How do you manage your time?

invitro

I wholeheartedly admit, when it comes to organization, I have no clue. I do well enough to get by. However, this is one part of my life that I would like to improve on.

So, the question is, how do you get organized?

Do you use software (if so, which?)? Do you scribble in your day planner? Tie red ribbons around your fingers to remind yourself of meetings?

I was thinking of investing some money into an online organizational tool that would help me keep track of clients, meetings, things like that. Anyone have experience with any of these tools?

Thanks in advance!

Scriptmaker

Google Calendar works for me, however, until they add tasklists, it won't be that useful for extremely busy people.

I set google calendar as my homepage too, that way I have to look at it every time I sit down to goof off on the computer. I hate seeing things not completed, but if I don't see my to do list, I don't feel that guilty and will usually tend to slack off.

I also set reminders on my cell phone, usually vibrating ones. It's just another little annoying reminder to get off my butt and do something.

Weedpacket

I'd have time to manage my time if I managed my time well enough to have time to manage my time.

Scriptmaker

bradgrafelman wrote:
My friend uses his Palm quite a bit... it's nice, but I'm too cheap to buy a Palm and then have a cell phone, Palm, and laptop. :p

For my minimal needs, the calendar/tasks features built into Outlook 2003 (I STRONGLY DISLIKE OFFICE 2007... woops, how'd that get in here...) do just fine.

🙂 I'm thinking about breaking down and getting a smartphone. Problem is that they keep coming out with nicer and nicer ones, I don't want to be stuck with one that's going to be obsolete in 1 day.

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/

Bunkermaster

I receive automatic WTF-U-DOING??® emails.

invitro

Thanks for the replies, this gives me something to think about.

I'd actually use Outlook like many of my colleges but I'm running a Mac system and Entourage is just, meh (That's a technical word).

I do actually have a smart-phone but I never really use it to the max. I think that maybe I'll start syncing it with my mac's calendar and see how it goes. All though Google calendar might also be an option, I will check it out.

Thanks all!

Vaskerville

I don't even try. But I'm absolutely obsessive about being on time with deadlines - the ones of importance anyways.

dalecosp

Bunkermaster wrote:
I receive automatic WTF-U-DOING??® emails.

ROFLMAOTIP! 😃

I recently decided to attempt to schedule my day more thoroughly. Assuming that I'm at my desk, here's what I see:

# LYNX reminders of schedule on screen
45      6       *       *       *       /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder plan 
50      6       *       *       *       /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder qt 
15      7       *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bkfst 
00      8       *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder email 
45      8       *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder forum 
00      9       *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder dw 
30      9       *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bt 
00      10      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder chores 
15      10      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder pw 
00      11      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bank 
30      11      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bt 
30      12      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder lunch 
30      13      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder dw 
30      14      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bt 
00      15      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder oc 
15      15      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder pw 
00      16      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder mgmt 
30      16      *       *       1-5     /home/kadmin/scripts/lynxminder bt

So, every so often I have to at least punch out a window that opens to bug me about what I'm supposed to be doing for the next little while. Of course, sometimes I'm out of the office, and nobody tells me what to do then ... probably much to the detriment of the company. 😃

dalecosp

Oh, and Bunker, I thought IRC was your office? Maybe you should write a bot to bust in and yell at you?

😃

goldbug

I use iCal (which syncs w/ my phone including reminders) + index cards or small notepads. Works well enough, yet somehow feels less than ideal.

piersk

Has anyone tried the whole Getting Things Done route? gb's notecards reminded me of the Hipster PDA

Bunkermaster

dalecosp wrote:
Oh, and Bunker, I thought IRC was your office? Maybe you should write a bot to bust in and yell at you?

😃

It is. I just often forget to launch mIRC (aww shame innit?). And I couldn't manage my time. Ever. I am a jogger on shifting sand.

NogDog

A large white-board with multiple colors of markers and a gross of Post-It notes in a variety of sizes and colors.

It may not keep you any more organized (especially if you spend too much time sniffing the markers), but it will look really impressive.

stolzyboy

NogDog wrote:
A large white-board with multiple colors of markers and a gross of Post-It notes in a variety of sizes and colors.

It may not keep you any more organized (especially if you spend too much time sniffing the markers), but it will look really impressive.

we have good smelling white board markers here where i work, like purple(grape), red(cherry), etc... i find it hard not to try and see if they taste good 🙂

goldbug

piersk wrote:
Has anyone tried the whole Getting Things Done route? gb's notecards reminded me of the Hipster PDA

Ahh the Hipster PDA 🙂
I've not gone full-bore GTD, but I do occassionally read 43Folders and LifeHacker, and have tried some ideas with varying success. Merlin's advice on email organizing helped me out greatly... until I got backlogged major (still am), and am frankly far too fat and lazy to do anything about it.