In general I don't see much use for extensive character sheets. I even tend to skip as much of world building as I can get away with. I did find it useful to make a small char sheet for my main cast. Not to flesh them out and delve into their deepest secrets and hidden background.
My reasons are much more ordinary: I don't want to get caught out.
Stick To Essentials
Keep your notes and descriptions short, essential, and to the point. Only write what is essential. Don't write complete chapters full of background. You can always expand on any details later, whenever required.
Looks
A few keywords that describe the looks of the character helps keeping him / her consistent throughout the story. It would be silly to have the person be beefy and blond in one chapter, then raven haired and bone thin in the next.
It also will help you to avoid the embarrassment of having only blonde characters. (Happened to me once.)
Voice
Tip: add some notes on accents, backgrounds, speech patterns and favorite words. That will help you give each character its own voice.
Skills & Knowledge
What does the character know? What can she do? Again, a few keywords or notes suffice. No need to go through endless detail.
Friends & Contacts
Who does the character know? This will help you keep track of friends and family and enemies.
Property
Weapons? Cars? Houses? Anything essential the character owns? Rich or poor?
Keep in mind: only write down what you need. If it isn't essential, then don't waste paper on it.
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