How Do You Stay Organized!?

[pstu24]

In the spirit of being the new year with new resolutions, I have a question for you all! What do you use to stay organized?

I have a day job where part of the requirements involve me doing things in nontraditional hours for service and volunteering or other social events.
I have a newborn who has had more doctor's checkups in the last 2 months than I have had in the last 20+ years!
I have a small business (and multiple side hustles) on the side.
I am in the middle of a few investing activities that are paying off, but require some time.

Long story short - any given day I could have nothing to do, or a few dozen! I can't seem to stay organized in a way that is convenient, and I keep going back to just an old fashioned "planner" or "agenda book" like I had when I was in middle school.

So while I don't think Tony Stark has released an actual JARVIS system yet, I wanted to know if any of you use a system or an app to stay organized. I would LOVE to have something that I can push a quick button and see what I need to do in the day. Maybe something that I can set an alarm and it reminds me. Something I can I can add new tasks when needed and delete others? And something that I can show a ranking for priority (what to do next).

Any ideas or anything you think that works best? I just hate swimming in paper and "to do" piles!

[mwulff]

I use a synced google calendar I can see on all my devices and computers. I also use apple's reminders list because it is convenient for me.

But I'll admit that my day is not as crowded as yours.

[money beard]

I keep track of all of my shit, both work and personal, through carefully manicured notebooks in evernote. 

There is a ton of guidance on how to create and organize a system like this on the web.  I use a variation of David Allen's getting things done methodology.  I'm trying to implement more of the principles that Allen discussed in his second book, Making it All Work, which is really like an advanced level book on the principles he discusses in GTD.

[Jakejake]

I use a todo list app in chrome for the recurring things or things without a firm deadline that I just want to get done but might forget about. Anytime I open a new tab in the browser, the bottom corner is my todo list.

I also use a reminder app from my email calendar for appointments or things that have to be done by a certain date, so I get the popup nagging.

[Sonos]

I also use Google calendar for scheduling (and alerts about upcoming scheduled events). It's my Jarvis! I use Google Keep for to do lists and documents/notes go in Google docs. I didn't always use all Google stuff, but it's where I've ended up and I feel like I finally hit in the right tools for me.

One bit of advice I've found helpful from the Magic of Tidying Up book (aka the KonMari book) is to have one place to keep each type of item. This has worked great for our physical items around the house (for example, all cleaning supplies are now stored in one closet, instead of each bathroom, which makes knowing what we have much easier and keeps clutter downs). This approach has also helped me clean up how I use Google calendar/keep/documents and it's been very helpful.

Good luck!

[MustachingInIreland]

I keep track of all of my shit, both work and personal, through carefully manicured notebooks in evernote. 

There is a ton of guidance on how to create and organize a system like this on the web.  I use a variation of David Allen's getting things done methodology.  I'm trying to implement more of the principles that Allen discussed in his second book, Making it All Work, which is really like an advanced level book on the principles he discusses in GTD.

My Dad swears by Allen's Getting Thing Done method! In my family we have a tradition of each "presenting" for fun what we've learned this year and what we want to change next year on new year's eve and this year he did his presentation on "getting things done" :-)

[I'm a red panda]

I use an outlook calendar, but I actually prefer to write on paper. I print out my own calendar pages, I've never found an organizer I like.

[Noodle]

Yes, another fan of "Getting Things Done." I realize that probably the last thing you need right now is a book to read, but it goes quickly and you could probably skim the first few chapters and get a lot of the meat. If you decide to check it out, make sure you get the new edition which came out a year or so ago. The first edition was written before a lot of current technology came into common use. The general principles haven't changed, though!

For technology, I use my work Outlook calendar for appointments (just mark the personal stuff private) and Workflowy (app/website). If I had more personal appointments to track, I'd probably have a Google calendar.

[Retire-Canada]

I put everything major I need to do into Google Calendar which reminds me to do it on my computer and phone. I'll have general reminders there and then if it's a particularly busy day I'll write out a list of tasks I need to accomplish and scratch each item off only when it's 100% done.

[Txtriathlete]

In the spirit of being the new year with new resolutions, I have a question for you all! What do you use to stay organized?

