Life is busy. We all juggle work and families while attempting to have a social life. As we approach the holiday season, the pace picks up. It seems like every day there are new things to do, websites to read, recipes to make, songs to learn, appointments to schedule, and parties to attend. The challenge is how to keep track of everything without taxing our brains.
Establishing good habits with the right tools, you will begin to rely less on your brain and more on the system that you’ve created. I’ve talked about establishing habits in previous blog posts. Picking out outfits and making lunch the night before definitely help. But, I also need a tool to help me to remember to bring the lunch I’ve made. I’ve too often left the house, lunch sitting on the kitchen counter. My brain failed me!
Countless tools are available to help us keep track of all of the moving pieces of our lives. It is a very personal choice, so there is no right answer. I’ll share what I use to keep track of my schedule and the habits I’ve established within the system I use.
For me, things usually start in my notebook. I have a small paper notebook that I take to meetings and carry in my bag. Once I get to a computer, I key them in. The tools I use need to have a mobile app as well as web app. That way, I can access my data regardless of what medium I’m using (PC, iPad, smartphone).
My to-do list starts in my notebook then gets entered into an application called Toodledo. Toodledo has free and paid versions of its application, web access, and phone app. No matter how you access it, it syncs across all of the platforms so your data is always up to date. The free version allows you to add tasks and recurrences, prioritize them, get alerts, and tag and organize them. The paid version allows you to share to-do lists with other Toodledo users. My husband and I have used a shared to do list (the honey-do list) to help prioritize and track household tasks. The application also allows you to create your own lists and schedules if you have small projects that you need to track outside of your to-do list.
I use Evernote to store just about everything else. Evernote keeps my notes, web clippings, recipes, documents, things I don’t want to forget, just about everything. It’s easy to search, and the search includes text inside the documents and web clippings that you attach. My notes are available on my web and mobile devices, and they are synced across all of the platforms.
At home, we use Google Calendar, to display the various calendar entries. It is convenient to have them display together. When planning to host or attend a party or schedule a vacation, it’s helpful to see when my husband is available as well. Google Calendar lets you share your calendar to other Google users. The calendar then appears in your own calendar view on either the web or mobile app. I still use two different calendar apps, though, since we don’t use Google at work.
To make this system work, I’ve found that I need to make a note immediately. I can’t rely on remembering to enter it. I either write it down or use the web app. I have also found that I need to consistently use my tools. The tools don’t work if you don’t use them. By no means is this system fool-proof, but it does help organize my life to where it feels more manageable. What does your system look like? Do you use some of the same tools or do you rely only on your brain?!?
I too am a big fan of Toodledo, and have used it for years. I don’t know what I would do without it, since it allows me to download things from my brain and lets me focus on bigger projects without worrying about forgetting the little things! I use Evernote to store notes and google calendar to keep work and home life running. We also use a shopping app (Shopper) that get shared so whoever winds up at the grocery store knows what to buy! I find these new tools so incredibly helpful, particularly when you work in an environment where you are juggling several projects and responsibilities at the same time. I’d love to know what other tools people use!