Been talking to various people about organizational systems and time management approaches.

Approach 1:

Do nothing. Let the crises come and use your head to keep track of your comittments.

Approach 2:

Basic to-do list for work related issues

Approach 3:

Master list of all things you have to do in your life. Sort into categories based on your approach. Your job roles, priorities, bosses priorities, context or subject.

Tools used:

Tickler file - Drop it in a folder to deal with it later. (i.e. due date november 18 drop it in a file for the 18 and deal with then.)

Keep all to dos, dealines in a single word file that you check each day by file topic.

Use microsoft outlook for appointments, todo's, contacts and email. Use the journal function to track all interactions with any contact. (phone calls, meetings committments)

Sort to dos by location. (i.e. home errands) - (home calls) (@home computer) (@work computer) (@office)

I am working on this system (gettingthingsdone.com) and not sure about effectiveness quite yet. Still in the collect everything you have to do and get it into the external system (i.e. palm). This means I have way too many things piled on my dining room table. Problem is that feel a bit overwhelmed by the collection process. The 'to do' just gets bigger and bigger. The coming baby looms over it all. Recent quotation from a friend "Control is an illusion"

One thing I've found really helpful is having labels and file folders available whereever I am working. If I get a piece of paper that I don't have an existing place for it immediately gets labelled and filed in an A-Z system.

Comments - how do you keep track of everything?