Tips from Peter Walsh (part 4)

More Tips Directly from Peter Walsh

These Tips were given to me by Office Max to use if I wanted to.  The above picture is of the new line of products that Peter Walsh has coming out in the Office Max stores called you.organized.

Calendars: You might feel like multiple schedules lead to more confusion. For a little planning relief, combine home and work calendars. Simply choose various colors to mark important dates: one for professional tasks and meetings, one for personal appointments, one for social engagements, one for your children’s activities, and so on. (Peter Walsh)

I’m with him on that one. I have tried to keep a calendar in my purse and one at home.  I like having my calendar with me.  I have solved that problem with using a google calendar on my computer and it syncs with my blackberry.  The google calendar does have color coding for events, so that helps.  It isn’t my favorite calendar and I’m always looking for other options….but it has to sync with my phone so I have my calendar with me on the road.

Cork Boards & Sticky Boards: No need to hang lists, phone numbers and reminders all over your cubicle walls. Instead, create a one-stop message center with a cork or sticky board. Hang your daily to-do list, phone numbers, and a weekly calendar of events and meetings. That way, you’ll have all your need-to-know information in front of you. (Peter Walsh)

If you give yourself the limit of a bulletin board or magnetic board…and it gets full – then that is a sign that too much is on there and you can clean it off.

Email: Stay on top of your electronic inbox. Check email when you arrive, and immediately sort each message into an appropriate folder. Even if you don’t have time to deal with the contents of a message or even read it fully, sort it for later action. (Peter Walsh)

E-mail boxes are always a problem. It is easy for them to become very full very fast.  Do use the folders that you can create to sort e-mails you need to keep. Delete junk emails.  Here is a post I did on E-mail organizing.

• Closing Thoughts: Remember that your desk sends a clear signal about who you are and how you approach your work. You should have an organized desk at the start and finish of every day! (Peter Walsh)

Disclosure: I was not paid or given anything to do this post. I was given the above info if I wanted to use it…and I did!

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Calendars – Do they control our lives?

I have to admit that I have felt a bit lost since my computer crashed and I lost my Palm Pilot calendar. I did however, (thank goodness) print out my calendar and update my palm pilot before I took my computer into the computer hospital. They supposedly saved all my info, but my palm info seems to be gone.  The connector cord from my palm to my computer has bit the dust too. So I have my print out calendars and I do still have the info on my palm..but I can’t sync it with my computer any longer.

I have been trying to figure out another system that I can have my calendar and contacts on my computer but sync to my new blackberry.  I am trying google but haven’t synced yet…and don’t really like the calendar.  I don’t want to spend money for one…or very little money if its something great.  My husband keeps telling me Outlook, but I look at it and it cost several hundred dollars.

I think my calendar does control my life! It has everything on it.  Because I tend to live by schedules and routines….when those are thrown into chaos I feel like my life is in a bit of chaos. Is that right? Probably not. Should I be flexible and free? Maybe…but then I will miss appointments, not have phone numbers when I need them and with my personality I would only be crabby, not free.

Does your calendar control you? Do you live by it?  What system do you use and do you have any good suggestions for me on a calendar with contacts that can sync from my computer to my blackberry?