I own a new Dell Axim X51v which I haven't reviewed yet but will in a day or two. But suffice it to say using it as my only capture tool is inefficient and ineffective. Why ineffective? Because I spend so much time back tracking to erase mistaken input I lose my train of thought or miss something someone has said.
I like the thought found here to use the recording option instead of taking notes because you can record the whole conversation and then update your notes later. Well, I like that idea, but when I'm in a two hour meeting and I have an idea it's harder to remember that later than now. So, that isn't working as well as I had hoped.
What I find after using many different variations is this. Taking a stack, maybe 10 or 15 3x5 cards, blank, put a binder clip around them and keep it in my pocket. Then I can take notes, capture ideas and hand them out, and later go over each card and enter information into my PDA. Read an interesting take here.
As someone in the software creation business I have a lot of tasks, projects, ideas and resources floating around. Trying to stop every time and enter something comes across my radar into the electronic PDA honestly is impossible. It's faster and more efficient to jot down on a card and toss into the inbox for processing later.
Here are my lists and process...
1. Ample supply of blank 3x5 cards.
2. I use these contexts and yours could be different
- !Next Actions
- !Daily Disciplines
- @Projects
- @Someday
- @Maybe
- @Buy - Music
- @Buy - DVD
- @Buy - Books
- @Buy - Other
You may ask why I use these, and for some reason have skipped things like computer, home, work, errands and so on. Well, this is what works for me. I know that my job keeps in front of a computer for most of the day, and so I never really care about tagging things that are too obviously. What really drives my process is the !Next Actions, derived from tasks to complete a project and things that come up during the day that need action by the end of business.
3. Daily and weekly review. Since I put so many things on cards I have to take time each day to input what is important. Plus, I have a daily schedule that I try and follow that is tagged by !Daily Disciplines. These daily tasks are things like Take Vitamins, Drink 32oz. of water, Eat 2 protein shakes, Say daily prayers, Read scriptures, Complete workout routine and so on. This context helps me keep my life in order and the !Next Actions help me keep my day in order.
As for a weekly review, I do this once a week and look back through my electronic PDA and review my notes and tasks completed. I can add new projects, create meeting requests and add to my @Buy list.
4. Be consistent. I have tried so many different ways of taking notes and then trying to handle multiple lists I can't even see straight. But what I find is the most helpful as a software guy is the ability to track all the little things that I was normally missing during the day.
So, there you have it, my process. Simple I think and work's for me. When I review the Axim I will include the software I use.
0 comments:
Post a Comment