1. Bullet journal: a very flexible system
1. Bullet journal: a very flexible system
It was created by a designer to combat his attention deficit. It is a mixture of agenda and diary, since in it you can collect your tasks and events but also your thoughts, purposes …
• How to use it. You can customize your Bullet Journal as much as you want, but the ideal is that you write down the activities of the whole year and then you specify them on a monthly and weekly basis until day-to-day. And the most important thing is to identify the notes or tasks with symbols to be able to categorize them.
• Who is it for. For visual and creative people and for those for whom the traditional agenda falls short or does not adapt to their changing lives.
2. Kanban method: very visual
2. Kanban method: very visual
It is a system created in the factories of Toyota and to which the Japanese car manufacturer owes part of its success. In general, it seeks to facilitate the work flow. To do this, you must prioritize the tasks that are in progress and finish them before starting new ones.
• How to use it . You have to make a table with at least three columns: pending tasks, in progress and finished. Next, each person should write their tasks in posters and should be placing them in one column or another, as appropriate. The goal is that you don't have too many tasks going on to focus on.
• Who is it for . It is perfect for companies and teamwork, but surely you can also adapt it to distribute household chores among your family.
Photo: Arstextura.de
3. Getting Things Done Method
3. Getting Things Done Method
His goal is that instead of worrying and going over the tasks that you have pending, you free your mind and simply focus on doing them.
• How to use it. Put in writing the tasks you must do. Those that take you less than two minutes, do them immediately, and the rest analyze it and define how and when you are going to do each one of them. Then go doing without worrying about pending things. Go through the list each day at a set time to mark your priorities, either for that day or for the next day.
• For whom it is. For those who are so overwhelmed by having a long list of things to do that they end up blocked and unable to do even one of them.
4. Time blocking: easy and intuitive
4. Time blocking: easy and intuitive
It is very similar to school schedules or agendas. You divide the day into hourly blocks and assign one thing to do to each block.
• How to use it. Decide what you want to do in a day and assign it a block. So you will know what to do every hour. For example, from 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., meditate; from 7.30 to 7.45, shower, etc.
• For whom it is. For those looking for an organization system that is as easy and intuitive as possible.
5. Kakebo: control your finances
5. Kakebo: control your finances
If you are not sure where the money is going, this system allows you to easily control and keep your finances up to date.
• How to use it. At the beginning of each month, you must write down your income and fixed expenses, so you will know how much money you have available for other things. Then, every day you must write down absolutely all your expenses (even the smallest) in its section: food, leisure …
• For whom it is. For the very constant and those who do not know how the money is going each month.
The key to organizing is being realistic
The key to organizing is being realistic
To choose the organizational method that best suits you or for the system you choose to work for you, you must be very realistic and honest with yourself: to do this, you have to recognize whether or not you are constant, how long it actually takes to perform the different tasks, at what time of the day you tend to be most productive and when least … And then, be disciplined to comply with the system.
Does the agenda serve to organize you better?
Does the agenda serve to organize you better?
The paper agenda (or the mobile one) can be a valid option if you don't want to complicate your life. But for it to be useful you must take into account a series of requirements:
- Have a single agenda for everything (for work, personal things, etc.).
- On the mobile phone, notices appear to remind you of things.
- In the case of the paper one, you have to remember to look at it: set a time.
Technology is a great help to organize
Technology is a great help to organize
Many apps help you manage and organize your tasks. There are simple ones, others can be used by several people, they have alarms, they allow adding photos or videos. Some are Any.Do, Trello, Todoist …
