We are thrilled about a great new feature in Evernote: the ability to add reminders to notes!  If you already use Evernote virtual notebooks for your to-do list and project management, adding reminders to notes will help you stay more productive and timely.

Ways to use reminders

Besides adding them to your tasks on your to-do list, you can add reminders to action items from meeting notes or even create reminders for annual checkups (for your car, insurance, etc).  You might also want to add reminders for follow-ups with contacts if you store business card images in Evernote.

How to add reminders

First, if you haven’t already, you need to update Evernote to Version 5.1.3 in order to add reminders.

Then, on the top right of each note, you will notice a new alarm clock image.

Once you click the reminder icon, you can specify the due date and write your reminder on the left side.  You also have the option to receive reminder emails when your due date is approaching.

Let us know how you like the new reminders feature in the comments below!

One of our favorite task management product recommendations is the Action Method Journals since they effortlessly turn your to-do list into actionable tasks.  Their system helps you focus on your priorities and requirements, instead of just making a running list of back-burner ideas. It is especially beneficial for visual people or creative types.

So we were excited to test the new suite of Action Method Online tools—a great opportunity to continue using the Action Method system while going paperless.  Action Method Online even syncs with your mobile devices—allowing you to work more efficiently on-the-go.  Here are a few of our favorite things about Action Method:

• It’s great for project management and task management, especially for visual people
• Tasks are displayed like sticky notes, to help you organize and prioritize them
• You can use 3 colors (blue, orange, and gray), which allows you to color-code your tasks
• Easily delegate tasks and monitor their progress (we also recommend changing the color of the task to denote that it has been delegated)
• You can create your to-do list for the day by adding items to your “Focus Area”
• If you like to use a combination of paper and electronic tools, the Action Method Journals match their color scheme, offering continuity to your task management systems

The Action Method Online is available online, as well as with iPhones, iPads, and Androids.  You can try the introductory system for free; let us know your thoughts!

It can happen to even the most productive people. The clock strikes 2pm and you realize you haven’t made any progress on your to-do list. Where did the time go?

There are many reasons for having an unproductive day. Sometimes if feels easier to just throw in the towel and accept the fact that you won’t get anything important done. Before you throw your hands up in defeat, take a look at our list of 6 Ways to Save an Unproductive Day:

1. Start Small - Identify a task that you can complete in 15 minutes or less. Checking off one small task will encourage you to start tackling the larger projects on your list.
2. Create an “In-The-Zone” Environment - This can vary from person to person. For some it may be as simple as closing your office door and putting up a “do not disturb” sign. For others, it may be listening to white noise or escaping to a coffee shop. According to Jackie Chapman, one of our Productivity Consultations, “For me personally, I have a certain station on Pandora that’s my nose to the grindstone station that keeps me focused and allows me to work through my task list.” The important thing is to identify what works for you.
3. Take a Break – Sometimes you just need to clear your head. Get re-energized by spending 15 minutes walking around the block, grabbing a snack, or watching a quick video on YouTube (keyword there is “quick”).
4. Set a Timer – It’s easy to forget how much time has passed because you don’t have a visual representation sitting in front of you. With an app like TimeTimer, you can watch watch time pass and move. You can also set alarms to help remind you to keep plugging away.
5. Reward Yourself - Sometimes you just need to bribe yourself. Make a list of tasks with deadlines and reward yourself for meeting the deadline (we’ll leave the reward up to you). Take it a step further and get your coworker involved to hold you accountable or celebrate with you!
6. Prepare for Tomorrow - Set yourself up for success tomorrow. Identify your tasks for the next day and include realistic time estimates for each one. Think of each task as an appointment with yourself and think twice before canceling your appointment. Don’t forget to include time to read and respond to emails in the morning.

Looking for more tips related to time management? Register to attend our hands-on workshop, Check It Off! Innovative Task Management for your Growing To-Do List.

How many to-dos do you have floating around in your head right now? Half of the battle with task management is getting to-dos out of your head and capturing them somewhere.  To help you process your to-dos more efficiently we have identified 6 questions to ask yourself. It may take a little getting used to, but don’t give up! It gets easier over time.