Any ideas or anything you think that works best? I just hate swimming in paper and "to do" piles!

There are lots of technology solutions out there, I use a combination of Excel spreadsheets, Apple Notes and Ical for various tasks.

Probably the most important tho, is taking that 5-10 minutes each day to stop and focus on the next day's deliverables. I actually do this the late afternoon on the day prior - that way I have time to gather any resources (documents, special clothes, etc.) and I'm not scrambling around the next day. Once you get the routine it doesn't take long. I find this method works especially well (for me) in managing "one off" events that don't regularly recur. I

PPPPPP (Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!)

Good luck!

[MsPeacock]

I use a paper Dayrunner type of organizer. I've tried various electronic formats,  but they don't work as well for me as the paper. I need to be able to see details and flip easily between weeks, and jot notes like addresses, phone numbers, reminders, etc on the margins, and highlight things in a variety of colors. I haven't found electronic formats that do this easily for me - particularly being able to see several pages with details quickly.

[TheStachery]

My DW and I use shared calendars for most things (appointments, upcoming events, etc)  I have my own calendar for things that don't concern her.   We also have a shared financial calendar, we use this to track due dates, statement ready, etc. 

We are almost completely paperless too.  We both use apple computers, but here is a brief overview of what we do.
      Apple computers with spotlight search, search any document on the computer
      An all-in-one printer/scanner.
      PDFScanner app on comupter.  This will scan any document via the printer, deskew, and OCR the scans (this is important to search documents)  PDFScanner also can prepend to a file name, such as date.
      A computer file structure that makes sense. 
      When downloading a statement from the web, we use Hazel to automatically scan the download folder for information such as account numbers, and closing dates.  Once it recognizes it will automatically file it into the folder that you chose and rename it.


Searching for anything is really simple. 
     

[halftimer]

I love Evernote and Getting Things Done - but have to admit for day to day items I just use Google calendar and notes on my phone.  Evernote is fantastic for more complex projects and not losing information that I want to archive but have access to anywhere (especially if my phone is lost)!

[Riff]

1. Google calendar/contacts synced across computers and phones.
2. Evernote
3. I just bought an Echo Dot which has been pretty cool so far.  You can ask Alexa what the weather is, what's on your calendar, add things to a shopping list or a to-do list, and of course, order directly from Amazon.  It's hands free, so I don't have to drop what I'm doing and go to my computer or phone to add something to my lists or calendar.  I've been using it mostly for music though :)

[Ben Hogan]

Like what most people suggested, use a list of some sort that can be synched to your device. And then you also add "Due Dates" or priorities to them.

[lizzzi]

I use a paper Dayrunner type of organizer. I've tried various electronic formats,  but they don't work as well for me as the paper. I need to be able to see details and flip easily between weeks, and jot notes like addresses, phone numbers, reminders, etc on the margins, and highlight things in a variety of colors. I haven't found electronic formats that do this easily for me - particularly being able to see several pages with details quickly.

This. I've been using the same one for years: Dayminder's Monthly 2017 (2016, 2015, etc.), 6 7/8 " x 8 3/4", Item#G400-00. I've discarded the ones I used when I was in the workforce, (had patient information on some of them) and after a year of FIRE where I didn't use one, decided that they work just as well for me in my personal life as in my professional life...or for a combination of the two. Got my 2017 cheaper on Amazon than I could find it locally in the brick and mortars.

[dreams_and_discoveries]

Google calendar and inbox - love the new reminders and snooze functions.

[asparagus]

In the spirit of being the new year with new resolutions, I have a question for you all! What do you use to stay organized?

I have a day job where part of the requirements involve me doing things in nontraditional hours for service and volunteering or other social events.
I have a newborn who has had more doctor's checkups in the last 2 months than I have had in the last 20+ years!
I have a small business (and multiple side hustles) on the side.
I am in the middle of a few investing activities that are paying off, but require some time.

Long story short - any given day I could have nothing to do, or a few dozen! I can't seem to stay organized in a way that is convenient, and I keep going back to just an old fashioned "planner" or "agenda book" like I had when I was in middle school.

