After having the majority of my classes for the first time this term, its become clear that I will be very busy and busy might be an understatement. I’ll be working on client projects and getting some good experience. From the sounds of it, I’ll be spending more time in our classes’ computer lab, which will come in handy to be in a constant place, bust still a lot of work.
What I am asking from you is if anyone has some good time management ideas or tips that have worked for them in the past? I plan on trying to keep my calendar updated with projects and work times so keep that part square, but it still is possible that things can slip through the cracks. Perhaps something like a to-do list or something.
What do you all do for time and project tracking? Also anyone have any good blackberry or smart phone applications?
I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it looks nice, just need to figure out what to do in this real world.
Anyways, its time for me to hit the hay and get some much needed sleep.
This is a teacher-oriented site, but it reviews a mac to-do list manager: http://www.profhacker.com/2010/01/14/putting-the-things-in-gtd-managing-an-academic-life-with-cultured-codes-things/
It costs $ sadly, but he compares it to other mac to-do stuff so it might be helpful.
I’ve just been using Google Tasks. It’s much less sophisticated than I’d like, but it’s free. There’s not a BB app, but you can pull up http://mail.google.com/tasks/m via the browser and use it that way. It’s working well for things I need when I don’t have my laptop (great for shopping lists, for instance).
The most important tip I can offer is not to choose some system that is in fact another big task you have to do. GTD stuff doesn’t work for me for that reason. It’s one more system that I have to figure out any manage. I want LESS to do, not MORE. So no matter how many cool gizmos, make sure it’s something that fits the way you already work and think.
Good luck!
(Captcha: Resist Ethel. I had not idea that Ethel was getting that bad, but I will definitely resist her from now on. Thanks for the tip CaptchaMan)
Get a 2010 diary, with full sized pages. Write in on the pages that deadlines are due.
Use each page then as a “To do” list for that day. When its done, scribble/cross it out.
Obviously for very large projects due in months, write in key-days where you should be and what you need to accomplish in the next time-frame.
This is better than any computer application because you can’t format it, or corrupt it, infect it with viruses or anything like that. It also has minimal setup time, costs are minimal and only requires a writing instrument, usually obtainable from anywhere…
Pierce
Yep, paper works too. Right, can’t format it, or corrupt it, infect it with viruses. And you also can’t back it up on 18 servers so that you can still get to it when you lose it/leave it back at home/spill your lemonade all over it and make the ink run.
Just sayin…