Time Management Software - Offline Version

How often do you take notes? Do you use notebook, agenda or papers? I take notes almost everyday.

I have an agenda and i use it when i attend meetings. Sometimes i do not want to use keyboard and like to draw something on it.

• I use calendar extension for Thunderbird mail client. I recommend this tool if you use Thunderbird. It allows you to add tasks, reminders, notes, events and see them on calendar. These features are similar to Outlook's functions. Also you can synchronize calendar with your Google calendar.
• I sometimes use Google. I prefer it because it is an online calendar and easy to use. Another reason is i am addicted of Google tools and i can integrate calendars with the other Google applications.
• Google notes is my another favorite application. I use it for taking web notes. With a Firefox add on i can take web notes easily.

I have tried many other tools to take notes. Now i use tools that i listed above. Yesterday i was looking photos on flicker. I saw an interesting note taking picture and i really liked it. Now i want a notebook with squared line paper and a good pencil. I may use this technique soon.


Time-management software...
Originally uploaded by dgray_xplane

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The Runaround Dilemma

Do you think sometimes people want more than you can give? I do. Unfortunately my workplace is not far away from users. They come and say their work is more important than the others. Imagine that ten people come like that. Which work is really important? Of course we have some procedures for ordering works. But users do not want to understand. They just want their works to be done. In this case managers should be clear and decisive.

We should aware of which works are really important. All important works are not urgent. We must separate works into two dimensions. Importance and urgency. Then we can find which works to do and which works not to do. Avoid not important and not urgent works. Do urgent and important works first. Plan important and not urgent works. And lastly delegate not important but urgent works.

THE RUNAROUND DILEMMA

• Because we don’t know what is really important to us, everything seems important.
• Because everything seems important, we have to do everything.
• Other people, unfortunately, see us as doing everything, so they expect us to do everything.
• Doing everything keeps us so busy, we don’t have time to think about what is really important to us.

          (Source: Franklin Covey Company - Focus document)

• important adj 1: of much import, carrying with it serious consequences; weighty, momentous, grave, and significant
• urgent adj 1: pressing, compelling; calling for or demanding immediate action; anything characterized by urgency

          (Source: Oxford English Dictionary)

 The idea of importance & urgency matrix comes from Franklin Covey Company. I saw the four quadrant shape then i decided to share with you.

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Do It

Daily Planning

1. Check today’s appointments.
2. Make a realistic list.
3. Prioritize (ABC, 123).

     Source: Franklin Covey Focus document

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