This week I started an intense course (and when I say intense, I mean I've never been so tired, nor drunk so much black coffee in all my life intense) in journalism training. As a result, I've become super organised. I've manage to keep myself on top of reading, note taking, shorthand learning and the blog hasn't taken too much off a back seat - ok so yesterday's post was a little rough around the edges and crap but there was a post.
I've always been a relatively well organised person. I'm one of those annoying list people, I have a list for everything; what I have to buy, what I have to do, what I have to take places, everything. I keep my filofax permanently in my bag, along with a note book and a couple of pens - you never know what might pop out. So I thought I'd give you my top tips for keeping organised at any time.
1) Get a diary and keep it on you
I'm not saying it has to be an expensive one, just a diary with dates for everyday of the year. Ideally with spaces big enough to write a days worth of stuff in but as long as you can fit in what you've got to do and what time it doesn't really matter. Make sure you keep your diary on you. The amount of times I've written something I've got to do on my hand and by the end of the day it's gone, is ridiculous. If you've always got your diary handy that doesn't have to be a problem. If anything comes up you can just jot it down in your diary. Having a diary and keeping it handy means you never have to worry about missing an appointment, or forgetting a certain piece of paper and you never have to worry about double booking. Super organisational points.
2) Keep some sort of notebook on you
Sometimes not everything is suitable to write in my diary so I keep a notebook on me as well. Again it's nothing special, in fact just an old exercise book that I covered with some pretty wrapping paper. In the notebook I write down things I need to look up or things I need to buy, things that need a bit more space than diary can offer. Again it means if I think of something at 11am I haven't forgotten about it by the time I get home because I can write it down there and then. I also write down ideas for blog posts in it. If you're a blogger this is something I'd advice. That way you never run out of blog post ideas so if you've had a day, or a week, where nothing's come up that you want to talk about on your blog you've got loads of ideas already written out in a notebook and you just have to choose one. The notebook's been particularly handy on my course, throughout the day I find new sources that I can use for stories and so I can just write them down and not have to worry about remembering a name, or a website all day.
3) Wunderlist
A fabulous app that I heard about on Lilly Pebbles' YouTube channel. It's essentially a list making app. As a list lover it's great for me and it means I don't use up 101 notebooks a month writing shopping lists or to do lists (as I write a to-do list every morning, particularly at the moment). It also means it's with me literally wherever I go. On tea break I don't have to carry my bag with me to check what needs doing I just need to take my phone, or when I'm shopping I don't need to carry around an annoying notebook that just gets in the way, I just need to have my phone open on my shopping list. A marvelous new addition to my life, one I suggest if you need to be a little more organised or already are and want to add to that.
So they're my top 3 tips on keeping organised. Not too many so as not overwhelm anyone who's new to keeping themselves organised. They're definitely a good starting point but things that can be developed on to get you as organised as you can be. For me I find being organised keeps me less stressed as everything I need to think about is written down so I don't need to worry about forgetting anything.
I hope you find these useful, if you have any tips let me know in the comments or tweet me!
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