Feeling Overwhelmed and Unorganized? - How to Use Index Cards to Organize Your Life
Are you still looking for the perfect organizing tool? Is your Filofax too bulky and heavy to fit in your purse and carry with you? Tried a Palm or other Handheld and found it awkward to use when you're on the run?
Ta Da!! - Try simple 3x5 index cards, you know the litle ones you use for kitchen recipes.
Why? They are affordable, easy to find and they fit in your pocket or purse. They come in pretty colors so you can code your projects by color. e.g. one for Family, Work, Personal Goals, Home Projects, Hobbies/Crafts etc. Note: If you can't find coloured ones, use a coloured marker to outline around the outer edge of the card . This is enough to help you quickly sort them into groups if you need to.
Here are some examples of how you can use them. (I use one for each project but you can combine as many as you want onto one card)
Daily To Do List
Grocery Lists
Personal Goals - one for weekly, daily, monthly yearly, life goals Your Life Mission Statement
Favourite Prayers
List of Books on your Wish List to buy (or those that you want to read/look for at the library etc.)
To jot down your Hot Ideas when you are on the run.
Record notes from books and meetings.
Phone Calls - work, business, personal etc - jot the phone number down too so you don't need to look it up before you call.
Keep some blank ones in your pocket, purse, car, by your bed to record dreams, ideas that wake you up in the night. Keep a stack by the computer to keep track of your passwords, favourite sites and keyboard shortcuts.
Examples:
I have one with my Credit Card Balance and I record any new purchases on it as I make them so I can check off the transaction when my monthly bill arrives at month end.
Right now I am in the process of setting up a new Bank Account and I have made a list of all the utility bills that we pay by automatic payment from the old account and which I now need to notify of our new account data. I have this all on one card and can check off each one as I complete it. With a separate card for this project, I feel organized and can see immediately, how far along I am in this process. When I complete the project, out goes the card.
Oh, and by the way, don't forget to use them to record your favourite cooking recipes
I have a little plastic folding cover for my cards with two flaps inside that hold them from falling out. I picked it up at my stationary store and it protects my cards from getting bent and out of order in my purse. This isn't necessary as you can just pop them in any bag but it is handy for me. My daily To Do List is always on the top so I can just flip the cover open and see my list.
I would love to hear from those of you who already use index cards to stay organized. If you try them for the first time after reading this article,I would love to hear how they work for you.
Lorraine Peltier is a business owner, wife, mother, and owner of two black cats. She runs a successful home-based business. One of her goals is to help others succeed in living their dreams. She can be reached through her website at http://www.gourmetcandlebiz.com or via email: http://www.gourmetcandlebiz.com
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have... Read More
Are stacks of papers, mail, newspapers, and growing "to do"... Read More
The true definition of an organization is one that is... Read More
Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a... Read More
There are 3 kinds of clutter: Inner (between our ears);... Read More
Are you overwhelmed by clutter wherever you turn? Here are... Read More
Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More
Clutter costs you time, money, space, and peace of mind.... Read More
What do your storage spaces look like? Do you know... Read More
Life is really all about CHANGE. In order to make... Read More
Laundry. You sort, you wash, you fold, you blink ?... Read More
The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier... Read More
Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down... Read More
You really can have a successful business and a great... Read More
When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More
Cleaning out can seem overwhelming -- especially if it's been... Read More
Obviously, productivity involves producing. Producing widgets, events, reports, sales. The... Read More
Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes... Read More
Often we are in overwhelm because we are holding too... Read More
Spring?. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake... Read More
You know, in psychology there is a rule, especially within... Read More
We previously noted that papers must be sorted before they... Read More
The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More
It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization... Read More
I recently had a conversation with a friend about clutter.... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Getting organized is hard. If it weren't, we wouldn't put... Read More
Helping people clean out their closet is something I love... Read More
Have you ever been totally overwhelmed by a massive task... Read More
After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More
Often we are in overwhelm because we are holding too... Read More
(This is the second in a series of three articles... Read More
The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier... Read More
Clutter costs you time, money, space, and peace of mind.... Read More
I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More
The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More
It wasn't long ago that you spent an entire weekend... Read More
Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More
I'm cheap and proud of it.I use and re-use things... Read More
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space... Read More
In part 1, we discussed a system you could use... Read More
Take a look around you right now. Look away from... Read More
Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More
I've noticed that in the two years since the major... Read More
Take time to declutter this summer...Writing can certainly consume the... Read More
What's in a Name?Everything.What do you do with all the... Read More
Life with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) can be a constant... Read More
There are eight distinct steps to constructing and executing an... Read More
Remember when you charged into the office that first day,... Read More
1. All or nothing thinking/taking on too much." I'm going... Read More
One of my mother-in-law's many oft-quoted and wise declarations was... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |