Color largely influences the way we see, process, and store visual information; it's been proven to stimulate
thinking and help boost memory. Color enhances our ability to recognize and retrieve data, and because many people are visually oriented, the benefits of using color can't be over-emphasized.
People with A.D.D. in particular are often right brained, visual learners. And since sight accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all sensory perceptions our brains receive, it stands to reason that any learning style can benefit from the use of color. Presenting information in a manner that's comfortable and visually appealing understandably makes it easier for the information to become memorable - and therefore more familiar to us.
Beyond the obvious eye-pleasing aesthetics there are many other valuable reasons to color-code your home files.
- It simplifies filing and encourages organization. Most people find colorful labels and tabs less intimidating than black and white. Files arranged by color naturally catch our eye, they're more user-friendly, and because the visual association has a greater impact on our memory it improves our filing accuracy.
- It increases "file and find" efficiency. Subdividing files by color is an ideal way to separate groups of information. It narrows the field of search and helps the user to quickly become familiar with their files recognizing individual colors associated with a particular file type.
- It nearly eliminates misfiles. When information is organized by color group it's easy to spot a file folder out of place - which greatly reduces the chance of a misfile.
- It saves time, effort and reduces stress. Color coded files cut filing and retrieval time dramatically. Different color groups clearly stand out - enabling us to file faster, more accurately and with significantly less effort.