So while I don't think Tony Stark has released an actual JARVIS system yet, I wanted to know if any of you use a system or an app to stay organized. I would LOVE to have something that I can push a quick button and see what I need to do in the day. Maybe something that I can set an alarm and it reminds me. Something I can I can add new tasks when needed and delete others? And something that I can show a ranking for priority (what to do next).

Any ideas or anything you think that works best? I just hate swimming in paper and "to do" piles!

Would love to share with you my system which I've been refining for the past 12 months, and finally been using it (very well) for the past 4 months. To preface this, I do have a fondness for paper based planners, but realized that moving everything to digital is essential. Feedback, thoughts, welcome!

> Email

• The key to staying on top of the game is having an empty inbox if you use online email clients such as gmail/yahoo.
  The goal here is to keep your inbox 'zero' i.e. not leaving stray emails lurking in your inbox.
  Every new email falls into 3 buckets: archive, defer, or todo.
  a. Archive - self explanatory (eg. advertisements, junk email)
  b. Defer - use a plugin like Boomerang if you want this email returned to your inbox say 3 days later (eg. followup with Tony next Tuesday)
  c. Todo - this goes STRAIGHT into my todo list, eg. paying bills, and then archived.
  

> ToDo
I've used many todo lists Wunderlist, Todoist, Any.do, Apple Reminders. All of them suck, because it is too slow. Instead, I use a minimalist web-based, iPhone/Android compatible tasklist called Moo.do, with 5 main categories. It even connects with your gmail inbox, and displays it right next to your todo list. You can even drag emails into your todo list to maintain a cluterless inbox.

• To Do - daily tasks. With 2 sections. Today, and Someday - the tasklist allows me to enter dates eg. @4/1/17. Emails go STRAIGHT here.
  To Meet - people to meet
  To Read - books/articles/clippings to read
  To Buy - things to buy eg. groceries.
  To Go - places to visit eventually.

> Knowledge management
Evernote is my go to notebook for 2 reasons: search, and retrieval.

• Search - I do not use notebooks for evernote but use tags instead. Tags are much more powerful because you can associate a single note across 2 categories eg. (invoice) (canoeing) for a note containing a receipt to my canoe. On a notebook, you'll struggle with how to categorize them.
  Retrieval - Evernote has the best way to search for notes, even within PDFs too!

> Appointments
Google Calendar is the best. A little known feature is "Repeat every..." for recurring tasks eg. haircuts / gym .

> File storage
Dropbox is the best. I can lose my Mac today (hopefully not), and be rest assured that everything is not lost. Sensitive info should be stored offline eg. SSN docs.

> Photo storage
Google Photos is the best because you can search within your photos eg. searching "food in napa", the system automatically pulls your photos taken in napa valley associated with food, all via photo recognition.

> Password management
Lastpass is good. Dashlane is cool too.

Moleskine
For everything else, I frequently jot down my thoughts in my moleskine!

[lizzzi]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

[UKMustache]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

I don't have anything digital.  There is a monthly calendar on the front of our fridge and we write everything on that. 

I can't see any added value in synchronising calendars online and writing notes to myself in various programs.. If anything it just adds an unnecessary layer of complication.

[Ben Hogan]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

Easier to access, for example, if i remember I have to pickup Avacado's from the grocery and have a 1 o'clock meeting at work on Thurs, I can reach over to a device and enter it before it's forgotten. It will be synched with other devices and serve as a reminder. Thats how I keep from becoming un-organized. :)

[UKMustache]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

Easier to access, for example, if i remember I have to pickup Avacado's from the grocery and have a 1 o'clock meeting at work on Thurs, I can reach over to a device and enter it before it's forgotten. It will be synched with other devices and serve as a reminder. Thats how I keep from becoming un-organized. :)

If you didn't have to remember all the apps and programs you use for different things could you not remember to get avocado's instead?  :)

[Ben Hogan]

If you didn't have to remember all the apps and programs you use for different things could you not remember to get avocado's instead?  :)

I have 1 app, Google Calendar. but lots of ToDo's :)

[Retire-Canada]

> Email

• The key to staying on top of the game is having an empty inbox if you use online email clients such as gmail/yahoo.
  The goal here is to keep your inbox 'zero' i.e. not leaving stray emails lurking in your inbox.
  Every new email falls into 3 buckets: archive, defer, or todo.
  a. Archive - self explanatory (eg. advertisements, junk email)
  b. Defer - use a plugin like Boomerang if you want this email returned to your inbox say 3 days later (eg. followup with Tony next Tuesday)
  c. Todo - this goes STRAIGHT into my todo list, eg. paying bills, and then archived.
  

