A few days ago, I found an infographic to help you to become “The Most Organized Person in the World.” Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that aspiring to be the most organized person in the WORLD is the best goal — you’d probably go a bit nuts along the way. But trying for something more attainable, like just being MORE organized, is a great idea. I’m always looking for new, better ways to stay on my game!
Cluttered shed (Photo credit: UnnarYmir)
I have a confession to make. I’m somewhat of a pack rat. I like to keep things in case I need them. But I really needed to strike back this weekend. I’ve been irritated and borderline obsessed with the clutter that was living in my desk drawer at home. It was filled with lots of papers and things I didn’t need and lots and lots of power cords.
There are chargers for 4 iPhones, a Blackberry, a MacBook, an iPad Mini, an iPad keyboard case and some wireless speakers — I can’t take it! I’ve been researching ways to tame the power cords and got exhausted.
I love meeting people who are just as organized as I am and getting the chance to learn something new from them. I went to the BlogHer conference in Chicago last weekend (more about the productivity tips and tricks on outsourcing that I learned there to come soon!) and met Andrew Mellen, bestselling author of Unstuff Your Life. Needless to say, he’s an expert at staying organized and keeping it together! So I thought he’d be the perfect “list producer” to feature:
Q: Why do you call yourself a compulsive list producer?
A: I don’t. I call myself a practical list producer.
Q: What do you make lists about?
A: Things I need to do that need to get out of my head, onto a page, then onto my calendar.
These are typically:
Errands
Home Projects
Work Projects
Remember that song “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy from the 80s?
Sometimes the hardest part about list making is deciding where to keep your lists. It can be handy to use an app on your phone, or a program like Evernote, where you can access your lists anywhere, anytime online. Using paper has its benefits, too — every finished task comes with the
satisfaction of crossing the item off your list. Read more