© Jan Jasper; 2001-2008
There are many digital products that claim to get us organized and save us time. On the one hand are the information or contact
management software programs, such as Outlook,
Act!,
Goldmine, and
Now Up-To-Date & Contact (for the MAC).
Then there are the PDAs (personal digital assistants or handhelds), which run on either the Palm operating system,
or Microsoft's Pocket PC. But the way many people use these products, they are just scratching the surface. They're getting only a
fraction of the time-saving benefits because they don't know how to choose and use them.
Importance of Realistic Expectations
Stephen Covey observed that many people seek a "Magic Tool" which they hope will magically, effortlessly, get them organized. But in reality
it's not that simple: Regardless of your digital tools, you still must manage paper and phone calls, set priorities, deal with crises, and
juggle multiple projects. Many people have a To-Do list dozens of items long, including tasks that have been languishing for months. Are these
tasks more likely to get done just because they're in your Palm? Not necessarily!
Choose Carefully, Then Learn to Use It
For some users, digital organizing tools probably waste as much time as they save - although the victim is too close to the situation to see
it. Perhaps they never really learned to use it, so they're only using a fraction of its potential. Or they're using the wrong solution for
their needs. Many people even use multiple devices and software - they have one calendar in Outlook, another calendar in their new Palm, their
task list partly in the Palm and partly on paper, some phone numbers in Outlook and other phone numbers in an older Palm they haven't had
time to transfer data from. The wasted time and confusion this will cause probably outweighs any benefits. Last but not least is data
loss, due to failure to back up your data and guard against battery failure.
It's Still Up To You
Truth is, calling such software or handheld computers "organizers" is a misnomer. They're really just places to store information. In themselves,
they do not organize anything. WE do - through a comprehensive system of time, paper, task, and information management. So, if you're tempted to
buy an electronic "Magic Tool," choose very carefully. Then, once you've bought it, take the time to find out all it can do -- and then use it to
the max!
*The usual disclaimers apply. My mentioning these products is not a guarantee of any sort. Obviously, you should not change anything
until you've completely backed up your files. You already do that, right?
This article is available to reprint if you include my copyright notice and identify me as follows: "Jan Jasper, a productivity expert in the New York City
area, is the author of Take Back Your Time: How to Regain Control of Work, Information, & Technology (St. Martin's Press)."
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