What Helps You Stay Organized?

Richard

What's the biggest thing that helps you stay organized with your business? Or have anything to recommend?

I find myself writing so many post it notes and taking all sorts of lists and papers with me throughout the day....uggg. So my wife told me I should get a PDA-after I asked her "what's a PDA" and she told me, I agreed...I'm getting one asap

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Rich

Bob Kovacs

I've gotta tell ya- the PDA might not be the savior you're hoping it to be. I've carried everything from a Palm Pilot to an HP Pocket PC to my current blackberry, and I still find I need to carry a notepad with me. It's very difficult to get into the habit of writing everything down in a PDA, and if you're not writing everything in there, it's not helping you very much.

I find I use mine for email, for keeping my contact list, and for scheduling appointments that are several weeks out. I don't find it being used for daily task lists, short-term meetings/scheduling, or general note-taking.

Bob

sage

I tried the pda thing and it just did not suit me. I use a month at a glance type calender and a week at a glance combo, (hard copy, pen to paper) It also has a legal pad and graph pad in the same folder. One of those leather bound deals, real simple. I had a hard time recording info quickly with the PDA but I hear you can get real quick with practice.

I also use a digital camera to photograph any potential jobs from multiple angles. You might not need this for painting, Idunno. May seem archaic but it works well for me. I am very visual so I like to see it all laid out in front of me instead of having to pull up individual dates by icons or reminders.

I also have a dry erase calender posted in my office, back to the visual thing. May seem a redundant time waster, but it doesn't take but a minute to transfer info and it lets my employees get an idea of what the time hacks are and what is coming down the pipe.

Hope this helps.

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mahlere

i use the motorola Q. cell phone and PDA all in one. Synchronize with my desktop every night. Let's me keep information at my fingertips. However, I still use notebooks for specific jobs (simple spiral bound) where i just need to keep a lot of information that I'm not going to have to access quickly.

BRNDIVY

My planner and good 'ole legal pads..I also have a dry erase board for my guys..Makes it easier for last minute schedule changes.

Dave Mac

Great topic.

at one time i use a organiser, and really liked it. instead of up dating it, i went to a legal pad, basicly draw a line down the middle of it, on one side it read to do list, on the other side it read phone call list, works pretty well.

Teetorbilt

The PDA didn't work for me either, takes too long to enter data in the field and finding old stuff can be a PITA. Went back to a day planner, legal pad and clipboards for each job.

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ejyonkman

Since I am the most absentminded person I know... here are some things that I try to remember to do! Always ALWAYS have paper and pencil/pen with me. Anything that has to be done sometime during the day gets written down. If I see I have to do it.. then I will remember to do it. If I have to take notes or in your case if you are doing a walk thru or talk to someone that needs information or something and you dont have to do it right then.. then I would suggest getting one of those miniature recording things. I used to have one for some of my college classes to record the instructors since I am HORRIBLE at taking notes. I found that it worked for everything. If I record notes to myself as I'm doing something then I only have to play it back later to write out hard copy from it and then I can delete the recorded stuff. I would just suggest that if you are doing a walk thru on a job start the recording with the address/client name and then when you start another recording after that do the same or say 'new note to self' or something. You can use a clip on the back to keep it in your pocket or a lanyard to just hang it around your neck so its close at hand. Hope it helps if you decide to give it a try!

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Stone Mountain

I tried a Palm PDA. Even though I am something of a gadget freak, I simply couldn't get used to it. I went back to using an old fashioned daytimer. Works best for me.
I keep a to do list, and I religeously cross things off and add things on.
I also use a dry erase board in our scheduling office.
I still forget lots of stuff.

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Danahy

I used a palm pilot, then an audiovox 6600 pocket pc, then now my blackberry... It all just took too much time. Awesome for about 2 weeks only. Any computerized notes just seem to get lost for me, I forget to go looking for it.

All my simple notes go in my month view calendar book, and any todo notes get written on a pad, that sites next to my truck keys. In the morning I rip it off and take that with me.

My blackberry is just for emails / contacts / text messages (sits in my truck). Then I use one of those Mike walkie talkie rubberized cell phones with me at all times.

hatchet

I will use a small tablet/notepad and then in the evening my wife takes and puts all appointments that over a week away and any new contacts into my Pocket PC.
I did try using it for punchlists and that kind of stuff - but I don't think the layout was all that useful. With a different spreadsheet layout I think it could be more useful.
But overall I agree with the above comments about the Pocket PC being not much more than a glorified contact and calendar.
I am currently looking into a tablet PC - after the JLC article from last month.

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Rich
WIT Construction Co.
Superior MT Contractor

Plan 9

I've toted around laptop computers, carried PDAs, Day Runners, High Tech cell phones, CRM software, contact managers, the works. Now I carry a simple spiral notebook and use one page per day to make parts lists, write down phone messages, create to-do lists, etc. It's very primative but it works and holds up to rough work environments...

Bone Saw

Far as making lists and things of that nature out in the feild or on the road, I always have my mp3 player on me 24/7 I just make voice notes

nadonailer

Combination of Day Planner and spiral notebook... I'm still not very organized though, I usually forget to write stuff down anyway..

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AtlanticWBConst

Wake up early in the morning 4 am or 5 am... gets alot done before hitting the road....

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plazaman

Used the PDA for 2 weeks, couldnt stand using a 3rd device (2 phones)
Nothing beats the old pen and paper. I find it to be very effective, materials, to dos, appointments... Great feeling when you strike 1 off the list, feeling of accomplishment.

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Westchester Remodeling Contractor
Hartsdale Remodeling Contractor
Ardsley Remodeling Contractor

Tscarborough

"What helps you to stay organized?"

Hunger, mainly.

Richard

the only 4 and 5 I see during the day is when I'm packing up to go home....

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Rich

Quote

Hi Boys,

Paper and pencil definitely help -- however, what happens when you lose your notebook or forget it at home? Also, pda's and blackberrys are my personal favorite, but Ken always breaks or loses them. I have gone through almost 2 $400.00 PDA's for him and he always ends up without them somehow. It must be a contractor thing or working outside thing - i dont know.

The only thing we have found to work for him so far is an online calendar that keeps track of him through text messages and emails. For example.... lets say he makes notes that he has 4 appointments coming up this week in his notebook -- but then loses the paper or forgets to transfer to his PDA.

Now, we put all his info into this calendar -- http://www.airset.com -- and each day it text messages or emails him with his daily appointments or reminders.

I think he likes it so far.

Teresa

RobertWilber