I do something like this for work. I'll delete anything not important. Archive anything important that doesn't need action. What's left is stuff that's ongoing and needs action. The action items I put in Google Calendar. Once they are complete I'll archive the emails.[/list]

[ReadySetMillionaire]

The best $40 I spend every year is on my Planner Pad. I've tried traditional planners, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Evernote, all of it...and nothing works for me like the Planner Pad (https://plannerpads.com/organizers/spiral-bound-dated/executive-size). I need to actually write things down with my hands to remember and organize everything.

I would post a picture of my own planner but that would breach attorney-client privilege, but here's what the planner looks like:
https://plannerpads.com/media/wysiwyg/2016-PROU-SB-Spread.jpg

The top is to divide into categories (like you seem to need), the middle is for daily to-do lists, and the bottom is for appointments.

It takes all the crazy aspects in my life and puts it on one sheet of paper.

My columns at the top are: Urgent (i.e., deadlines this week), Active Matters (i.e., due this month), CSL Matters (files I have for one partner who is transitioning his book of business to me), Personal, Wedding, Home, and Other.

It makes my life so easy and it's worth every penny.

What you can do is print that link out and use a couple pages as a "test run" before buying it.

This planner is essential to my practice and I have no problem expensing it to the firm this year.

[mathlete]

Another +1 for Getting Things Done.

I don't follow it to the letter but it helped me go from a horrifically unproductive person to a sort of productive person in my personal life.

[totoro]

Back when I was super busy I did the following:

1. once a month cooking with meal planning
2. speed cleaning with a chore chart
3. lived near work
4. lived next to school for the kids
5. later shifted to working from home
6. had a big fridge calendar with all activities and appointments marked  - I used the mom's calendar with the stickers
7. gave up reading books for pleasure

[Poundwise]

I use WikidPad to help me keep track of everything I need to do.  It creates a new HTML link (blank webpage) every time you type a word in camel case. If you type a camel case word that already exists in your WikidPad, you can click on to go to that page.  It's not online, just on your computer. 

I have a master To Do list which is open always on my laptop, and then it branches off with pages for each different project/responsibility and reference.

A typical daily list might go:
Dinner: meatloaf
1. CookPlan
2. write 5 cards CardList
3. Buy shirt for husband FamilySizes
4. Set up dr. apptmt DrDr
5. FixPorch
6. parent-teacher conf 2:35pm  Son2Goals

When I click on the CookPlan link, it leads me to a space where I type up the week menu, and a GroceryList which has my shopping list on it. 

CardList would have my holiday card list and have a link to AddressBook.

FamilySizes has the list of clothing sizes for my family.

DrDr has the names and numbers of all our doctors and dentists.

FixPorch would lead to a new set of pages which would detail all the things we need to do to fix our porch (i.e the steps to pulling a permit, links to YouTube videos showing how to replace pillars, links to products we might use, etc.)

Finally, Son2Goals might list a number of things I want to work on with Son #2.

This method has worked for me for years, and was especially helpful when I was working from home as well as managing my family.

[boy_bye]

I use a Bullet Journal for to-dos, brain dumps, notes from meetings, etc. Some people get really bananas trying to make their journal cute which I used to do, but it isn't sustainable for me. My BuJo is not at all pretty or fancy, it's just a notebook with a bunch of stuff in it. The important bit is the INDEX so I can find things easily.

I don't have a lot of non-work appointments, but the few I do have I keep in a Google Calendar that's shared with my husband, that way we both know what the other one is up to and can figure out who needs the car when. I also travel a good bit for work and put the travel details in here too so my husband knows where I'm going, and when.

For work I have an Outlook calendar for meetings.

Besides all this I keep a journal just for getting my own thoughts on the page. Sometimes that starts to morph into a todo list, which I will rewrite in my BuJo.

[thebattlewalrus]

I use Google calendar for most things since it can sync most tracked items. I keep a spreadsheet for a few budget related items and then I write stuff down in my phones notepad if I have to remember something on the fly.

