This week at my day job, I had the chance to give a really short presentation about an app that simplifies my life. I decided to talk about a task management app I love, Todoist, which got me thinking more about my overall personal organization system – I’m such a nerd! As a little break from books, I decided I’d get all that thinking written down and use this week as a chance to share the tools and system I use to stay organized and get stuff done. Get ready for 1,000 words of total nerding!
My Three Tools
1. An online calendar – At work I use the calendar in Microsoft Outlook, and at home I use Google Calendar. I wish they integrated better together, but I haven’t figured that out yet. I’m lucky to now be at a job that’s very regimented – work is during work hours, and home is everything else – but if I do have events that overlap in some way they just end up on both calendars. C’est la vie.
2. An online task management app – At work we use Asana to track tasks, and at home I use Todoist. For the most part, I think task management apps are all pretty much the same, it just depends what features you prioritize. At work, we use Asana because it works well for large projects and has very good collaborative features. At home, I use Todoist because it is simple to add tasks, their recurring tasks features are smart, and I think it’s pretty.
3. A notebook – I love a good notebook. My favorite notebooks for planning purposes are dot grid, but I like a good lined notebook for taking notes. I used to think that I needed to have a spiral-bound notebook, but since I started using the bullet journal method, I’ve migrated to hardbound notebooks for most things and haven’t really looked back. I try to be minimal about my notebooks – one primary notebook for work, and another primary notebook for home. I use a mix of notebooks, but right now my favorites are the A5 size Leuchtturm1917 or Michael’s Artist Loft notebook. If you want to talk notebooks, I am there.
My Overall System
My planning/task management process is actually pretty simple. Every event, and nearly every task, goes into one of my two online systems for safekeeping. I always try to make sure each event has all the information I might need (address, link to invite, details about what to bring), and all tasks have some date attached so they don’t fall of my radar. Being attentive at the entry point – the moment something goes on the calendar or on my list – helps me avoid problems later.
Every week, I sit down for about 30 minutes and think through what the week ahead looks like. At work, I try to do this on Friday afternoons so I’m ready to get started on Monday morning. At home, this is usually Sunday sometime, depending on what else is going on. Each night, I make a list of events and specific tasks for the next day so I get everything out of my head and feel ready to go the next morning. I am a huge procrastinator when I don’t have my list right in my face, so this really helps me focus.
I use a stripped down version of the bullet journal method for my notebooks, and my level of artistry is definitely minimal. I draw up a quick weekly calendar so I know where appointments are (and, consequently, when I have space to actually get things done), and set a list of priorities or top projects for the week. I like using colored pens, but that’s often the most decorative part (especially at work). For my personal bullet journal, I like to play around with washi tape and fancy pens, but it’s still pretty bare bones in comparison to other bullet journals you might see on Pinterest or Instagram.
Why Mix Digital and Paper?
I use online apps for my calendar and my task list because they’re portable (on my phone), easy to edit, and good for future planning. I don’t like using traditional paper planners because things can change, and I find it hard to move tasks or events around once changes happen. And I’ve never been able to figure out how to use my bullet journal for effective future planning – I need active reminders or things just fall off my radar. Online apps work great for those things.
I don’t rely entirely on online systems because I am also someone who gets a lot of satisfaction in crossing things off a list on a piece of paper. I’ve never felt the same satisfaction clicking on an app online, and I don’t think I will. I regularly add tasks I’ve just completed to my lists, simply for the satisfaction of crossing them off. It’s ultra nerdy.
Because of these two personality quirks, I’ve found that a mix of digital and paper planning works for me. The specific apps or notebooks don’t matter as much to me as long as I have the tool available to me when I need it, and I trust the system enough to know that things won’t get lost.
I still have more work to do in terms of regularly reviewing long-term tasks, and I certainly still find ways to procrastinate, but in general these tools and this system keep me on track and getting things done.
What are your favorite apps or tools for staying organized?
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Thanks for sharing! I use a mix of bullet journaling and digital. I use Evernote for planning in groups and I really like Pendo for my phone. It’s super easy to make to do lists, etc and it’s cat-themed so bonus. I really like that you plan on Fridays for your week ahead. I try to do Sunday but sometimes I get lazy or other things come up and I forget and them I’m scrambling so making it a goal for Friday will definitely help me get my week planned ahead of time!
Making a quick plan on Fridays has ended up being a really good system for planning at work. By the end of the day Friday I’m usually too tired for much deep work, so using that time to set myself up for the next week lets me start Monday off on the right foot.
I use online and paper systems as well. I feel I need both even though the calendar portion is overlapped between the two.
Having an online calendar is just so convenient… I don’t think a paper planner can ever replace that, even if doing lists and whatnot in a notebook is really satisfying.
When I had kids at home, I used a wall calendar, because I was keeping track of four people. Now that it’s just me, I put everything on my google calendar.
We had a big wall calendar at home too, which works when there are people who need to know things who aren’t digital, for sure.
Okay, I’m going to be such a nerd for a sec: My friend recommended the Zotero app recently and it has been LIFE-changing. It’s a bibliography and note-taking app, and I use it to keep track of all the various nonfiction books I need to read in various capacities, whether it’s for work or writing research or just personal betterment. You can install a little plug-in in your browser so that when you’re on Amazon or Worldcat looking at a book, you just click one browser button and the book goes into your Zotero, and then when you read it, you can add notes and keep track of everything. I love it so much. I would send a fully armed battalion to remind it of my love.
Oooooo, that is a good recommendation! I still feel like my online book organization system is total garbage.
Wow, I use the exact same system — online calendar, Todoist, and a bullet journal for a weekly view of my calendar + to-dos for the week. Although, I use Moleskin’s weekly journal so I don’t have to draw the weekly spread each time.
I also need the mix of electronic and paper because, like you, I can’t future plan well in my bullet journal and I feel more satisfaction crossing things off than I do with clicking a button online.
I’ve seen those, they’re a nice notebook! I like drawing out the weekly because I can tweak it as needed. I’ve been playing around with a combo monthly/weekly spread (all four weekly columns on two pages, with some space at the bottom for to dos), and then just doing dailies after that. I’m not sure how it’ll work long term, but I like it now. A combo of digital/paper is definitely the way to go for me!