Yes, I’ll pat myself on the back. I am pretty good at time management, but only because of I learned how to make my techno-gadgets and software work for me.

The most important tool is organization. Microsoft Outlook (NOT Express) is invaluable. Not only can you input your appointments and deadlines, you can color code them by content or person. So, let’s say I get an email asking me to speak at such and such a place at 1 o’clock on a certain date. I just copy the email into my Outlook calendar and viola. And it only gets better from there. I can sync my iPhone and my iPod so I always have my current calendar and upcoming commitments at my fingertips. The sync works both ways, so if I’m out and I make an appointment – like a doctor or something – I whip out my cell and schedule around other commitments. I am also dependant on the alarm system in Outlook – my cell and my desktop make little sounds and messages pop up to warn me of an upcoming appointment or commitment. I can set it to remind me ten minutes before the start time or up to two weeks out. 

While I’m on the topic of email . . . create subfolders. Make one for every aspect of your life, go one-step further, and break those into subfolders. For example: Folder: Family, subfolder 1: Kid, Subfolder 2: Husband, etc. Create a Friday folder. (Or any other day of the week) These are the emails that aren’t urgent but require some sort of action. Stick them in a folder and use your catch-up time to weed through those emails.

My ‘I can’t live without these’ are Power Structure (available from write-brain.com – about $279.00 and Vista compatible). This program is a visual plotting organization, no, it doesn’t plot the book for you, it just – for me – replaced the large, bulky white board. My whole plot is right there on my desktop and laptop so I can work wherever.  My second software must have is WriteWayPro. I only use the character portion of this program because I like having the ability to upload visuals. Can you do this stuff without the fancy software? Sure – make the forms in MS Word (or whatever your program of choice happens to be) and go for it. Both these programs offer trial downloads, so give it a try and see if it works for you.

My gotta have it hardware – my mini Sony Vaio. :

·       Intel® Core 2™ Duo Processor U7700 (1.33GHz)

·       Microsoft® Windows Vista® Home Premium with Service Pack 1

·       Black

·       1 GB DDR-SDRAM (DDR2, 1 GBx1)

·       Internal DVD±R DL / DVD±RW / DVD-RAM Drive

·       64 GB Solid State Drive

·       No Fresh Start™

·       Microsoft® Works

·       Photo Standard

·       Video Standard

·       QuickBooks Simple Start

·       No Engraving

·       LCD 11.1" WXGA (XBRITE-HiColor™)

·       Wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g/n) with integrated Bluetooth® technology

·       Integrated Wireless Wide Area Network

·       Trusted Platform Module / Biometric Fingerprint Sensor

·       Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery (BPL11)

I gave up my AlphaSmart for this 2.7 pound fabulous mini-laptop.  If you’re in the market – do your homework. You can get the Sony for much less than the prices on the Sony site.

Happy Geeking,

Rhonda