MetaChat - Notebook, Desk Diary, Day Planner, Action List?

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31 July 2007

Notebook, Desk Diary, Day Planner, Action List? What's your poison? I need a new system. OCD thread of the day.→[More:]For a long time I've carried a portfolio notebook with a ruled-paper pad inside, and my calendar, and that's it. But I'm starting to really hate the notebook. The problem is, I go to a meeting and write out a bunch of notes, thinking I will transcribe them later. Then, of course, I move on the next thing and don't do it. Next time I open the notebook, there's old stuff. I tear it out and have this random sheaf of pages sitting in a vertical rack. I ruffle through the sheaves after a few days and make a to-do list out of them. Sometimes I hold onto a piece of paper because there's one important phrase written on it. I'm forever stowing pages of unprocessed notes in files.

It's not working!

I'm thinking about trying a blank book/daily diary kind of thing.

How do you keep track of stuff? Do you keep a diary showing who you talked to, what you decided, what your next jobs are? Do you only write down 'action items' (yuck) or make a note about everything? Do you use a separate notebook for more detailed notetaking? Do you also carry a calendar, or use an all-in-one sort of thing?

Do tell!

post by: Miko at: 10:03 | 15 comments

I use Outlook to keep track of appointments, on my calendar. I have an Outlook task list, which I rarely use, and lots of lists on "stickies", which I do use. I love those computer "Stickies". My system isn't very organized, but it seems to work OK for me.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 July | 10:09

None of the above. I put the occasional reminder in my cell phone so it'll beep at a certain time to remind me to do something, and that's about it.

posted by BoringPostcards 31 July | 10:15

Backpack for to-do lists, Outlook for meetings (because I have to use it at work, rather than through choice)

posted by TheDonF 31 July | 10:15

I'm obsessed with avoiding memory loss so I try to remember everything in hopes that exercise will strengthen my rememberator. When I do write things down, it tends to be on little slips of paper that I misplace easily. I don't like putting schedules or important numbers in my phone or computer, because I don't want anyone accessing my files, finding out where I'll be, and ambushing me on my way to a meeting. Even killing in self-defense eventually gets tiresome.

posted by Hugh Janus 31 July | 10:17

I have a small datebook for planned tasks and appointments. They get crossed off daily, or moved forward. Then I have a blank lined book that I carry around with me to take notes, write random stuff, phone numbers, last night's dream, hell, anything that comes up in the course of my day. I spend from 4.30-5 every day going through that and crossing stuff out as I transcribe points, deal with issues that have come up etc.

I can't deal with computer reminders or stuff on the computer. I need to write it down and cross it out, otherwise it's not real.

posted by gaspode 31 July | 10:28

Me, too - it has to be concrete. I just realized, reading these, that I'm way more analog than lots of folks here.

Though that BackPack program is pretty cool. I can see some good uses for that, so I started a page. I see that as more useful for organizing the rest of my life, though, like travel and writing assignments -- not just for work.

posted by Miko 31 July | 10:42

I use Outlook for that stuff, to the degree that my employer mandates it. If left to my own devices, I'm somewhere between Hugh and gaspode.

posted by box 31 July | 10:47

I used to be hooked on Franklin Planners. Eventually, though, they got too expensive and ridiculous so now I just use a small spiral bound weekly planner thingie from Office Depot. I kind of miss my Franklin planner sometimes, though - it made me feel soooo organized. Even though that was mostly the allure of the faux leather binder. Anyway, the generic version works fine. I track all my appointments and just write lists and notes across the week as they come up; sometimes I glue stuff in there. That's for work - at home I rely on, well, nothing. Which is why I keep forgetting stuff and have to write big notes and magnet them to the fridge.

posted by mygothlaundry 31 July | 11:11

Small pocket diary for far off things and keeping track of when I did stuff in case I need it letter (as in, when did I call the landlord about that? And the second time? The third?)

I've also started keeping track of any extreme moods. A couple have a definite pattern, which means I can mentally disregard them when they happen.

Short term reminders I write on my hand.

posted by small_ruminant 31 July | 11:16

At home I use the Yahoo calendar, which will email reminders to me. In the office we have Outlook, which I use in the same way. We also have an awesome case management system at work which prompts me to keep on top of my caseload with a daily task list.

posted by essexjan 31 July | 11:25

I have a small planner, and one of these. I keep index cards with various lists in it, and have a section for those random things I need on a piece of paper.

posted by Specklet 31 July | 11:53

I used to have a Daytimer. Now I just write stuff on a yellow legal pad, and then cross it off as it gets done. Sometimes it can be 2 or 3 pages worth of tasks.

It seems to be as effective as anything else that I have tried.

posted by danf 31 July | 12:04

I've tried normal day planners and various online solutions in the past, but with limited success.

Recently I've been using a squared pocket moleskine as sort of a catch-all for my todo / appointments / random ideas, and its working quite well so far.

posted by jjb 31 July | 13:08

I use Outlook at work for appointments and task reminders (that almost sounds as if I have a choice) and sync it to my mobile phone, so I have a copy wherever I go. The only problem is that the phone tends to remind me of things that are happening on the following day at mid fucking night and there doesn't seem to be any way to turn off the reminder sound on the phone, or make it quieter.

Everything else, I just forget. I figure that, if it's important enough, someone will remind me.

posted by dg 31 July | 22:59

My entire existence is a page on iGoogle with iCalendar, gmail, weather, del.icio.us, 5 journals that I read weekly-monthly and a to-do list, on it. It is extremely useful but I realize that it might just be handy for me because I use a form of computer almost everywhere.

For meetings, 90% of the time I use handwritten notes, which I move into a computer within a few days (it helps me review stuff, categorize etc). The rest of the time, I slack off :)

For my actual work, I keep daily notes in a funky little notebook, for my eyes only, where I will put down the date, a few words for things I need to keep track -calculations, meeting highlights, procedures that I repeat only once in a while and forget easily. There are a lot of exclamation marks, swear words and the occassional doodle. I leave this at the office for the entertainment of the cleaning person perhaps, or I take it with me if I work from home/elsewhere.

posted by carmina 31 July | 23:34

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