Working the System

Lately I have been having trouble getting motivated and organized with issues with my life. In 2006, for Christmas someone gave me a very nice personal paper organizer. Last month, in the spirit of true procrastination, I decided to crack it open in the hope that it would help me to better organize and keep track of my appointments. I wrote down all of the tasks and chores I wanted to achieve in the next week. I must have spent a good half hour figuring out what I wanted to do and filling in my calendar. The next day I accomplished most of my tasks that I wanted to do that day, and then I have not opened the organizer since then. The system that works best for me is just a plain old notebook. I can write long term goals on the back of the cover and write down my short term and daily goals to help me complete tasks and chores. The system does not work all of the time, but no system in fail proof.

Here are a couple of suggestions for developing a system for dealing with your finances.

1. One system does not fit all. We all have different styles and different ways of dealing with challenges so it makes sense that what works for someone else might not work for you. You might have to experiment with different systems of managing your money until you find something that is right for you.

2. Only perfect people can have a perfect system. If you like your system and it works most of the time, don't beat yourself up if you forgot to pay a bill, or you spent to much money on your last shopping trip. Expecting perfection will doom you to failure when you do not live up to a unrealistic goal.

 

Comments

[Jerry]

I worked for Franklin Quest (then Covey) in grad school and used a Franklin planner religiously for years. It did help me stay more organized. After selling planners, I entered the workforce and continued to use it. But, now I have a family and I've become more of a 3 X 5 card man and jot some to-dos on there with the big calendar on the fridge. No one system will give you the insurance you want to explode your productivity. You can be just as responsible and productive with a pen and paper.

Jerry
www.leads4insurance.com

[Kevin Heisler]

Great site - excellent advice.

Great site. Thought you might be interested in this blog post that's getting attention on Digg.

http://digg.com/design/All_SEOs_Are_Living_With_Adult_ADD

Kevin