[lizzzi]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

Easier to access, for example, if i remember I have to pickup Avacado's from the grocery and have a 1 o'clock meeting at work on Thurs, I can reach over to a device and enter it before it's forgotten. It will be synched with other devices and serve as a reminder. Thats how I keep from becoming un-organized. :)

If you didn't have to remember all the apps and programs you use for different things could you not remember to get avocado's instead?  :)

This. For a one-time deal errand like this, I would probably put it in my DayMinder. (Not if I was writing up the whole shopping list, of course.) Another use for my DayMinder that works well for me--I got tired of fiddling with YNAB all the time on the Mac, and my YNAB phone app wouldn't sync with the computer...the short story is that I keep my budget tracking in my DayMinder--just write down at the beginning of the month what the income is, and then day to day as I pay bills or buy something, I minus the amounts from the balance. Easy-peasy.

[iowagirl]

Wunderlist works well.

[ketchup]

I use Google Calendar/Inbox along with some Evernote lists for short-term things like grocery lists and "hey mail that thing" type reminders, and Google Docs spreadsheets and text files in Dropbox for more long-term notes/plans.  It's not super streamlined, but it helps keep stuff sane.  And I can access it all from my home or work PC or on my phone if I'm out and about.

[Milizard]

The best $40 I spend every year is on my Planner Pad. I've tried traditional planners, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, Evernote, all of it...and nothing works for me like the Planner Pad (https://plannerpads.com/organizers/spiral-bound-dated/executive-size). I need to actually write things down with my hands to remember and organize everything.

I would post a picture of my own planner but that would breach attorney-client privilege, but here's what the planner looks like:
https://plannerpads.com/media/wysiwyg/2016-PROU-SB-Spread.jpg

The top is to divide into categories (like you seem to need), the middle is for daily to-do lists, and the bottom is for appointments.

It takes all the crazy aspects in my life and puts it on one sheet of paper.

My columns at the top are: Urgent (i.e., deadlines this week), Active Matters (i.e., due this month), CSL Matters (files I have for one partner who is transitioning his book of business to me), Personal, Wedding, Home, and Other.

It makes my life so easy and it's worth every penny.

What you can do is print that link out and use a couple pages as a "test run" before buying it.

This planner is essential to my practice and I have no problem expensing it to the firm this year.

Wow--I really like the look of those planner pages.  Thanks for sharing!

[Milizard]

To the folks who use GTD:

Do you have any tips on how to ease into this? (I've had this book for at least a couple years, and keep dragging it around with my hoping I'll stumble on the missing link that I may have missed.).  I've tried to do the dump a couple of times, only to just leave a huge pile of unrelated shit together.  I really want to get this to work for me, but I feel like I need to alter it to fit my own life/tendencies somehow.  I'm very much out of sight--out of mind.  Digital is more out of sight so that doesn't work as well.  I think I need something fairly KISS.  Any ideas or tricks?

[boy_bye]

To the folks who use GTD:

Do you have any tips on how to ease into this? (I've had this book for at least a couple years, and keep dragging it around with my hoping I'll stumble on the missing link that I may have missed.).  I've tried to do the dump a couple of times, only to just leave a huge pile of unrelated shit together.  I really want to get this to work for me, but I feel like I need to alter it to fit my own life/tendencies somehow.  I'm very much out of sight--out of mind.  Digital is more out of sight so that doesn't work as well.  I think I need something fairly KISS.  Any ideas or tricks?

This is kinda old -- 10 years now! -- but Leo Babuta of ZenHabits came up with a simplified GTD that he calls ZTD (Zen to Done). You can read the basics here, and either order his e-book or you can probably find a PDF of it online.

https://zenhabits.net/zen-to-done-ztd-the-ultimate-simple-productivity-system/

[Milizard]

To the folks who use GTD:

Do you have any tips on how to ease into this? (I've had this book for at least a couple years, and keep dragging it around with my hoping I'll stumble on the missing link that I may have missed.).  I've tried to do the dump a couple of times, only to just leave a huge pile of unrelated shit together.  I really want to get this to work for me, but I feel like I need to alter it to fit my own life/tendencies somehow.  I'm very much out of sight--out of mind.  Digital is more out of sight so that doesn't work as well.  I think I need something fairly KISS.  Any ideas or tricks?

