TIP #3:
Use a Naming Convention

It’s helpful if you can see a folder—on any platform, on any device—and instantly know which of the four main PARA categories it is in.

I like to use an informal naming convention to make this possible, such as:

• •  Emojis at the beginning of titles for project folders
• •  Capitalized titles for area folders
• •  Uncapitalized titles for resource folders

For example, these are immediately recognizable as projects (because they start with emojis):

•   Create sponsorship package
•   Write article on new environmental standards
•   Plan Mexico City vacation

These are clearly areas (because they are capitalized):

• •  Professional Development
• •  Financial Management
• •  Travel

And these are resources (because they are uncapitalized):

• •  piano songs
• •  slide presentations
• •  video assets

These naming conventions also have the benefit of working across any platform, since they require only the most basic text characters.