Sidetracked Single Mom: Organizing to Focus on Financial Empowerment
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1170This is the story of my life. I think I have ADD because it never fails…I could be doing one thing and the next thing I know I am off on a tangent with something else. My mind works at 100 M.P.H. even when I am sleeping. I wake up thinking about the next thing I have to do.
So I’ve begun my journey of getting focused and getting over being sidetracked. The first thing I did was to go out and buy a planner. It had to show me both a month at a glance and a week at a glance. I am a very global thinker and need to see everything at once so I am pretty picky about my calendaring system. I also need plenty of space to write down everything that I have to do for the day.
The planner also had to be compact enough, not to big and not too small, to carry in my purse. I also need something sturdy, something that won’t fall apart at the slightest touch. The metal spiral is perfect for me. The only drawback is I can’t add or remove pages, but I won’t complain too much. I got this planner at Wal-Mart for six bucks so it was a bargain for me.
One of my biggest issues is remembering all the things that my kids have going on at school. When I got the school calendar I put every date in my own calendar, especially vacation and early release days. If I don’t write it down I don’t know what’s coming up. I also put my daughter’s music lessons as well as bills that are coming up. So the planner has helped me stay somewhat focused. I still miss things because I don’t always have the planner with me but I do have my cell phone most of the time.
I’ve learned to use my appointment calendar on my cell phone rather well. It reminds me of upcoming appointments so I can forget about it. When I get an appointment I just put it in my phone and set the reminder. I see the upcoming event a day in advance, sometimes two depending on how early I want to remember it. It shows up on the main screen so my memory is jogged all day. This is very cool for me.
Right now I am experimenting with a couple of online assistants. I have a lot more going on in my life than just the kids’ and personal appointments. I am also a writer and internet marketer; any you know about all my other money making activities so I have to stay organized. I also need a different set of reminders for all the hats I wear so that I stay productive and plan some me time between everything else.
So here is what I am experimenting with right now:
Dial2do – this free service will allow me to call in reminder messages, send text messages and emails to my contacts, blog, twitter, and much more. It is a transcription service that takes my dictation and sends it to whichever service I want it to. It also sends me reminders and reads my emails for me.
reQall – Another free service that works much like Dial2go. It allows me to create reminders, shopping lists, appointments, and notes. I can share my information with my contacts as well. This is good for coordinating with my daughter and sending her reminders. It also synchronizes with my calendar.
Xpenser – This free service helps me keep up with my expenses. Each time I pay for something I can simply send a text message to the service with the amount and what it was for. It automatically enters it into my private and secure account online. I can review the stuff I spent money on as well as see where all my money is going. It’s good for people like me who won’t keep up with a pad and pencil. Later in the month I can compare it with my online bank statement and accurately tally where the cash I withdrew went.
So over the next month or two I will decide which tools I will keep. It will be determined by ease of use and accessibility. I have to be able to access it easily like being able to text something, use instant messenger, or make a quick call. The less I have to do the better.
So what tools do your use to keep you on track? Can you suggest others?
Samantha Gregory
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I can relate to your choices. My planner fills up quite nicely with school assignments, appointments, etc. My one flaw? Remembering to take it out of my backpack once I get home, lol. This is a biggie for me. Because of this I like using my SideKick calendar. I never forget my phone so if important dates make it there, I will surely be able to remember.
I understand exactly what you mean! Taking out the planner is hard sometimes. If I don’t make a conscious effort I will not see it for days and then I wander around aimlessly, hehe.
My phone is a lifesaver too. I just have to remember to put the appointments in it. I am planning to get a live personal assistant to help me keep my head on straight