Despite my rather Type-A Personality, I am dreadfully unorganized. I've just got to accept it.
My memory is not what it used to be—I must make lists, check them off, double check everything before I leave the house (in order of importance: coffee, phone, keys. I'm not kidding).
I don't know if it's just a matter of being an adult and dealing with itinerant distractions; if it's because I have less time because of holding an actual-real-life job; or if I'm truly getting more forgetful as I get older. But in any case, it bugs me. Because I'm a perfectionist in so many other ways.
My mom laughs at me when she asks me to check my calendar—it's a rather large planner, with lots of stuff stuck in the back—old receipts, tickets to concerts, gift certificates, coupons, directions to people's houses...whatever I might need in an emergency at Target, in the car, or if I magically have some free time and want to do some shopping. It's like my first-aid kit. Well, some people might view it more as triage.
And no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get organized electronically. It's like I need actual hard-copy versions of things where I can scribble out, tear away, and write down. It's harder for me to remember things I type than things I physically write. Sometimes my lists are ridiculously detailed, and sometimes they're so vague I don't remember why I bothered to jot a note.
I would love to be one of those neat, organized, ahead-of-time, controlled people. It happens occasionally and I'm always so grateful I thought ahead. But for now, I'm just that frazzled girl with the huge bag—required to carry my messy, scrappy planner—running out the door at the last second.
(If you have any ideas for me, let me know.)
9 comments:
I used to rely heavily on Outlook, but my new workplace has stupid Lotus Notes, which makes me miserable.
Some of my friends like Google Calendar. I'd try it myself, but my new workplace also has stupid Internet blockage of all web-based e-mail.
poor, poor monkey.
i have to do a combo of electronic and written out. i use google calendar to plug in my usual schedule (classes, work, etc.) so the hubs can also access them, birthdays, dr. appointments, and social events that are planned ahead. it's my long-term thing, so i use month view.
i then write out my daily tasks in my "weekly planner" (a blank moleskine). i write a few days up to a weeks' worth of tasks in there at a time.
works for me! i used to be super disorganized, but lots of time and little money when i first graduated helped me figure out what worked for me and set it up so it was easy to maintain.
I understand about the electronic organizing. I can put notes on all the electronic Post-its on my desktop that I want, but then I NEVER look at them. The notes HAVE to be put on regular Post-its and stuck around my desk, and I have write everything down on a physical planner, too. I don't know why this is. Is it because we grew up with paper first? Or is it like you said, and writing it down helps our memory? I do the same at home. Birthdays, etc go on the wall calendar so we both can see it.
Well I was going to suggest Google Docs because my whole life is on Google Docs right now. But if you like things hand-written better than electronic, then that's terrible advice and I shouldn't have even bothered to leave this worthless comment.
I can't do electronic orgainzation either. A few years ago I got a Palm Pilot...fail. At work I have a BlackBerry, but I only use it, and Windows calendar, to set meetings and work reminders. In my personal life, I just have to remember or make handwritten lists. I am lucky to have a good memory, but I will inevitably make a shopping list, forget it at home and then forget to buy the most important item on the list.
Maybe you need an intern for Kamerica Industries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGKh4pTCDcg
Go to law school. Then, when you're done, get a job (assuming the legal market is not still over-saturated after three long years) and hopefully you'll get an LAA that is (1) smarter than you are, (2) way better at staying organized, and (3) who is not bitter about working for lawyers that run around like chickens with their heads cut off.
My LAA is awesome.
No, you cannot have her.
My apologies to all chickens for comparing them to lawyers.
I love lists... however, sometimes I write stuff down knowing I need to do it and just never do because I inevitably forget about my list.
Let me know when you've mastered the art of organization! I'll need some help. :-)
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