The Top Apps, Software and Online Services for Organizing Your Mind

A lot of us blame technology for the constant stress that we're under and for the fact that we feel constantly so wired. We're continuously bombarded by notifications and messages and we seem to spend half our time looking at screens - is it any wonder so many of us are burned out?

But just as guns don't kill people - people do, so is it true that apps don't make you tired - you do.

The key is just to use the right technology. Actually, there are plenty of apps out there that can help you to feel less stressed and that can reduce that information overload. Likewise, there are also a number of online services that can do the same. Let's take a look at a few of them.

Headspace

Headspace is an app that can teach you how to practice mindfulness meditation. The app does cost money if you intend to keep using it but the first few sessions are free and provide a great introduction.

Fabulous

Fabulous is a beautifully designed app for Android that can help you to take on new habits and routines and that will guide you through your goals and objectives. It makes setting new challenges for yourself fun and encourages you with motivation and tips along the way.

Standing Orders

Here's a great way to use technology to make your life easier - set up some standing orders with online services. There are actually tons of companies that now offer there services on an automated recurring business:

• Clothes companies that send you a new outfit every month
• Supermarkets that let you have your weekly shop delivered to you
• Diet companies that send ready made meals/ingredients to you on a daily basis
• Flower shops that send flowers to someone on their birthday every year

Consider if something like this could help!

Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is an assistant that works for you via the web. They tend to be based in India and are very affordable but their services cover anything that can be done online. That could mean doing research for your work, or it could mean helping you organize a holiday!

Todoist

Todoist is a great 'to-do list' app that lets you set to do lists and then receive notifications and reminders about them.

Google Calendar

Any calendar app can be a great way to check your availability and to avoid over booking yourself. It syncs with other apps and even lets you share your schedule with others too.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Top-Apps,-Software-and-Online-Services-for-Organizing-Your-Mind&id=9358473

The Philosophy That Will Help You Get 'It' Done

Most entrepreneurs love a little inspiration from time to time. In fact, the whole self-help and motivational business is a booming industry. But what do you do when all that inspiration isn’t motivating you to tackle the to-do’s on your list?

Take on the mantra of the best entrepreneurial philosophy out there. It’s called G.S.D. or “Get Shit Done.” When all else fails, set aside your feelings about the work and get started doing it. 

Here are three easy approaches to help you put your G.S.D. philosophy into action.  

1. Centralize your task list. Write down all your to-do lists in one place. Whether it’s your phone, an organizational app or a notebook, make sure all your ideas and tasks get written down and tracked in one central place. How are you going to know what shit needs to get done if it’s scattered across your phone notes, email inbox, post-its and scribbled on the back of envelopes? One great way to get started is to use the “Remember the Milk” app. It makes centralized list management across all your devices simple. Make it your job today to organize all the little miscellaneous tasks into one master list. Better yet, get someone on your team who is a real organization pro to help get this all together for you.

2. Update it regularly. It will take a little time commitment to get your list together, but once it’s centralized it will be simple to keep track of it and streamline your G.S.D. lifestyle. What’s the next step? Keep the list updated. When things get accomplished, cross them off the list or delete them. When dates change, update them. When you have new things that come up, plug them into the list. This is a working, fluid list you should be adding to and deleting from every day. Keep the list current and get shit done.

3. Start with the painful ones. There are plenty of different opinions about how to tackle your to-do list, but starting with the tasks you’re least fond of is the G.S.D. philosophy for a few reasons. First, it gets the proverbial monkey off your back. When there’s something you know you need to do, but don’t want to, there’s a sense of dread that can build and build, spiraling the task into something bigger and worse than it likely is in reality. Often this will lead to postponing and procrastinating on important tasks for your business. Running straight toward that painful task first will help you deal with it and remove the mental anguish that continually postponing it creates.