This is kinda old -- 10 years now! -- but Leo Babuta of ZenHabits came up with a simplified GTD that he calls ZTD (Zen to Done). You can read the basics here, and either order his e-book or you can probably find a PDF of it online.

https://zenhabits.net/zen-to-done-ztd-the-ultimate-simple-productivity-system/

Awesome--thank you!

[big_slacker]

I run a big IT service for work and have a 4 and 6 year old.

For work outlook.

For home appointments google calendar.

For things that aren't an appointment but a task or goal I have a whiteboard in a visible place.

Every morning I look at the board and ID the top 3-5 things I need to get done. I love crossing completed tasks off. :D

[asparagus]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

Easier to access, for example, if i remember I have to pickup Avacado's from the grocery and have a 1 o'clock meeting at work on Thurs, I can reach over to a device and enter it before it's forgotten. It will be synched with other devices and serve as a reminder. Thats how I keep from becoming un-organized. :)

If you didn't have to remember all the apps and programs you use for different things could you not remember to get avocado's instead?  :)

As much as I love paper-based products, it's difficult to stay synced because:
- paper isn't searchable, it is not *as* portable as digital (I don't carry a bag when i'm out, so a notebook isn't as portable.)
- it is not rearrangeable - I have at least 50 to-dos at any time over different time horizons (today, soon, someday) which I shift around

It's important to know that there isn't a one size fit all system because we all work differently, but the general essence of this system is to use technology to augment your processes and help increase your throughput/efficiency.

The Moleskine is always there for all the creative endeavors because it is always important to take time to reflect, instead of constantly executing on stuff :)

This is one of the taskslists I've been using for years. Highly recommend. It's phenomenally minimalistic and yet 100% customizable, that supports a variety of workflows (GTD/ Kanban, customized workflows) https://medium.com/moo-do/were-making-email-a-powerful-todo-list-a418d6ef0580

[kite]

Automate that which can be automated.
Have less stuff.
Have routines and good habits so things function on auto pilot. 

I like a wall calendar on the fridge to put those stickers for things like when the dog had/needs heartworm meds.  But the trick is really not to have too many obligations. 

[Digital Dogma]

At work - Document, document, document! My anxiety forces me to check back and make sure I've completed all my tasks on time. I achieve this electronically, tracking emails, and organizing folders by task and time periods.

At home - I use google calendar widget on my phone to track the very important things like days off, birthdays, etc which alarms and emails me so its hard to ignore or miss. I also use this calendar app in combination with pre-labeled and pre-stamped envelopes I make each tax year to make sure my quarterly state taxes are paid on time, all I have to do is write the check and send it with the slip when I send my monthly rent out that quarter.
Smaller projects get put on a paper list and checked off for proper self guidance (I wander and get lost easily on my days off).
Little things get post-it notes pinned to the cork board on our front door so we see them every time we leave home.
Grocery lists and the like I use the app called "Simple Notepad" and follow my list to a T without being tempted by excessive junk food that I never want to buy (but wouldn't mind eating...)
For cooking, I've begun organizing my recipes in a two-fold process because some of them have become very long and time-intensive. When I do a big project recipe like brined smoked ham, I'll take photos along the way for reference, and write up a quick Microsoft Text Document to go with it. I've got a folder set up for everything from bacon start-to-finish, to simple mac n cheese casseroles. After that we'll hand-write them on index cards for the kitchen recipe book in case we don't feel like firing up the PC to look at the recipe folder. When we do instant-pot recipes I try to change it up and experiment with cooking times, I'll make notes on the recipe to update the text files/index cards with what works and what to avoid as I make mistakes or nail a perfect meal.
In our utility closet and pantry we've labeled what goes where for ease of visually assessing what we need from Costco, we can easily spot an abundance of uneaten tuna/beans/etc and avoid over-purchasing at a glance.

I really like our chest freezer best though, my SO used blackboard textured paint on the exterior of a Costco 3.5 cubic foot chest freezer and lid to make a surface we can write on using chalk and erase easily. That means we can write directly on the freezer and list what we have, when we put it in there, and how many of them there are buried down there. No more missing meat that gets found years later!

