Balancing the benefits and drawbacks of working from home is tricky. One drawback is the clutter of work is still visible once you’ve ‘left the office’. Clearing your office situation at the end of each workday is an important action in switching work off.
But where do you put the documents generated throughout the day? The solution to clearing work clutter does not necessarily require an elaborate filing system that mimics the one in the office. It is enough to have just one folder.
The purpose of filing is to retain, store, and be able to retrieve documents when needed. One folder can do that. Just as long as everything, and nothing else, from this period of time, is in that folder.
When return to work happens, you may refile each document, or just close the folder on ‘COVID’ or ‘WFH 2020’ (or whatever label you give it), because, let’s face it, this moment in time is distinct enough on its own.