Second, when you complete the dreaded “monkey on your back” task, there’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment that can help bolster the rest of your day. It gives you a shot of confidence to go out and attack the other items on your G.S.D. list. Finally, doing the most painful things first means the rest of your list will be things you enjoy and can look forward to breezing through. 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233028

Action Plans

Small Scale Planning

Whether it's sending out an email newsletter, putting together a presentation for senior managers, or working on a special request for a client, many of us have to complete simple projects as part of our day-to-day responsibilities.

These small- to medium-sized projects may, at first glance, not seem to need much thought. But, occasionally, we can overlook a key step or "to do" item that can derail all our efforts.

For instance, how do you make sure that you've covered everything? Are there any actions that need to be taken early on in the project for it to succeed? And are you clear about when you need to do key tasks, in what sequence, to meet your deadline?

Action Plans are simple lists of all of the tasks that you need to finish to meet an objective. They differ from To-Do Lists   in that they focus on the achievement of a single goal.

Action Plans are useful, because they give you a framework for thinking about how you'll complete a project efficiently. They help you finish activities in a sensible order, and they help you ensure that you don't miss any key steps. Also, because you can see each task laid out, you can quickly decide which tasks you'll delegate or outsource, and which tasks you may be able to ignore.

Using Action Plans

Use an Action Plan whenever you need to plan a small project.

To draw one up, simply list the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve your objective, in the order that you need to complete them. (This is very simple, but it is still very useful!)

Use the three-step process below to help you:

Step 1: Identify Tasks

Start by brainstorming   all of the tasks that you need to complete to accomplish your objective.

It's helpful to start this process at the very beginning. What's the very first action you'll need to take? Once that task is complete, what comes next? Are there any steps that should be prioritized   to meet specific deadlines, or because of limits on other people's availability?

Step 2: Analyze and Delegate Tasks

Now that you can see the entire project from beginning to end, look at each task in greater detail.

Are there any steps that you could drop, but still meet your objective? Which tasks could you delegate   to someone else on your team, or could be dealt with by a freelancer? Are there any deadlines for specific steps? Do you need to arrange additional resources?

Step 3: Double-Check With SCHEMES

Use the SCHEMES* mnemonic to check that your plan is comprehensive.

SCHEMES stands for :

• Space.
• Cash.
• Helpers/People.
• Equipment.
• Materials.
• Expertise.
• Systems.

You may not need to think about all of these to complete your project. For instance, for a small internal project to streamline the format of your team's reports, you might only need to think about "Helpers/People," "Expertise," and "Systems."

Note:

Once you've completed your plan, keep it by you as you carry out the work, and update it with additional activities if required.

Learning from Your Action Plan

If you think you'll be trying to achieve a similar goal again, revise your plan after the work is complete, by making a note of anything that you could have done better.

For instance, perhaps you could have avoided a last-minute panic if you'd alerted a supplier in advance about the size of order you'd be placing. Or maybe you didn't allow enough time to do certain tasks.

Tip:

If you'll be doing similar work again, consider turning your plan into an Aide Memoire  . This is a checklist that you progressively refine and improve to make sure that you remember to do everything important for success.

Managing Bigger Projects

Action Plans are useful for small projects, where deadlines are not particularly important or strenuous, and where you don't need to co-ordinate other people.

As your projects grow, however, you'll need to develop more formal project management skills, particularly if you're responsible for scheduling other people's time, or need to complete projects to tight deadlines.

You can also use Action Plans in conjunction with your To-Do Lists  , or Action Programs  .

Action Programs are "heavy duty" versions of To-Do Lists, which help you manage many simultaneous small projects. This is something that managers at all levels need to do routinely.

Key Points

An Action Plan is a list of tasks that you need to do to complete a simple project or objective.

To draw one up, simply list the tasks that you need to complete to deliver your project or objective, in the order that you need to complete them.

To do this, first brainstorm every step you'll need to take to follow your task to completion. Then, analyze tasks to see if there are any that can be pruned, or delegated. Lastly, use the SCHEMES mnemonic to double check that you've considered all critical areas.

If you need to schedule people's time, or meet tight deadlines as part of your project, consider using the other project management techniques mentioned.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_04.htm