Credit cards - I've used the signature strip on the back to label each card with the due date each month, no more calling up the number on the back wondering when this one is due!

[Secretly Saving]

I keep track of all of my shit, both work and personal, through carefully manicured notebooks in evernote. 

There is a ton of guidance on how to create and organize a system like this on the web.  I use a variation of David Allen's getting things done methodology.  I'm trying to implement more of the principles that Allen discussed in his second book, Making it All Work, which is really like an advanced level book on the principles he discusses in GTD.

My Dad swears by Allen's Getting Thing Done method! In my family we have a tradition of each "presenting" for fun what we've learned this year and what we want to change next year on new year's eve and this year he did his presentation on "getting things done" :-)

That is a fabulous family tradition that I just may have to steal!

[money beard]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

I don't have anything digital.  There is a monthly calendar on the front of our fridge and we write everything on that. 

I can't see any added value in synchronising calendars online and writing notes to myself in various programs.. If anything it just adds an unnecessary layer of complication.

What do you do when you....  can't reach your fridge?  Like, at your job?  At the grocery store?  While you are in your car? How do you send a fridge note to your spouse?  Does your fridge buzz when you walk into the grocery store and pull up the grocery list that your spouse and you have been slowly adding to from anywhere for the last week? 

Sorry for the smart assery.  I'm sure your fridge calendar works for you but what you are perceiving as an unnecessary layer of complication is what a lot of people have found to be an incredible simplification of their lives.  It is easier to hit a button on my phone and talk than it is to use a pen and paper....  on many levels.

[RExplorer]

+1 for a bullet journal.  Mine also is more minimalist (not over the top cute/arty).  I wasn't finding anything that worked for everything I wanted it to do until BuJo.  It is whatever I want it to be.  And I take time each week for a detailed plan of the upcoming week, which really helps me stay on top of both the have to do things as well as the things I want to have priority in my life, but too often we're getting lost in the busy day in, day out have to do stuff if I don't intentionally schedule it in. 

I do keep a google calendar and DH and I have shared electronic calendars.

[spicykissa]

Automate that which can be automated.
Have less stuff.
Have routines and good habits so things function on auto pilot. 

But the trick is really not to have too many obligations.

This! Have less stuff, and commit yourself to less things. Organizing what's left is easy! I know this is easier said than done, but it really does help a lot.

In the past, I used a Moleskine paper planner. When I finally got a smartphone (in 2012, late adopter here), I switched to a Google calendar and a very simple notes/checklist app. Anything time-sensitive goes on the Google calendar, and everything else goes on a list: To Do (Home), To Do (Work), To Do (Financial), To Buy, Groceries, etc.

[Zikzin]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

Ditto. I tried a bunch of apps, online stuff and the only thing the keeps me organized is to write everything on my daily planner and check it off one by one.  I'm still old school.

Except for YNAB which is a miracle.

check out At-A-Glance Daily/Monthly appointment book. I've used this for 12 years in a row, since my work is different every single day, I have a different task list daily, plus my personal stuff I add there too. When I forgot about something, I go back to that day and I exactly know when i did it.

[MsPeacock]

Why is it "essential" to have everything on digital? Just asking.

I don't have anything digital.  There is a monthly calendar on the front of our fridge and we write everything on that. 

I can't see any added value in synchronising calendars online and writing notes to myself in various programs.. If anything it just adds an unnecessary layer of complication.

What do you do when you....  can't reach your fridge?  Like, at your job?  At the grocery store?  While you are in your car? How do you send a fridge note to your spouse?  Does your fridge buzz when you walk into the grocery store and pull up the grocery list that your spouse and you have been slowly adding to from anywhere for the last week? 

Sorry for the smart assery.  I'm sure your fridge calendar works for you but what you are perceiving as an unnecessary layer of complication is what a lot of people have found to be an incredible simplification of their lives.  It is easier to hit a button on my phone and talk than it is to use a pen and paper....  on many levels.

