Lists Make Phone Calls More Productive

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A friend of mine told me that she felt bad because she never had anything to talk about with her mother when she calls.  I think we’ve all been there.  The time comes for you to “talk” and your mind goes blank.  This is where a list comes in handy.

I suggested that my friend write down important things that she wanted to tell her mother as they happened.  She started making a list.  And when the next phone call came up — she filled her mom in on everything that was going on in her life.  She felt good because she could connect better with her parents and her mom actually noted that this was one of the best phone calls they had had in a long time.

My friend let her in on the secret — she had made a list.  There’s no shame in having a cheat sheet!  Especially if it makes you more successful in whatever task you take on — even talking on the phone with your mom!  Try it!

 

Keeping Track of Your Book Lists

/3 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , /by

A recent comment by fellow list producer, Katie C., on my blog about “Keeping a Book List” peaked my interest. Katie told me about a website called LibraryThing.com that she uses to list her favorite books. So I decided to check it out.

She’s right – it’s a great website. It’s a social cataloging site that lets you keep track of your favorite books, wish lists, etc. You can read other user’s reviews and it connects people who like the same types of books. It gives you suggestions about what to read next and can be accessed from anywhere – including your cell phone. So when people ask you “what should I read?” you’ll have all the information at your fingertips!

Basically it’s a social media site for book nerds. Well, I’m in! There are a bunch of other sites and even an application on Facebook that does similar things. But what I like about this site is that it searches the Library of Congress, Amazon sites and more than 80 libraries all over the world. It lets you organize your collection however you’d like – even by using the Dewey decimal system.

Signing up is free but it allows you to only catalog 200 books. That’s fine by me– I probably won’t need more than that. But if you’re a real bookworm you might want to get a paid account that costs $10 a year or $25 for a lifetime! Seems like a small price to pay to get your “nerd on.”

What other book sites do you like to use to keep track of all your reads?

 

7 Tips to Get More Done at Work

/3 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

Taking notes during a shoot with Dr. Manny Alvarez

Everyone has had one of those days – where you feel like you didn’t get anything accomplished at work.I’ve been there myself. You went to work, you talked to people, you wrote emails — but you didn’t really get anything finished.

Here’s a list of ways to rethink your workday so you’ll be more productive:

1. Make a list: You saw this one coming, didn’t you? I sound like a broken record because it works. Everyday before I leave work I make a list. Even if I’m dying to get out of there or I’m running late – I make time to make my list for the next day.

I look at my calendar and run through the following day in my head. I write out everything that I need to do – emails I need to write, phone calls I need to return, appointments I need to keep, shoots I need to go on, etc. I usually make two columns – one for work and one for personal stuff. Then the next day when I come in – I don’t even have to think about what needs to get done – I just follow my list and cross out tasks as I finish them. Read more

Save Your Favorite Places With Matchbook

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , , , /by

I’m all about shortcuts to make life easier – even when it comes to list making. Up until now I had been testing out a few apps to store my “must try” and “favorite” restaurants. But I kept reverting back to my usual list-making ways: writing them down and storing them in Evernote or Wunderlist. Those have all worked fine.

But – I have found an app that is smart and easy to use and does just what I need it to do. Perfect! Gone are the days of trying to remember the name of that restaurant or shop that you passed by last week. Now all you have to do is download one app – Matchbook.

Matchbook allows you to enter the name of the place you want to remember manually or search for it. If you are nearby – you can click the button “I’m walking by it” and Matchbook will find it for you! Brilliant!

You can add tags to remember certain things about the place like if it’s got a great brunch, is loud or is super trendy. If you’re stumped for a spot to meet friends after work – you can search via neighborhood and tags. It’s much easier to navigate than Yelp’s vast database of knowledge but the searching is a bit quirky. That will be fixed in future updates, I’m sure!

It works all over the world and organizes your bookmarks by area, which makes it easy to find a place quickly. There’s also a map so you can see your bookmarks laid out in front of you and see what you’re closest to.

You can share places with friends but you don’t have to “friend” anyone through the app. Just lots and lots of list making! Check it out and let me know what you think.

List of Travel Essentials

/5 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , /by

Planning a vacation can be both fun and stressful. I, of course, always make multiple lists to make sure I’m organized so I can save time, money and reduce stress. One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is what are the essential items that I take on every trip?

You know those things that come in handy no matter what state, city or country you are in? Those really smart items that you think — “I’m so glad I brought this!”

I’ve started a list of some ideas and would love for you to join in and help me compile a really great collection.