Organisation systems and productivity tools aren't one-size-fits-all. Some people like things to be 'just so', while others thrive within chaos. To find your happy place, we put together strategies to keep everyone organised and productive based on six personality types. Also, don't feel pigeonholed into one personality type. Even if you're mostly a Hot Mess, some Minimalist recommendations will likely work for you too!
The Multitasker
Do you bounce from one project to the next? Does your browser window have more than 46 tabs open right now? You might be a Multitasker. Even though you thrive on juggling, there's always a danger of something slipping through the cracks.
Strategy:
Use to-do lists in Dropbox Paper to stay on top of your different work streams. Task lists are especially helpful when working with or managing a team.
How to set up a Paper to-do list:
Once you've created a Paper document, find the checklist button in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. To start your to-do list in your new Paper doc:
- Add your task to the checklist
- Assign it to yourself or your teammate using the @mention feature
- Set a due date for completion
The Minimalist
One chair. One desk. One laptop. Nothing else. The minimalist ignores the non-essentials to focus on being productive and at peace.
Strategy:
Make your Dropbox mirror your lifestyle. Archive the clutter and keep only the essentials at hand.
How to organise archives:
Working on a project for clients, sorting through photos or storing important documents creates a lot of digital clutter. Instead of having everything in one shared location, separate your Dropbox into 'Working' and 'Archive' folders. This way, you can ensure you always have access to your files without having to see them all. Store large quantities of unsorted photos or videos in Archive before you choose what you want to move to Working. Or, stash unused versions of projects in Archive that you can access later to rework for another purpose.
The Go Getter
YOLO. When you have a goal, nothing will stop you from achieving it. Getting things done and getting them done right is the name of the game.
Strategy:
Since you're already on top of everything, save more time by creating collaborative shared folders to keep everyone else organised.
Create shared collaborative folders:
Think of sharing a folder like sharing your workspace, but without getting in each other’s way. First, organise everything as you like it, with all your project files in one central place. Then, when you share it, any member of the folder can make changes directly, saving everyone time and encouraging collaboration.
The Perfectionist
Zero unread emails. Computer desktop is clean. Everything is in its proper place, and you like it that way – perfect.
Strategy:
When you organise everything with a thoughtful structure, content is easier to find when you need it.
Precise folder naming structure:
Create a consistent and well-thought-out folder naming convention and stick to it. For most work streams, a good place to start is with core folders broken down by year, housing subfolders by month. In those subfolders, you could do client names followed by the titles of specific jobs. This way, years from now, you’ll still be able to find specific content quickly and efficiently.
The Hot Mess
36,789 unread emails. You've got great ideas and are a hard worker, but… might need a little help sometimes. Similar to the multitasker, but the chaos has a way of taking over.
Strategy:
Automate as much as possible. Let Dropbox handle the repetitive stuff so you can focus on the big picture.
Automated folders and camera roll:
Dropbox automation allows you to create folders that automatically perform specific tasks to the files you add to them. The folder will rename, sort, tag or convert any file that is added. Another automated task you can let Dropbox handle is camera uploads. When enabled, your photos are automatically added to the cloud when you plug in your camera, SD card, smartphone or tablet. You can set camera uploads to automatically rename files to yyyy-mm-dd hh.mm.ss.jpg when copying to Dropbox, so it's not a giant, overwhelming mess when you make selects.
Now go get organised!
I’m talking to you, Procrastinator. Reading about how Dropbox can help you get organised is one thing, but now you need to get started. Begin by slowly introducing the strategy for your personality type, one tool at a time. Once you see how much easier it makes your life, you’ll probably want to check out the other strategies as well. Now quit thinking about it and start organising!