para-method

Organize information by actionability. Not by topic.

When to Use

• Setting up notes, folders, or knowledge base
• Sorting messy digital files
• Deciding where information belongs

Goal

Put each item where future you will look for it. Keep active work easy to find. Move inactive work out of the way.

Rules

• Use four top-level folders.
• Number folders: 1-Projects, 2-Areas, 3-Resources, 4-Archives.
• Do not overbuild subfolders early.
• Move items when actionability changes.
• Link instead of duplicate.
• Archive completed or inactive work quickly.

Categories

• Projects: active effort with outcome and deadline.
• Areas: ongoing responsibility with standard to maintain.
• Resources: reference material or topic of interest.
• Archives: inactive items worth keeping.

Examples:

• Project: launch website by March 1.
• Area: health, finances, career.
• Resource: programming notes, recipes, market research.
• Archive: completed project, old job, past reference.

Decision Flow

Ask in order:

1. Active now?
2. Has deadline and done state? → Project.
3. Ongoing responsibility? → Area.
4. Useful reference? → Resource.
5. Inactive but worth keeping? → Archive.
6. No value? → Delete.

When unsure, choose where you will look first.

Setup Flow

1. Create four numbered folders.
2. Create temporary To Sort.
3. Move unsorted items there.
4. Sort one item at a time.
5. Add subfolders only when repeated need appears.
6. Review weekly.

Review Flow

• Move completed projects to archives.
• Check stalled projects.
• Update active project list.
• Merge duplicate resources.
• Delete useless items.

Output

## PARA Sorting

Item: [name]
Current use: [active / reference / inactive]
Category: [Project / Area / Resource / Archive]
Reason: [why]
Move to: [folder]
Review date: [optional]