Storing your digital files in an organized manner on the computer is essential. Not only does it make your computer look good, but it helps you locate the file quickly, which further streamlines your workflow.
Keeping your files systematically saves you from spending time finding the right file when you need to share it with colleagues. Other than managing data on the physical storage media, you need to take care of the cloud storage too.
Let’s learn some of the ways to manage your digital files effectively.
Keep All Files in One Place
Store all the documents in a single root folder. You can create a folder and put all your files in subfolders stored inside that root folder. By doing this, you prevent yourself from clicking all over the computer in search of a single file before a meeting or a presentation.
Use Default Installation Folder
When you are downloading applications on the computer, try to keep all of them under the default Program folder. Make sure each app file is stored under the dedicated folder so that you can navigate directly when you need to run .exe files.
Hide Confidential Files
You need to protect several files and folders from unauthorized access, particularly on your office computer. Consider data protection as a key element of file management strategy and hide files and folders stored on the desktop. Press Command + Shift + . (Period) to hide files mac has and unhide them using the same key combination, to name one example.
Follow a File Name Convention
Suppose you are saving files on your computer as Name_Date.doc. Make sure to save all the files in this particular naming convention to maintain consistency. Are you confused about file format? If you have to save a pdf, the name can be assigned as Name_Date.pdf.
Nest Sub-Folders Within Folders
Create a folder with an easy-to-understand name, for example, Invoice, to save all the invoices for any given financial year. This folder will contain subfolders such as Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, and so on, where the invoices will be stored as per your specific preferences.
Maintain a Logical Hierarchy
To store all your stuff in a systematic format on the computer, make sure to maintain a logical hierarchy considering the main folder, subfolders, and subsequent folders. Name all the files and folders in such a manner that you can easily identify the content stored within.
Save Files Instantly
Never save any file with their default names, such as doc1, doc2, and so on. Make sure to save the file with the right name as soon as you create it on your computer. Do not save the files at any random location on the device, as it’d be difficult to locate them later.
Manage Priority Files
When you need to access any file almost every day, don’t let it get lost in the sauce. While saving priority files on the computer, put an exclamation mark (!) or assign A at the beginning of the name so that it can secure a top location in the folder, making it easier to find it instantly.
Delete Old Files
Moving forward, deleting old and redundant files on the computer is much required. You need to delete and repeat the process every few months to assure that your hard drive doesn’t hold any unnecessary data that’s consuming significant storage space.
In case you have erased an important file accidentally, use a professional tool to recover the deleted item.
Declutter Your Desktop
More often, we store files on the desktop for convenience, where every file adds to the clutter. Put all the files in the dedicated folders and remove them from the desktop. If you need to store several files on a computer, use Sort by option in Windows, and Stacks in macOS.
Manage Confidential Files
Build robust data protection in the digital file organization strategy for better safety and protect your files from unauthorized access. Secure your data by assigning appropriate sharing permission so that the users on the other end can access only what is required.
What Else?
No matter how organized your files are, you cannot reap the benefits to the fullest unless you optimize your computer properly. How your file management strategy performs on your computer very much depends on the performance of the device.
If you know the location of the file you need to access, and it is taking several minutes to get there, you need to see what’s wrong. The time your computer takes is probably because you have to wait after every click due to system slowdown.
In that case, identify the unnecessary apps and remove them from the computer to improve the overall performance. Besides, take a tour of the login items that activate each time your computer boots.
These login items keep running in the background, consuming system resources which slow down your computer. The large files stored on the computer are probably another potential reason for performance degradation.
Apart from that, virus infection can be the reason for slow computers. Install an antivirus application and scan your computer to detect any threat.
On finding any malicious file or suspicious item on the device, remove it right away. Don’t forget to empty the Recycle Bin or the Trash folder.
No comments yet