References and Archives
The final part of any good organization system is References and Archives. A good ship’s captain has charts and tables for navigation as they plan their route. These are our References - bits of information we may need to refer to again and again. We also need a system for archiving what we have recorded. What is the point of recording it if we don’t have a system for saving it?
First, let’s define References. I often come across information or data that relates to a project or a future task. I don’t want to go hunting for it again, and I don’t want to loose it. So I file it in the References part of my notebook. A good example right now is paint color cards I printed from the Internet. I had color cards from the hardware store, but they got lost and I had to choose colors again. This time, I printed them and filed them in my planner so I could refer to them while at the store and when discussing the project with my kids. If I had done this sooner, I may also have included pictures of the room, furniture that will stay, the painting I am basing the color scheme off of… I think you get the idea. All of this can be printed and stored in my notebook for referencing while I’m taking steps towards completing the project. Once it’s done, that group of papers will be filed in my Household Binder. I don’t need it with me, but I may need to look up the color selections again in the future.
Another example are articles on puppy training that I printed when my son brought a puppy home two weeks ago. I want to keep this information handy, but I don’t need to refer to it everyday. I found several articles that had information I liked, so I copied and pasted the data into a document and printed it for my planner, including the websites where I found the articles. When the puppy is trained and we no longer need the information, I can archive it or throw it away.
Another great tool in my Reference section is Logs. I keep Learning Logs of things I’m studying (Foreign Language, Speedwriting, etc.), Practice Logs, Research Logs, Reading Logs, TV Logs, Movie Logs. The possibilities are endless. When filed together, however, they make an excellent snapshot of your self-development process over time. I will confess that some of my logs are kept in separate notebooks, only because I can only perform that particular activity in one place (my genealogy research, for example). While I wish I kept better track of my TV Show watching, I usually watch to “veg out”, so I don’t really track which episodes I’m watching.
So, what is the best way to organize a Reference section? There are two most common: alphabetical or chronological. Personally, I prefer chronological. When I get a new piece of information, I print it (or write it), number the pages from the last one in my Reference section, and list it on the Table of Contents. If it relates to other pages in my Reference section, I note that on the pages themselves. If I’m continuing on a topic, I add the newest page number to the bottom of the page and place it at the back of the section. On the page I’ve just completed, I put an arrow forward and the new page number, indicating that the topic continues on another page.
The purpose of my notebook is to help me plan my tasks, meet my goals, and have information ready at my fingertips, wherever I am. Keeping the notebook trim and clear of clutter is a very important part of this process. During my Weekly Review, I clean out calendar pages I don’t need, forwarding any incomplete tasks to my Master Task List, and archive these calendar pages away. I update my lists and sort through my Reference section, again archiving things as needed.
Another example are articles on puppy training that I printed when my son brought a puppy home two weeks ago. I want to keep this information handy, but I don’t need to refer to it everyday. I found several articles that had information I liked, so I copied and pasted the data into a document and printed it for my planner, including the websites where I found the articles. When the puppy is trained and we no longer need the information, I can archive it or throw it away.
Another great tool in my Reference section is Logs. I keep Learning Logs of things I’m studying (Foreign Language, Speedwriting, etc.), Practice Logs, Research Logs, Reading Logs, TV Logs, Movie Logs. The possibilities are endless. When filed together, however, they make an excellent snapshot of your self-development process over time. I will confess that some of my logs are kept in separate notebooks, only because I can only perform that particular activity in one place (my genealogy research, for example). While I wish I kept better track of my TV Show watching, I usually watch to “veg out”, so I don’t really track which episodes I’m watching.
So, what is the best way to organize a Reference section? There are two most common: alphabetical or chronological. Personally, I prefer chronological. When I get a new piece of information, I print it (or write it), number the pages from the last one in my Reference section, and list it on the Table of Contents. If it relates to other pages in my Reference section, I note that on the pages themselves. If I’m continuing on a topic, I add the newest page number to the bottom of the page and place it at the back of the section. On the page I’ve just completed, I put an arrow forward and the new page number, indicating that the topic continues on another page.
The purpose of my notebook is to help me plan my tasks, meet my goals, and have information ready at my fingertips, wherever I am. Keeping the notebook trim and clear of clutter is a very important part of this process. During my Weekly Review, I clean out calendar pages I don’t need, forwarding any incomplete tasks to my Master Task List, and archive these calendar pages away. I update my lists and sort through my Reference section, again archiving things as needed.
My calendar pages and Daily Notes pages simply go, chronologically, in an archive notebook. Lists, once completed, also go with the daily pages. Reference pages get filed by category, as mentioned above.
Hope this helps. Though I’ve written these posts over the course of several weeks, I hope you can see how they all tie together. I hope to also put together a better snapshot of the process for you, so check back soon!
Hope this helps. Though I’ve written these posts over the course of several weeks, I hope you can see how they all tie together. I hope to also put together a better snapshot of the process for you, so check back soon!
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