“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
https://amherst-madison.com/my-blog/entrepreneur/are-you-planning-to-fail-framework-of-a-business-plan
We all have crazy busy lives these days and being disorganized can only add to our stress levels. I am obsessed with finding ways to be more organized and have tried it all. These are a few quick tips, tricks, and products that work for me that may be helpful to you.
the Simplish app
The Simplish app is one of my favorite organizational tools I have found to date. If I recall it’s a one-time purchase price, no monthly fees. It allows you to make lists, take notes, include attachment files, take pictures to attach, set reminders, add to your calendar, and create multiple folders to organize different areas of your life. They have super cute themes you can choose too and it actually makes organizing a joy.
I like to create folders for everyday tasks at work, projects I’m working on, and then general notes for reoccurring items I may need to reference quickly in a jam. If you’re short on time and need to take a quick note you can also use Siri or the microphone on your keyboard so you don’t have to type everything out. What’s so great is you have your lists of tasks, ideas, etc. all at your fingertips which is so helpful. This leads right into my second tip for staying organized.
Apple notes app
Last year I got an iPad mini with a keyboard cover to use for work and it’s been a great little investment. This probably sounds way too simplistic but I use the Notes app on my iPhone with a folder for Meeting Notes. I can create checklists for action items during the meeting then move what I need to into my Simplish app later.
What I love about this is I always have my notes with me so when I need to make a quick reference it’s right at my fingertips. Or if I just want to do a quick review of my meetings from the day I can do it right on my phone while sitting on the couch relaxing for the evening. And I can search my notes with a keyword if I can’t recall which day it was I had a meeting on and need to find a quick note. Plus, added bonus is it’s free on any Apple product and integrates across all devices so if I’m on my iMac, my iPad, or my iPhone I can see all my notes.
Moleskine notebook
No matter how many cool apps I may have I still love a good old-fashioned notebook. I have tried many, many notebooks and I always return to my Moleskine. I love the spacing, the pocket in the back to hold little notes, the placeholder string, and the band to keep it closed. It’s just pretty great all around. I like to get themed ones and usually find them at Barnes and Noble.
If you love a good theme there have been quite a few great ones over the years including Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings for those collectors out there. They usually have a different theme every year and I typically go through about 4-6 notebooks a year so I usually have the entire set by year end. This is not necessarily an organizing tip but I also love a great pen and for the past three years have used nothing but Pilot Frixion erasable pens. They have a special kind of ink that can be erased with friction from the rubber tipped eraser on the end.
I use my Moleskine notebook for my daily gratitude journal plus all the little notes I keep throughout the day for work or home. This includes my goal planning, my workout routines, my budget, pretty much my entire life. It’s like my bible that I keep with my everywhere I go.
Organizing is fun!
I love spending time each week getting organized. I set aside about two hours each weekend to put everything from my Outlook and Apple calendars into my physical planner. I’ve been using a product from Rachel Hollis called the Priority Planner for the past two years. She discontinued the line so on its way out I bought three years worth of planners I love them so much. She’s been talking about a redesign launch coming soon which I’m super excited about.
By putting everything into my physical planner, it really allows me to see what my entire week looks like. Then I can see what my priorities are and plan out my tasks for each day. I put my daily workouts in there, my meal plans, my cleaning routine, my morning routine, my evening routine, everything I want to keep on track.
Being organized can bring peace and joy to your life. I hope some of this was helpful and you can find a way to make it your own. Happy organizing!
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