I recently started working on new projects and realized that each project needs its own project folder in addition to a checklist. Whether this filing location is digital or analog depends on how you work.
Having a clearly defined place for documents, images, text snippets and other information related to a project is essential for three reasons.
Order
When each project has a folder, there is less chaos. You always know where a file was saved and how to find it. Also, you don't have to think about a folder structure, because it happens on its own.
Another advantage is that this structure forces you to be aware of which projects you are working on.
Mental Peace
If I didn't have a filing location for my projects, I would have felt mentally restless and stressed. Knowing that nothing is lost is very reassuring. I also like to have a (rough) plan so having a project list is very appealing to me.
In the project folders you can organize your documents more or less rigorously. The only important thing is that they are all stored in a common folder named after the project. This structural or administrative order then creates mental peace and clarity.
Connections
Having files scattered across your hard drive not only creates chaos, but also makes you overlook links between different tasks and projects. With project folders, all files for a task are grouped together.
This makes it easier to see connections and discover new ways to solve a task better, faster or more elegantly. In addition, projects can be compared with each other, which also reveals new links. Nonetheless, sometimes projects have to be cancelled.
In summary, the project folder system holds great advantages that are administrative, mental and creative. However, a folder alone is not enough: Every project also needs a checklist.
Through this system, your files and projects will link and unfold better. If you make good notes, too, you will generate more ideas and control your workflow better than ever before.