74GET ORGANISED
QGet a routine
You need good habits and
routines to stay organised,
even when armed with tech.
If you start using to-do or GTD
(Get Things Done) apps like
Things, go all-in rather than
arbitrarily adding tasks. Deal
with documents and emails
swiftly. Just because digital
doesn’t involve paper, that
doesn’t mean there’s no mess.QBe consistent
Search engines can (in theory)
rifle swiftly through countless
documents and bring to the
surface what you need. But
searches are simpler if you
file things properly in the first
place. Do so with email and
elsewhere, and ensure you
give items keywords (including
dates) that will help you find
them later.THE BASICS
MAP YOUR MIND
QTry Mindly
Lists are fine, but freeform
organisation can be useful
for figuring out more complex
challenges. With Mindly (£free,
Android and iOS), you kick off
with an initial idea and branch
nodes from it. The result can
be shared as a PDF.QTry MindNode
If you’re keen on ‘mind maps’
but think in lists, MindNode
(£2.49/m, iOS) gives you the
best of both. You start with
a bullet-point list that you
convert to a mind map with
a tap. You can then switch
between outline editor and
mind map modes.The supercomputer in your pocket won’t only rob you of
countless hours – it can also give some of them back. Craig
Grannell offers tips on using tech to bring order to your life...QMake data accessible
Ensure your files are readily
available and secure. Three
steps can make that happen.
Put your documents – neatly
filed – on cloud storage, so
you can even get at them
using a phone. Back up that
storage regularly. And with
paper, digitise documents
you receive and then organise
them alongside your other
digital files.QCollaborate and share
Most people don’t live in a
vacuum. Normalise inviting
others to your setup, to avoid
duplicated effort and wasted
time. Share family and social
calendars. For shopping, set
up a shared to-do list with
your household that’s a single
source of truth for what’s
needed – a deft way avoid
accidentally buying seven
turkeys next Christmas.QUse the right apps
Which apps you use is less
important than the principles
behind them. Ideally, choose
ones that are cross-platform,
so you can stay organised and
update lists and documents
wherever you are. Open
source isn’t important, but
the means to transfer and
export documents is. Most
importantly, use systems
and apps that work best
for you.BETA YOURSELF
App-grade
Try to find apps that
enhance existing data. For
example, Fantastical uses
standard calendars but
improves presentation
and enables faster
event creation.