I love lists and organizing. It helps me keep track of my life, gives me a sense of control, and motivates me to get things done. Back before the digital age I used notebooks, calendars, and agendas. I must say, agendas worked the best for me. I can’t help it; I love paper and pens! I still use notebooks and pens to journal, write, and make lists.
However, with so much more to keep track of, whether due to a busy social and work life or my age, digital organizers have become very attractive to me. There are several available for free.
The first one I tried is Toodledo (www.toodledo.com).Toodledo has a host of features such as filters, scheduler, alarms, notebook, calendar and more. It also has one feature that I especially enjoy: a check mark to check off what you’ve finished. There is nothing like the satisfaction of checking off an accomplished task!
Then I discovered another organizational tool called Evernote (www.evernote.com). I love Evernote. I have it on my computer, phone, and online, so wherever or whenever I use it I can sync all three locations. Evernote is where I keep extensive notes and lists. It’s my place to store all kinds of useful information that is valuable to me. As they say on the website, “save your ideas, things you like, things you hear and things you see.” They also have a handy extension called Evernote Web Clipper. You can clip articles, recipes, images—anything you see on the Web and want to read later—to your Evernote file and look at it when you want without having to bookmark.
As I was browsing online looking to see what other organizers are available I came across Notesbrowser (www.notesbrowser.com). The design and colored tabs caught my attention right away. I’m a sucker for a really cool-looking way to organize, so I’ll have to check it out and see where it takes me.
Whatever you use to organize, whether it be paper and pen or digital software, just remember that an organizer isn’t meant to enslave you, but to free you to accomplish more without getting your brain in a tangle. As A.A. Milne said, “Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”
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