It’s all about the Tools and Toys.

I am the Key Account Director for Airgroup A Radiant Logistics Company, I volunteer for several not for profits, The Chicago Entrepreneurial Meetup Group, The Elite Service Disabled Veterans Owned Business Network, The Rally Point Program,  and to top it all off, I am taking an idea and with the help of others we are turning that idea into a buisness,  Socially Promoted.  If anyone needs to be organized it is me, personally and professionally.  If you are not organized you have already made things too hard for yourself.

Organization is not only “A Place for everything and everything in its place”, it is also about using all of your senses.  Sight, sound, color all play a very important role in getting organized.

I just love Tools and Toys.  Sometimes I get so carried away that I spend more time looking for tools and toys than I do on a project.   OK I admit it, that is my delay tactic for not starting a project.  I “need” to have the right paper, pens, etc. , But we will talk about delay tactics another time.

I am sure that you are aware that smart phones, computers and etc have an array of sounds that you can program for each function.  So why not really put them to good use.  My cell phone is programmed with different ringtones so I know who is calling.  This allows me to decide if I need to answer the call immediately or not without having to stop what I am doing to look at the caller ID.  I use tunes that are unique to the person, there a boat load of tunes already stored on any phone, just divide them up, you will recognize the tones in a short time. If you really want to personalize it, pick a tone  or a song that is uniquely them.  You can download, create and customize ringtones, I use a website called http://www.myxer.com/.  Also ask around, people have unique ringtones that they have downloaded and can share. My contact database is so customize that it is ridiculous. Each person is identified with a particular tone. OK so my nieces ringtone is Baby Got Back, my 2 best gal pals ring to “All the Single Ladies”, The boss is the “Jaws” theme and so on.   If I were the type to get embarrassed I would say that I would have been a time or two that the tones should have embarrassed me  but on the whole it’s great knowing who is on the phone.  I have had the tones for so long that even my 5 year old great niece knows who is calling by the tone that rings.

Are you aware that your computer can be similarly programmed, it won’t tell you who an email is from, but it will tone to let you know you have email.  You can also tone instant messaging services such as AIM.

There are calendar programs, sticky notes programs, calendars within email programs.  Investigate the tools that are out there and find the ones that will get you organized.  Remember Google and other “Busy People” are your best resources out there.  Try the tools that they use and see how they work for you or how you can adapt them for your own use.

Some people are color coders, some use a numerical system, some put notes all over the place.  Even your organizing needs to be organized.   Otherwise you have lists all over the place and nothing ever gets done.  It does get tremendously colorful if you use sticky notes. Any office supply store and many of our favorite retailers have colorful office supplies.  Make it fun, make it creative, your basic supplies are boring.  Buy supplies that are eye catching and can make it that much easier to remember what you have to do.

 

Don’t be daunted by the steps you need to take to get organized. Whatever you do, don’t reinvent the wheel. Use the programs that are out there, Look for free and low cost options.  Use the programs that are already sitting on your computer being unused.

OK I admit,  I fought against getting organized.  I didn’t know how to start let alone how to make it all work.  Don’t let not knowing how to start to get organized and manage your time prevent you from succeeding.  Start Small, start with your cell phone and get used to that.  If you try to organize all aspects of your life, Frankly you will become so overwhelmed that you will never succeed.

Download.com has plenty of programs that are free to download and use or have fully functional trail periods so you can determine if the program will work for you.  I particularly like the post it note program.   I use that when something out of the ordinary comes up and I need to remember to schedule it or when I am engrossed in a project and don’t want to take a break to add it into a list.   It sits on  the desktop of my PC /Laptop until I can attend to it.  If I happen to forget it is a happy little colorful reminder that I have to take care of it.

Frankly, I am so color coded that when things get out of control my staff will ask me if a Rainbow exploded in my office……