Comments for Time Management Ninja

Comment on 10 Things Wrong With Your Todo List by Jesse Lex

Jesse Lex — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 17:16:00 +0000

My problem isn’t managing the todo list, it’s managing the tasks on the list!

Too many short-term tasks get in the way of longer-term tasks, but the longer-term tasks have more priority on the lifetime perspective. Then there’s priority short-term tasks that I do automatically and don’t even need to go onto the todo list. And on top of that, social and family commitments!

All of this is about my personal and extra-curricular professional (but would like to make my primary professional) task list. A lot of it has to do with catching up professionally by doing self-motivated things, and I’m VERY motivated to do them. Little things like purchasing a pair of shoes, exercising, trying to find a dentist that works for my insurance and myself. . .all important things but easy to put off.

It probably just takes willpower to get these things done. Any tips on mustering that type of willpower?

Comment on 10 Things Wrong With Your Todo List by Adrian Hoe

Adrian Hoe — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:19:00 +0000

I have a good read before going to bed. Yes, it works for me. I still can’t get my list to be as simple as possible. I am using OmniFocus on Macs and iPhone and it has got great features to do projects, contexts and sub lists… etc. I am putting down my tasks on the list and finish them off one at a time. My list also reminds me of tasks I need to do. Software project(s) is/are too complicated and too much to be done so I actually benefitted from doing the list.

One thing that always bugs me is that I always end up with a few more new tasks added after completed one task. So, my list is ever growing. Is this bad?

Comment on 10 Things Wrong With Your Todo List by Craig Jarrow

Craig Jarrow — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Thanks, Silvia!

Love getting my todo list together the night before! Gives more time to prep if there is something that needs some last minute attention.

Comment on 10 Things Wrong With Your Todo List by Silvia

Silvia — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Great article! I like to get my list ready a night before to have it ready in the morning.

Comment on Where Do You Take Your Notes? by Jeff@Day-Timer

Jeff@Day-Timer — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:29:00 +0000

I recommend two types of note capture devices: the first goes with you everywhere in your pocket at all times. The second is your larger master notebook (or planner) where you can keep a searchable record of your important notes.

If you can combine the two, great, but I’ve found it’s difficult to take lengthy and archivable meeting or project notes on a pocket-sized book. Your results may differ. Instead, I take action on my pocket notebook each day, converting the notes into tasks and reminders and appointments in my master notebook.

The key, I’ve found, is to have only two books, and have a system.

Thanks for the great post Craig.

Comment on Why You Should Try a Moleskine Notebook by Dave Baldwin

Dave Baldwin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:43:00 +0000

I have 1/2 dozen Moleskine notebooks. I use them for different things. I like the ones that have the graph paper grids.
Thanks so much for the post.
Blessings,
Dave

Comment on Where Do You Take Your Notes? by Craig Jarrow

Craig Jarrow — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:05:00 +0000

Interesting. I get it, so you are scanning your notes via your OCR software.

Have you tried putting the scans directly in Evernote to see how well their OCR search works on your notes? Might be an interesting experiment. May or may not be as thorough as what you are doing currently.

Thanks for sharing your method!

Comment on Where Do You Take Your Notes? by philippe

philippe — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:37:00 +0000

@craig: I still use ReadIris I discovered some years ago; I do not use EN’s OCR a lot

Comment on Why You Should Try a Moleskine Notebook by TyAnn Robinson

TyAnn Robinson — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:16:00 +0000

I’ve been using the pocket-sized Moleskine notebooks for years and absolutely love them! To make it even better, I attach the self-adhesive pen loop to the back cover and that way my pen is always attached: http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10026885&N=&Ntt=pen+loop

Best notebook on the market, hands down.

Comment on Where Do You Take Your Notes? by Elaine Willis

Elaine Willis — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:55:00 +0000

I completely agree that it is in note taking that my organization tools fall apart. I have never been as “together” as when I used a Daytimer with the notes section on each page.

I have been using a PDA for more than ten years and still struggle to keep up with the random reminders. There is not a good way to quickly record things in my opinion.

I do have many, many notebooks, but they do not lay flat like a spiral notebook does. As another poster said, the ability to have one page open is great.

Unfortunately, spiral notebooks tend to get tangled up in my purse with the other things I carry.

I wish there was a notebook that would lay flat with one page showing that did not have the spiral ring to get in the way.