Taking Notes

For all that technology offers to keep up with our busy lives, I'm still incapable of remembering most things if I don't write them down. I've downloaded plenty of apps that help you stay organized with all sorts of fancy bells and whistles (literally), but to me, it's hard to improve upon the old fashioned paper and pencil. I'm lost without a planner/calendar to remember appointments & birthdays, and a notebook for my daily to-dos.

I recently got a great tip on keeping your to-do list fresh from the Harvard Business Review's tip of the day (thanks, Harvard smarties!). Follow the "3-day rule". If something has been on your to-do list for more that 3 days, take action with one of the following: 

+ Do it immediately. Buckle down and go for it. It probably won't take as long as you think.
+ Schedule it. Pencil in a time for the task in your planner or set a reminder on your phone. If you commit to a time and day, you're more likely to get it done.
+ Bag it. If you're not willing to do something immediately or schedule it for later, you probably won't ever do it. Accept that it's not really a priority and take it off your list.


Need a planner or notebook for the new year (it's almost here!)? Here are some good ones..

Archies! Archie notebooks are so colorful & fun. You can pick from a variety of colors and occupations. 120 blank pages to fill with all the lists your heart desires.









Do you take your list-making a bit more seriously? Perhaps a Moleskine notebook is for you. The traditional black ones remind me of college professors for some reason, although you can find them in a rainbow of colors now too.

Finally, if you're looking for something a little more decorative, try Cavallini & Co. They've got great vintage-looking covers in several themes and sizes.









If these don't make you want to tackle that to-do list, I don't know what will!

xo,
AD