6 questions to ask yourself when processing to-dos:

1. Can I do this in 2 minutes or less?  If the task is quick and easy, complete it right away to get it done. This is especially true of tasks that come through your email.
2. If I can’t do this task in 2 minutes, how long will it take me to complete it? Time estimates are one of the keys to good task management because it gives you a more realistic look at what you can accomplish in a day.
3. Where am I tracking the task to ensure it gets completed?  This will vary from person to person. While some people choose to track tasks on their calendar or in Microsoft Outlook, others enjoy the mobility of a to-do list app. If you don’t already have a to-do list app, we recommend either the Toodledo app (if you’re linear and analytical) or the Action Method app (if you prefer a visual layout).
4. Can I batch this task with any other tasks?  Put similar tasks together to help you save time. The possibilities for batching tasks are endless. It can be as simple as scheduling all of your networking meetings on the same day or only reading industry newsletters once a week.
5. What do I need to complete this?  Do you need to talk to someone else before you complete the task? Does it require a phone call?  Do you need your computer? Determine what else is required in order to complete the task. It’s never fun to sit down to complete a task only to realize you’re missing something.
6. Can I delegate this task to someone else?  If so, we recommend you delegate.

Interested in additional task management training? Join us for a hands-on training workshop on June 6th, 2013 called Check It Off! Innovative Task Management for Your Growing To-Do List.

How many pages of apps do you you currently have on your phone? What percentage of those apps do you actually use? If you have more than 3 pages, chances are that you have more apps than you use on a regular basis.

Many of us our guilty of a cluttered phone.  We hear about a trendy new app, decide to test it, but we eventually stop using it.  To help reduce some of the digital clutter on your phone, we suggest deleting five apps that you don’t need.  Not only will it help clear space on your device, it will save you time in the long run because you won’t have to scroll through unused apps that are cluttering your screen.

Got five minutes to spare? Move the apps you use most frequently to your home screen for easy access.

For more tips to organize your phone, try our 8 Tips to Declutter Your Phone and especially this one time management tip you can implement today.

If you’re a lifelong Moleskine fan, you are going to enjoy exploring the new Moleskine Journal App!  Moleskine is helping you take your notes into the digital world, because as they say, “the Moleskine experience doesn’t stop at paper.”

Just like a classic Moleskine Journal, the app allows you to draw right on the pages.  Visually, the journals look the same but they allow you to handwrite or type notes. The app comes with a toolset, including a paintbrush, pencil, pen, highlighter, and eraser.  You can choose from your choice of three paper styles (plain, ruled, squared) or use paper templates (Weekly Planer, Passion Recipe Journal, Storyboard Notebook).  And if you run out of pages, you can simply add more.  It even comes with the back pocket to hold images or text.  You can learn more about their apps here.

And for those of you already using virtual notebooks, Moleskine has also created an “Evernote Smart Notebook,” compatible with your existing Evernote notebooks.  These new notebooks allow you to digitalize your Moleskine notebooks—syncing, tagging, and organizing your notes within Evernote.

What will you use the Moleskine Journal App for?

Though technology is moving business and productivity into a more digital world, we have not yet gone completely paperless.  Paper management is still a very important skill—and something that many busy professionals think they don’t have time for.  Find our what your paper hoarding score is to see if you could use some paper management help!

1. You’re sitting at your desk.  What do you currently see?

A. Lots of clear desk space, with the exception of a few commonly used items (like post-it notes or a stapler).
B. Your most commonly used items, your lunch, a coffee, and a couple stacks of current projects and folders.
C. You can’t see your desk…it’s covered in piles of paper (most of which are overlapping and jumbled together).

2. You just came back from a networking event with a stack of business cards.  What do you do with them?

A. Add them to your contact management system, sync your mobile devices with the new information, and recycle the cards.
B. You follow-up with a few contacts and then set the cards aside to process them later (who knows when that will be).
C. Toss them in an empty drawer or box…out of sight out of mind.

3. You just returned from a meeting.  What do you do with your notes?

A. Scan and save them in your electronic files. Then you add time to your calendar to process actionable items.
B. You complete your to-dos from the meeting, but you save the paper. You never know when you might need it.
C. Keep the papers on your desk and continue working. If it’s really important someone else will have the information.

4. Your boss asks you to find an old file with an important document in it.  How long does it take you to find it?

A. A couple minutes because you know exactly where it is.
B. About 15 minutes. There are 2-3 places it might be.
C. You can’t find it…

5. Your coworker emails you a list of tasks.  What do you do with the email?

A. Pull the tasks and add them to your to-do list, then archive the email in the appropriate folder.
B. Flag it as important but eventually other tasks pop up and take priority.
C. You leave it in your inbox and eventually it gets buried there. The deadline passes and you forgot about the tasks.

