Keeping the Ship Afloat

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Everyone has to find some way of staying organized. No one is exempt. And yet, some of us struggle. So many great systems exist. Some are born naturally organized. Some people only have one passion, one focus, and can keep track of their progress simply.

I have tried Bullet Journaling, Franklin Covey - specifically, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Getting Things Done (the book), AutoFocus, Managers of Their Homes, FlyLady, Sidetracked Home Executives, and any other time management books I could find. And here’s the thing - they all work. Every single one of them improved my life in some way. But not a single one of them made me feel safe - like I wasn’t forgetting something.

When it comes down to it, any system will work, but you still have to trust it completely to have staying power. I always trusted the system, but I didn’t trust myself to use it faithfully. So I’d have some super-productive days or weeks, then move on to another scheme or system. Or, when I get to the end of a notebook, I start exploring other ways. Aside from that, my needs are always changing.

Finally, I decided that changing systems all the time wasn’t doing anyone any good, and my ship was sinking. So, I spent 2019 really thinking about what I liked in the past, and what worked. I put it all together into a system that works for me and keeps me motivated and orderly.

The Bare Minimum

Here is one thing all those things above have in common. You need, at the very least, a reliable tool for each of the following things:
  • Calendar - for appointments, reminders, and anything that is specifically date and time drive. Be steadfast in this! No exceptions! This includes appointments with yourself.
  • Lists - this is everything else you need to remind yourself of. To Do Lists, routine checklists, menus, shopping lists, project lists, books to read, movies to see, etc.
  • Reference - any sort of filing system where you can retrieve what you need in seconds. This refers to traditional filing, as well as digital filing systems.

2020 Walk Through

Here is a walk through of my current setup. I will be going into more detail in future posts, so check back.

Tools I Use

Here are the tools that I have found work for me for each of the Bare Minimum categories above:
  • Calendar - I use a collection of Google Calendars for tracking everything my family needs to know about.
  • Lists - pen and paper is the standard for me here. If I don’t write it down, I just don’t remember.
  • Reference - this is sort of a mishmash because of the nature of the information. I have binders for papers we refer to regularly or need portability. I have digital reference tools for things I don’t need regularly, but are nice to have. And I have my journals.
Again, this is the bare minimum, and I will go into further detail next time. When you are working on staying organized, remembering things, or meeting goals, think about what tools work for you, and don’t be afraid to try new things. You may just find you can do it all digitally, and that’s that. Or you may find, like me, that paper is your best friend.

Check back for additional posts on this topic:
  • Ship-Shape Scheduling
  • Captain’s Logs and Ships Registers
  • Your Personal Reference Library
  • Favorite Tools of the Trade
What tools do you use to keep your ship afloat?

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