My planner goes every where with me and fits easily in my purse. It is a soft cover "week at a glance" type of book. Quite small. I use a post-it inside for grocery lists. No fridge notes. I track my work details, personal appointments and other details (e.g. the kid's events, doctors appointments, meetings, etc. I can write the room number, things I need to remember, phone numbers, flight details, confirmation numbers, reminders to cancel or update services, track my exercise, directions, etc. all in one place - and on the specific date that I need that particular piece of information). I use a paper clip on the front cover if I have a couple forms or whatever to keep track of (e.g. for an upcoming doctor's appointment).

 I tried using an electronic calendar for a year between my ipad/phone/laptop - it didn't work for me. I couldn't track the details and if my battery died or I was out of cell phone range (I live in a cell phone black hole) or something wasn't backed up - I was lost. I found it difficult to make changes across weeks and that details were often dropped or "misplaced" electronically. And I still had forms and other things to track. I can fit much more detail on my planner pages w/ less effort than I could manage the electronics. (I admittedly am not a techy, so YMMV). I did not find that I could put everything in one place electronically (e.g. not all on the calendar) - I could put it all "on the phone" but it was scattered across various apps - and that didn't work for e.

I think the key here - whether you use paper or electronics - is to have a consistent system that you use, and to stick with it. That will keep you organized. For me it is the paper planner - I've used one for 30 odd years now and have a very consistent system. Other people seem to manage all the same details electronically.

[ReadySetMillionaire]

Before weighing in on paper vs. digital, the one thing I will agree on is to pick a system and go with it. My biggest issues arose when I was trying to use to-do apps and Outlook and paper to-do lists. It just created confusion and I even missed a court hearing once.

That said, for me, there are two reasons to use paper.

The first is time--I find paper to be a lot faster. I find apps to be utterly exhausting with all the bullshit you have to open and input. It is simply way easier for me to write things down in a planner. For example, just now my boss came in and discussed emailing our client to schedule a meeting. I can't do this right away (because I'm browsing MMM!) but I did simply write down "Email Jim." It's just easy.

Second is unlimited flexibility. You really can do anything on a sheet of paper, even one as structured as the planner I posted earlier. I color code things that involve deadlines, draw arrows to certain things, etc. It's just more customizable than any pre-conceived app.

But like I said at the outset, find a system and stick with it. That's the most important thing.

[firelight]

Great tips! I love my calendar and to-do app from Google. I also use Google docs and spreadsheets for larger planning. My photos are also there. Since everything is Google it's super easy to search in one place and have it pop up from everywhere on my drive.

About the paper vs digital use, I'm almost always near my phone or on my computer that digital works best for me. Also most of my work is on my laptop. So most info comes digitally. It's easier to just copy paste it to the relevant day on Google calendar (directions, PDF to tickets, etc or even 'do X this day, here is more Info' type of additions) than to print/copy them and add to my paper planner. Also, some of my appointments  change and I don't like having to strike out and rewrite to a new date. Last and most importantly, I can search for something very easily. For example, it would be super easy to know when the last dentist appointment was without having to remember the date or month. Frees up mental space.

Though I agree simplifying is good, it's not feasible always. I have one kid(and another on the way) and a very busy career and an equally busy husband. I'm not ready to give up any of these since I enjoy having a full and busy life. To make sure everything works well, I need a system that'll help, especially with mommy brain issues kicking in around pregnancy.

I love GTD even though I don't implement it exactly (I don't have a physical inbox, my email serves as a digital inbox, etc) and feel it's best for short term projects. However, I find I don't use the someday file much since I end up losing track of what is in there and don't really do much with info in there. Would love to know how you guys use it.

[HenryDavid]

It's not the specifics (paper, digital, this or that app) that matter in all this organization stuff, it's the Consistent Process.
For me the good stuff in GTD, and similar approaches, is:

-One Trusted system. Only one! And genuinely trusted! You have to be able to let go and know important stuff won't be lost.
-Out of Your Head, into the system. No more going over shit in your head all day. Free up the brain space.
-Regular Review: daily, weekly, monthly, annually.
-finally, matching where time goes with what you truly care about/must get done: check on this with every review! This is THE most important part. It helps you delete whole chunks of activity that need not be there, and balance the wants and the musts.

Had to distill this for myself years ago during a spell of admin work. Turned out to be helpful in all areas of life.