Like you all, I have a lot of To-Dos. I am trying to figure out the best way to keep myself organized, but more specifically, I am curious HOW you use whatever tool you use.
I have 3 main areas of life - work, home, and managing my parents. I find myself getting out a piece of paper and doing a brain dump some days, but then some days are spent putting out whatever fires come up via email etc. I have been trying to maintain lists on the TickTick app, and it’s okay but I am not sure if I am not using it efficiently or what. I am also intrigued by the Trello app but I can’t visualize how it would work for projects.
Here are examples of things that keep me up at night.
Make appt to get mom’s bloodwork done before her CT scan.
CT Scan has to be done 1 week before her February doctor appt, so need to schedule CT scan and doc appt
Research and choose 2019 health insurance plan for parents
Check if podiatrist has been to dad’s community to check his feet in the last 6 weeks
Plan a social media campaign for next 3 months for work
Complete staff reviews by Dec 1
Research new fundraising strategies
Arrange GreenDrop pick up
Get all the unwanted crap ready for GreenDrop
Schedule carpet cleaning
Figure out art/photos to hang on family room wall
Etc etc. Any tips on HOW you use whatever tool you use are helpful. For example, it’s not helpful for me to note on my calendar on December 1 that staff reviews are due. So do I put a note 2 weeks before to “work on staff reviews”?
My husband intuitively knows this stuff and is very pro-the GTD method. My brain just doesn’t work that way without some training
I can relate as I have such a time keeping track of everything, even with the kids out of the house. I use a combination of things, mainly OneNote on the laptop and the Reminders app on my iPhone. OneNote allows you to make pages and subpages for all kinds of things. So you could make one page for the parents, say.
I also make a subpage for each month of the year, where I can put things that need to be done and then forget about them until that month comes around [In your case, I would put the staff reviews under November and then make specific notes on how to proceed on a Work page, maybe have a Staff subpage, if there were other Staff related projects]. You can add tables, put “priority tags” and to do boxes on items. It has a lot of flexibility and I’m probably not even using it as efficiently as I could. For the daily things, I try to use my phone, since I always have that with me.
I wanted to try Trello - think I even posted a thread about it here - but never followed through.
Here’s what works pretty well for me.
Google Calendar - and yes to marking prep time for projects ahead of time (for instance if I have a grant report due on November 1 I will probably log “work on grant report due Nov. 1 starting 10 days before it is due - I just do an “all day” reminder” - not a specific time slot. I put my work and home stuff on this calendar to organize DATES.
For a to-do list I still like paper and pen. I buy cute ringed notebooks from TJ Maxx/Home Goods for like $5. Something pretty makes me happy! I use the front part of the notebook for note taking on conference calls - sort of a running log. The back half of the notebook is my to-do list which I update at the end of each week with a new list. Some things are completed and some get carried over! Every Friday I make a new list for the next week starting. The very back of the notebook I keep track of anything else I need to track - whether it be a budget, items donated at work,etc.
When a notebook is full I start a new one but keep the old one in a drawer in case i need to refer back. I only go through a couple a year it seems.
Oh, one more thing I use - app called I think “Sticky Note” on my work computer. Basically post it notes on your desk top. You can color code them - certain color for Home, Work, etc. You can stack them, move them around on your desktop, etc.
I also use lots of real post it notes for quick reminders!!
I use an outlook calendar for appointments (for me and family). I use sticky note on my home computer for my shopping list and household to do list. I keep my work to do list in an email I send to myself.
I use Trello Boards for both home and work. I find it very useful for housing documents and running events and projects through detailed checklists with alarms. I didn’t find the learning curve too tough.
