Technology is a wonderful thing, use it to keep track of everything in your world.
One of the best things about tablets and smartphones is the ability to have a world of information at your fingertips. Most of my friends have day planners, bujos, and other paper planning devices. They are a great way to keep track of what has happened in the past and plans for the future. Once upon a time, I had a day planner. I used it to keep track of court dates, client meetings, due dates, and all kinds of information. It was a great tool for most people. I tried to adapt it to my way of thinking and living, but it was hard and not natural for me.
Before smartphones, there were PDAs (personal digital assistants). These devices were the great-grandparents of the modern day smartphones. I used my PDA instead of the paper devices and I finally felt at home. The PDA synced with my computer. This means I was able to write documents on my PDA, sync it with my computer and print out briefs, motions, and other legal documents for clients. Technology has come a long way. I am now able to print directly from my phone or tablet. I do not need my computer at all.
Today I no longer use paper planners of any kind. I do all my planning electronically. I use programs that will work on my smartphone, tablet, computer, computer, and in the cloud. Excel spreadsheets have become one of my very best friends. I use a workbook of Excel spreadsheets to keep track of my entire business enterprise. Everything from books, to e-courses, to blog posts, to consulting plans are all on the spreadsheets.
It is a wonderful thing to be able to keep all my notes, plans, and projects in the pocket of my jeans or my purse. Like many modern women, I rarely travel without my smartphone or tablet. This means I never am without my plans close at hand. My friends with the paper planners, bujos, and books don’t always carry their books with them. This means if they are in line at the market and have an idea, they must write it on a piece of scrap paper and save it until they get back to their paper. Unfortunately, the scraps of paper sometimes get lost in transit and don’t make it to the paper planner. Another problem with paper planners is that if they get lost, wet, or otherwise damaged there are major problems.
If I lose or break my smartphone, tablet, computer or all three, it’s no big deal. All the information is stored in the cloud so I can pick up right where I left off and continue with things. If you are a pen and paper person, think about ways to make the pen and paper record keeping more durable. Is it possible for you to scan your paper products into your computer? Can you use your phone to take photos of your buju so that if it gets lost you still have a copy of all the hard work you have done and are planning to do?
Just as the telegraph and fax machine gave way to email and text messaging, paper is giving way to electronic record keeping. Do not get left behind. Find ways to combine electronics and your paper. So, the question for you this terrific day is how do you keep the world at your fingertips?