I taught my kids how to use the calendar function on their phones to remind themselves of days when they need to bring gym clothes or stay after school for orchestra. You can set up a recurring meeting type event to poke you a few times a week.
More effective (and much more helpful when Larke starts hitting school) is a life management system like Franklin-Covey. It doesn't just straighten out days (and band trip payments, brownies needed for PTO meetings, face paint needed for homecoming games, etc) but the full system looks at what life goals YOU consider important, helps you determine milestones you have to hit to get there, and helps you set up monthly, weekly, or daily tasks in order to get there. They're helpful in a myriad of ways, many many years ago I had a Major who wrote up a charge sheet on me, and his documentation was xeroxes of notes from his Franklin Planner pages. In a strange twist of irony, it was documentation in my OWN Franklin Planner which proved me innocent (or not culpable) of many of his accusations, and resulted in all charges being thrown out by the Colonel. Those things are life-savers!
I'm confused on the situation though - who asked you to try and convince the partner to clean up? And who was upset, your boss or the partner?
The Partner asked me to ask my boss to clean up his mess... when my dropped hints and comment that the Partner had mentioned something didn't create a positive response with my boss I left a note for the Partner, which my boss swiped, and then the boss was pissed - probably at both me and the Partner... hopefully that makes sense...
I've thought about using my phone for more stuff like that.. but it's a through pain-in-my-ass when it comes to creating calendar stuff... I've been pining after an iPhone so I can link it to my computer and have the calendar keep me on track, but so far that hasn't happened... and as paper calendars and I work great when: I can keep them in my back pocket (though I've been wearing skirts 3-5 times a week recently and they don't have pockets), remember to look at them, and don't lose them... I'm really bad about losing the paper planners...
we were trying to get an iPhone but haven't been able to get my mom's bundle worked out... partially because she works nights and partially because they won't just let me do it (and she can't figure out what exactly she wants)
Ah, yeah... I can see the letter irritating the partner (I assume these are lawyers). It went from the softer science of social engineering, to the much more brunt 'in your face' type of letter from mom. And the boss is probably embarrassed that he didn't have the intestinal fortitude to control the Partner's mess himself.
As far as the iPhone, it sounds like you are more comfortable with delegating the task to another human. Until we get in the habit of dedicating ourselves to a planning/calendar system, new 'bling' is only going to make minor dents in our ability to manage our time. So the rule I try to use for myself is to create the habit of planning (or exercise, or cooking better foods) before investing in a new 'toy' like a palm pilot, (or perfect pushup bar, or slap-chop) I try to get in the habit of doing the thing I want to do more of, before buying a new gadget which will will give me -some- improvement, but it will be like a flash in the pan once the 'new car smell' wears off. (or 'new iPhone smell) as the case may be. You'll still have to track things on a calendar, which we tend to forget, or we find out about appointments when we're not by our calendar. One of the thing that defines the Franklin Planner Cult is that we sleep with those things under our pillows. I even take mine on dates... and to the pool... and camping... DEFINITELY camping.
The amusing thing is, if you get someone to remind you weekly about job apps, they'll very likely be using some sort of calendar/planner/list system to remember to remind you. The shortest path to awesome is to cut out the 'middleman'. ;-) An iPhone will make you much more productive if you've already got the base habits in place.
I've been setting my iCal to remind me of things... but it only works if I look at my computer every day in the morning... with a 3 yr old that just doesn't always happen... it's hard to ignore my phone - and I know the system that's why I'm leaning toward it... I don't think an iPhone will EVER be not shiney...
Actually they are Financial planners... the Partner is the one renting the space and my boss rents from him... I'm contracted by my boss and technically have no actual work relationship to the Partner... and it is my boss' mess that needed to be controlled... the boss is NOT the boss of the Partner... it's closer to the other way around...
That's cool that you're in the habit of using iCal. My biggest problem is that my computer is not with me everywhere I go, The blackberry is useful for setting reminders, but not real good for planning out the day, week, month, or summer.
btw, it's anti-procrastination day, have you filled out at least 1 1/2 job apps for this week? ;-)
thanks! Since the iPhone and the iCal can be magically auto-linked through the interwebs I figured it would be a good way to have an auto calendar that was always in my pocket that could hit me from multiple media... I've got .8 of a job app and part of a grad school app... almost there!
More effective (and much more helpful when Larke starts hitting school) is a life management system like Franklin-Covey. It doesn't just straighten out days (and band trip payments, brownies needed for PTO meetings, face paint needed for homecoming games, etc) but the full system looks at what life goals YOU consider important, helps you determine milestones you have to hit to get there, and helps you set up monthly, weekly, or daily tasks in order to get there. They're helpful in a myriad of ways, many many years ago I had a Major who wrote up a charge sheet on me, and his documentation was xeroxes of notes from his Franklin Planner pages. In a strange twist of irony, it was documentation in my OWN Franklin Planner which proved me innocent (or not culpable) of many of his accusations, and resulted in all charges being thrown out by the Colonel. Those things are life-savers!
I'm confused on the situation though - who asked you to try and convince the partner to clean up? And who was upset, your boss or the partner?
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I've thought about using my phone for more stuff like that.. but it's a through pain-in-my-ass when it comes to creating calendar stuff... I've been pining after an iPhone so I can link it to my computer and have the calendar keep me on track, but so far that hasn't happened... and as paper calendars and I work great when: I can keep them in my back pocket (though I've been wearing skirts 3-5 times a week recently and they don't have pockets), remember to look at them, and don't lose them... I'm really bad about losing the paper planners...
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What was the verdict then?
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As far as the iPhone, it sounds like you are more comfortable with delegating the task to another human. Until we get in the habit of dedicating ourselves to a planning/calendar system, new 'bling' is only going to make minor dents in our ability to manage our time. So the rule I try to use for myself is to create the habit of planning (or exercise, or cooking better foods) before investing in a new 'toy' like a palm pilot, (or perfect pushup bar, or slap-chop) I try to get in the habit of doing the thing I want to do more of, before buying a new gadget which will will give me -some- improvement, but it will be like a flash in the pan once the 'new car smell' wears off. (or 'new iPhone smell) as the case may be. You'll still have to track things on a calendar, which we tend to forget, or we find out about appointments when we're not by our calendar. One of the thing that defines the Franklin Planner Cult is that we sleep with those things under our pillows. I even take mine on dates... and to the pool... and camping... DEFINITELY camping.
The amusing thing is, if you get someone to remind you weekly about job apps, they'll very likely be using some sort of calendar/planner/list system to remember to remind you. The shortest path to awesome is to cut out the 'middleman'. ;-) An iPhone will make you much more productive if you've already got the base habits in place.
Reply
Actually they are Financial planners... the Partner is the one renting the space and my boss rents from him... I'm contracted by my boss and technically have no actual work relationship to the Partner... and it is my boss' mess that needed to be controlled... the boss is NOT the boss of the Partner... it's closer to the other way around...
Reply
btw, it's anti-procrastination day, have you filled out at least 1 1/2 job apps for this week? ;-)
Reply
I've got .8 of a job app and part of a grad school app... almost there!
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