PARS Directory Structure
The PARS directory structure (I like to say it as you would parse) is my own adaptation of the PARA Method for note organization which I have generalized and adapted with my own personal philosophies.
Where things live in these directories is associated generally to their actionability.
< projects — areas — resources — storage >
More Actionable —————- Less Actionable
Projects Directory
The ‘projects’ directory in the ‘pars’ directory structure is for anything that is currently being worked on. In the Eisenhower matrix, these would be important and urgent, quadrant 1 tasks.
The sub-directories should generally conform to the following:
- Be current (files should have been access within the past 2 weeks).
- Have action steps or action items that move towards a specific outcome.
- Has a deadline or end date that signifies an acceptable state of completion for the time being. (nothing is ever really finished)
- Are not empty. Any container with out content is a husk, delete it and only create directories when there is content for them.
Lifecycle
Once a project is done, if it has some sort of maintenance requirement it should be scheduled and the whole project file moved to the ‘areas’ directory. If it will not be actively maintained or is moving to an inactive state, then it should be moved to the ‘storage’ directory.
If a project is blocked or halted, it’s directory may be moved to the storage. If later the project resumes, then it’s directory will move back to the projects directory.
Examples
- Developing a new software application or component
- Building a website
- Studying a new technology or conducting research
- Planning a vacation
- Preparing for tax filing
- Purchasing a home
- Searching for a new job
- Organizing an event
Each of these has multiple action steps/items to complete, have some specific outcome or deliverable, and have some deadline for completion (meaning that they are temporal, time bound activities that end at some point in time).
Areas Directory
The ‘areas’ directory in the ‘pars’ directory structure is for anything that is actively maintained. These are personal, for you and you alone. These would require consistent upkeep. In the Eisenhower matrix, these would be important and non-urgent, quadrant 2 tasks.
The sub-directories should generally conform to the following:
- Be actively maintained, meaning that there is an intention for them to be used.
- Should have some sort of periodicity associated to them (daily, weekly, bi-monthly, quarterly, etc.) and should be scheduled as well.
- Are not empty. Any container with out content is a husk, delete it and only create directories when there is content for them.
Lifecycle
If an area moves from maintenance to active development and conforms to the definition of a ‘project’ (see the projects directory section), then it should be moved to the ‘projects’ directory. If it is no longer being maintained, then it should be moved to the ‘storage’ directory.
Examples
- Studies
- Health
- Writing
- Finance
- Car Maintenance
- Career
- Social Networking
- Business
- Home Maintenance
Each of these would be areas that are being maintained actively and can be scheduled. Studies for me is called ‘programming’ and this is my daily studies in programming. Important, but non-urgent.
Resources Directory
The ‘resources’ directory in the ‘pars’ directory structure is for anything that is interesting or useful, anything that helps you get things done. These may or may not be immediately actionable and can be thought of as the home directory of your personal knowledge base. To distinguish resources from the areas directory, you may consider sharing things in your resources with others because it may help them but generally don’t share things from your areas directory.
The sub-directories should generally conform to the following:
- Contain some sort of usefulness or be of value to you in some way
- Are not empty. Any container with out content is a husk, delete it and only create directories when there is content for them.
Lifecycle
If a resource is no longer useful, interesting, is outdated, or is otherwise irrelevant to you, then it should be moved to the ‘storage’ directory.
If, for example, you were musing on popular music from a hundred years ago and writing reference notes in your resources about which songs you liked or didn’t like and why. While listening, you discovered a not so well known singer who only produced a single record that no one talked about but thought it was really good. You might decide to write about their music in your resources directory. You might find that you are so enamored with this one record that you do research on this person and find that they are fascinating. You decide that you would like to produce a video or biography of them and maybe interview them, their friends, or whomever that knew them. This would then become a project, and then you would move your resources on this person’s music to the projects directory.
Examples
- Programming scripts
- Daily notes
- Article references
- Recipes
- Ideas for future projects
- Templates
- Configuration files
Each of these are useful in some aspect but aren’t urgent and may or may not be important at the current point in time but, for some reason or another, you enjoy keeping them around.
Storage Directory
The ‘storage’ directory in the ‘pars’ directory structure is for anything that is not in active use. These are inactive files that keep the other directories free of clutter and preserves files that may be needed later.
The sub-directories should generally conform to the following:
- Be or have been of use to you at some point in time.
- If this is not the case then why is it in your computer? You should delete it.
- Are not empty. Any container with out content is a husk, delete it and only create directories when there is content for them.
Lifecycle
The lifecycle of the storage directory is explained in the other directories’ lifecycle sections. All things ultimately end up in storage but some things may come out again. Such is life.
Examples
- Documents
- Pictures
- Music
- Videos
- Downloads
- Emails
- Backups
Each of these are or were useful in some aspect but aren’t urgent. They are important enough to keep around though.
Conclusion
The PARS Directory Structure is my own adaptation that I believe works best for me and how I go about my business along with a few other methods such as version control systems and note taking methods in plain text. You must find your own way through life and do what works best for you. I hope this does help you along in that effort. I put a lot of thought into the utility and simplicity of this organizational structure. Please let me know if it has, I would enjoy hearing it.