Finally taking the Get Seriously Organized leap, & nobody will catch me?

It's true, I've taken longer than you have to find The Perfect Organizational Tool For My Life. Back in the early '90's when I was a customer service supervisor in a call center, it was the Franklin Quest planner system I was taught to embrace. (They've moved on and last I heard it was Franklin Covey, now.) I have no doubt that the system is still magnificent, but it's been so many years since I drank their kool-aid that I'd since come up with my own system for keeping my world organized.

My own system isn't working, people.

Fine. Maybe it's time to try an electronic solution.

• So I decided to upgrade my phone and get the Moto Q which gets so many grand reviews. Check.
• Which required that I call AT&T and get a data plan. Check.
• And although some people are thrilled to use Outlook, there are a few reasons I've decided that's not the system I'm going to be using. And therefore I have to find an alternative. Research. Check.
• Leading me to a cool site called Remember the Milk. Clever, eh? Okay, it's free, so let's sign up! Check.
• And play with the system for a half hour, testing and playing with the list management options and assigning priority levels and leaving myself these little handy notes. Check.

Take a look! At the top of the page, there's a smidge of the at-a-glance, weekly planner that's generated for me anytime I click the handy link. Notice how I had to create a "master" list for things that sort of overlap between business and personal? Things related to computing, for example. I use my computers for home and work use. There are other tasks that fall into that vague area where my worlds collide. So I was thrilled to discover the option of adding a list that combines both.

Also notice how you're able to set a time for when something's due, not just the date? That's good. While trying it all out, I assigned a time for my little laundry folding project. And now, since there's a bit left and I haven't checked off the task, I'm being told it's overdue. Same with the packing I didn't do last night. Accountability is good, but you have to take it seriously. My assignments? Apparently they were just suggestions.

This system coordinates with Google Calendars, and I can assign tags to my items, same as I do with my online world. And I can use it off OR online. Apparently, too, I can send myself notes for my task lists while I'm in twitter! Seriously! And how cool is that??? Lots of reasons I'm excited to have discovered rememberthemilk.com.

• Up next? Sync with my device. Um. Turns out this option is only available for Pro account holders. Which costs $25 a year. Okay. That's reasonable. I don't work for free; why expect these folks to? Pay the $$. Check.
• They use PayPal and I've gotten an email from PP saying the transfer has occurred. BUT! (There's always a but, isn't there?) "It may take a few moments for this transaction to appear in the Recent Activity list on your Account Overview." How long is a few moments? And although I see "Overview" there's nothing in front of me to indicate that there has been any "recent activity" whatsoever! So maybe there hasn't been, until now, and that designation will become evident once there's actually something to declare! Hm. Okay! I'll be patient.
• But look! I'm trying to sync and my device seems to be letting me! Well, okay, maybe the system is aware, even though it's not quite so obvious to me how to find the confirmation of my pro status. (I click on all the provided links and am encouraged to upgrade. Yea. Did that. Really.)
• Thinking it's good news that the software actually shows up on my phone, though, right? And that it asked for my account log in information and the like? Yea. Good news.
  
• Syncing seems to go as anticipated. Until, that is, just before I'm expecting the process to end. That's when I get an error message, suggesting I should check my account status. Aaaaargh!!!!!!!!!
  

Here's the thing. I have a handful of Seriously Advanced Organizational Skills At My Fingertips. The ADD Tendency that drives me around couldn't co-exist with any semblance of accomplishment if I didn't. But when you've gone this long without taking the steps you believe are going to help you to become really, really efficient? When you've delayed and procrastinated and dreaded and made-excuses-for... and then you take the leap? That's When You Want IT To Just Be All Done! I mean, if I find a system, I just want to start using it. But they won't let me!

Okay, I'm being melodramatic. "THEY" is the ubiquitous, elusive...okay, Completely Made Up presence that stands in my way. I'm certainly not blaming the RTM folks. Not yet. I'm just wanting my instant gratification fix and there's a process and procedure for these things. Sometimes the world expects things to progress according to some sort off meaningful logic. Instant Gratification doesn't, as it turns out, drive the universe. Pity.

I keep thinking of all the things that aren't getting done while I trudge through this process that's taking way longer than I want it to, and I think of all the times in the past I've given up. Not going to give up this time. I know it's going to make me more efficient. Really...I feel it. So I trudge. And soon, something is going to click into place and let that system know I am, indeed, a paying subscriber to the Pro level and I'll sync my devices and all will be right with the world.

Meanwhile, I've got some packing to do.

Comments

[Jessie]

YAY for organization. It's the best. Once you're more organized you'll find your day is longer. As much as you know I love to plan, I love to organize even more so. Go figure. Perhaps that connects well with Sweet Temptations...I suppose several orders going at the same time dozens and dozens of orders and life going at the same time make me have to be organized. I'm so proud of you for taking this step. Enjoy it.

[Melody]

Very much enjoying it; thanks!