Can't seem to get organized and can't build momentum

[FutureBillionaire]

I am starting a business. I also have lots of personal things I want/need to do. The thing is, I can't seem to find an optimal way to organize all of my "stuff" on my pc.

I have a
2do text file
a
plan text file (a kind of mini goal list), this is for personal use
a
goals word file

and.... lots more. most of them concerning my biz.

I also have trouble organizing my bookmarks and all the information that is available.

Also, all the books I want to read.

I am just overloaded! Can anyone offer any advice?

[timmymayes]

Future Billionaire, I had the same problem. I decided to try action outline since Steve recommended it. I mean can't go wrong with a free trial right? Well its totally awsome as it is alot like text files in a tree view but so much easier to move things and organize, it has built in color coding for prioritization and really great hot keys. Another option if you don't want to spend the 39.99 for Action outline is a piece of software that is sorta similiar, a listed tree view with a text pane, it just isn't as nice on the user interface side. Its called genius, its a program designed for you to keep track of your various ideas.

Here is a link...well the site is now down. Um if you would like the genius software I have the files for it if you would like. Just pm me and I'll figure out a way to get it to you. Its freeware but I think he took his site down.

Also the Journal 4 software that Steve recommneds has also helped me alot it has a daily journal thing that I use semi-regularly but it also has a notebook style entry where you just make non-dated entries whenever and I use it like a workbook to brainstorm and work on ideas.

Also for planning a good start is Steve's post "More on planning"

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...e-on-planning/


Now specifically how I would handle each of your categories is as follows:
Your todo, plans and goals all go into either one or sepereate ActionOutline files. If you use the approach in the "More on Planning" article you'd use all three in one, which I think is good as you should have high level goals that you drill down to long term/short term then chunk them out into what needs done now in your quarterly(90 day) planning section. Then drill it down further into each 30 days, then further into each week etc.

For your bookmarks I had this problem too and I decided to go through my book marks and delete all of them. I am going to just collect all the bookmarks I accumulate over the next couple of months in one big pile and then take a few days to see what I've collected so that I have an idea what categories I really need.

Hope this helps,
Timothy

[FutureBillionaire]

thanks, can you put your bookmarks into action outline?

[Wanderer]

You could use a mindmapping program like freemind

Free to get (suprise suprise), and from their have the central idea been for example
books -fact, fiction, business, spiritual etc. and then authors if necessary/books coming off the particular title, plan which books you will read when (e.g. 3 per week)
business - goals, money, urgent, etc. and then sub folders

The program is useful as you can expand/minimize as much as necessary, so you can see all your business stuff at once or just the finance section.

I think you may also be able to hyperlink to text files

Theirs a link to freemind on this site somewhere or you could just google it

Hope this helps

[timmymayes]

Yes you can insert links into Action Outline. I've only had the softare for a few days maybe a week so I haven't fully explored the possiblities and options....it might be really cool beause you could have a link to a specific website and if you ahve any notes on that site you can have fully outlined notes regarding that site or any work you've done on it...for example an open source project you work on you can keep all yoru notes and a link to it I dunno play aroudn with it and let me know.

Cheers,
Timothy

[FutureBillionaire]

Outliner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

list of apps

[FutureBillionaire]

Just found out that word does it..... why doesnt anyone use ms word for doing this?

[FutureBillionaire]

TreeLine - Downloads


i just got this, and it seems just as good as action whatever.... and its free

[FutureBillionaire]

hmmm, nm

it is more complicated to edit....

[timmymayes]

Yeah moving around in action outline is so easy, tabe between panes, ins to put in a new child, enter for new parent...its great

[Antiventurecapital]

Read Getting Things Done by Allen.

Then have a rule that everyday you do at least 5 things which move your project forward. List them on paper the night before. Then treat them as sacred the next day: they must get done at all costs.