Have a “Drop” Zone
Have an empty container in each room. At the end of the day you have an easy way to contain all the clutter from the room. You may not have time to put everything away, but you can contain it for now.
Write Yourself Notes
Use post-its! Put them by your bed, in your office, in your kitchen. It’s a quick way to make those fleeting thoughts visual. Don’t want to forget the cookies you made for a bake sale? Put a post-it on the front door so you’ll see it before you leave. Write all those little ideas you have when you are trying to sleep on a post-it note and get a better night’s sleep knowing it’s waiting for you when you wake up. Just make sure to toss them when you are done with them.
Use ONE Calendar
Choose the calendar that works best for you and then stick with that one calendar. The great thing about smart phones and tablets, is that any device can sync with any calendar program.
Make a List, Check it Twice
Each evening check your schedule for the next day, add any to-do list items you need to get done (or didn’t finish). First thing in the morning review your schedule as a way of mapping out your day so it’s fresh in your mind.
The F Word
It doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be FUNCTIONAL. Function is all about knowing what you have, what you need, and what purpose it serves. Your system, home, or life, may not look like a magazine – but if it functions FOR YOU then that is all that matters.