resources around your activity zones.

If someone frequently reads in a living room chair facing a television, it’s not practical to keep the library 15 feet away. At the least, it would make sense to install a satellite bookshelf a couple of feet away from the chair, where the person’s current reading can be accessed by simply leaning over rather than having to get up from the chair and walk.

To better organize tools and resources, pay closer attention to your actual usage patterns than to formal or conventional placement strategies. Ask yourself, “Would I be willing to put this back here if I were tired or lazy?” If the answer is no, consider moving its repository or workspace to accommodate real life.

The best place to store something is as close as possible to where you’ll actually use it. A general reference filing cabinet is best placed within swivel distance of your desk — not swivel-and-roll. If you typically open your mail in the kitchen instead of your work desk, consider installing an intray on the kitchen counter and process your mail there. You can use a plastic folder labelled “To Desk” for any documents you’ve processed that need to be carried over to your work desk for filing.

Sometimes it’s worth spending the extra money to buy duplicates of things you use in two places. When I was an architecture student, I often found myself getting assignments that required access to my drawing and model-building tools, and carrying my toolkit from home to campus and back was labor-intensive. So I just bought another set of the same tools, and kept one set at home, and one set on campus — then I could start work immediately after getting an assignment, and not have to wait until I got home.

Easy access is critical for friction free workflow. Don’t rely on an organizational scheme that requires exceptional disciple. Work hard at designing systems that allow you to be lazy, and you’ll become more enjoyably productive.