6. You just completed a big project.  What do you do with all of your files now?

A. Save the document in your file system for the appropriate amount of time, following proper Paper Retention Guidelines.
B. File all of the documents together in your file system until one day someone decides to purge them.
C. They’ll start as a pile on your desk, then they’ll eventually move to the floor, and once you run out of room you’ll throw them in a box.

Each A is worth 2 points, each B is worth 4 points, and each C is worth 6 points.  Tally your points to find your paper hoarding score:

12-16: Paper Filer

You are awesome at paper management!  You prefer to be as paperless as possible and are efficient at filing your documents when not in use.  You know where all of your files are located and how long you should keep them.  You pull tasks from documents and add them to your task management system to keep you focused and on track.  Keep up the good work by following us on Twitter and LinkedIn for more paper management tips.

18-26: Paper Holder

You are consistent with the average professional—you prefer to be organized and paperless, but you don’t have all the right workflows in place.  You might need to dedicate time each week to filing documents or you may need to create a paper retention policy for your company.  We recommend following our Twitter and LinkedIn for more tips to help you keep organized.  You can also sign up to get productivity tips and events sent directly to your inbox (like our upcoming Paper Management 101: Filing DO’s and DON’Ts webinar on May 23^rd).

28-36: Paper Piler

Looks like paper management is not your greatest strength.  We get it—there aren’t enough hours in the day to spend your time on filing and organizing documents.  But efficient paper management systems and habits will save you so much more time in the long run (not to mention stress)!  We recommend you sign up for our Paper Management 101: Filing DO’s and DON’Ts webinar on May 23^rd to learn how to create an organized file system.  You can also sign up to get productivity tips and events sent directly to your inbox so you can keep improving your paper management.

Odds are you no longer have a Rolodex on your desk.  Or if you do, it’s most likely a little dusty and no longer relevant because we’ve become an increasingly mobile society. If you’re looking for a new contact management system to replace your Rolodex, here are some qualities that a modern day Rolodex should have:

Available on multiple devices

Back in the day, before cell phones and tablets and laptops, you only needed one place to keep all of your contacts.  Today, we have a wider variety of tools and devices to hold this information, meaning we have a different set of needs now.  Your contacts need to be available on all your devices, including your cell phone, tablet, laptop, etc.  It’s important to sync your mobile devices to ensure access to your contacts anytime.

Ability to sort into categories

In an effort to categorize their contacts, people used to put colored stickers on their Rolodex cards.  This type of categorization is still helpful today.  To help you stay organized, categorize your contacts (e.g. clients, vendors, networking contacts, etc.).

Track communications

Remember writing notes on the back of your Rolodex cards to note the last time you contacted someone?  Today’s modern Rolodex should also track when you last contacted someone.  Add a category field to make a note of each time you follow-up with a contact or keep track of it in the notes section.

Capture information

People also used to jot notes on the back of Rolodex cards so they could add a personal touch next time they called (for example, “Ask how their recent vacation was”).  Your modern day Rolodex should be able to capture conversation starters to add a personal touch.

There are so many options for storing your contacts depending on your needs.  For keeping track of personal contacts, iCloud is a great option for Mac users.  For a more robust solution, consider switching to a CRM system.  Check out our Contact Management Consulting to give your company or personal contact management system a facelift.

Have you been searching for functional office supplies that are still fun?  We recently discovered an interesting new site, Quirky, that sells cool gadget accessories, helpful organization products, and well, quirky inventions!

Tangled…

Our team was setting up a new desk in our office and we had cords all over the place—we weren’t tripping on them, but they certainly didn’t look organized and neat.  We thought our cord chaos would make the perfect opportunity to test Quirky out, so we ordered the Plug Hub.  It was really easy to install and helped contain the cable mess, concealing all those tangles.

Quirky!

After installing, we do have one more tip - get some additional Velcro ties to tame cords that are closer to the top of your desk.  We found that cords near the ground were tidy, but closer to our computer and monitor still needed some help.

An added bonus about Quirky (besides our newly untangled desk space!) is that you can invent the next new fun product!  Quirky allows you to submit your invention idea, so if you have a solution for an everyday product, you can see it come to life.

Check out their organizing gadgets and let us know which ones you try!