Five Minute Organizer

As secretaries day came last week I noticed something really significant. All the secretaries and office personnel were gone.

The district had arranged a one day seminar in Riverside and they all had taken advantage of it. This was an amazing change and many administrators were at a loss without their administrative help. I overheard many conversations such as- “It will have to wait until tomorrow, ____ is gone and I don’t know what’s on the schedule.”

What do you do in a situation like this? Your schedule is turned upside down and normal channels of communication don’t work. Imagine if the power was turned off for hours on end. Your computer is down, your PDA discharged, and all of your common organization tools are inoperative.

What do you do?

The simple answer is the “Five Minute Organizer.” A simple tool for organizing your thoughts, goals and even your life. This simple personal organizer requires no batteries, is totally customizable, and fits neatly in your pocket or purse. You can create one in five minutes and be on your way to organizing your day. With some simple options your desk will be transformed into an organization station. You’ll be able to see your appointments, daily goals, and your next actions in one place.

The great thing is this little powerhouse is available as a free download from this blog. You’ll need a couple of items to complete the kit but you probably have them available in your office. Here are the supplies needed:

Avery Style Laser Business Cards (10 on a page)
Mini Binder Clips

Optional Supplies

Sharpie Markers
Ink Pen
Clothes Pin
Unsharpened Pencil
Cellophane Tape

To Make a Walleteer (smaller version of the Hipster PDA)

Fill out the cards as needed
Sort the cards with most important on top
Put them in a stack and attach a mini clip at one end
You now have a convenient Walleteer pocket data assistant
Stores easily in pocket or purse

To Make an Organization Station

Fill out the cards as needed
Pick a Goal, Next Action, & Appointment Card
Clip the Pencil to the Clothespin to make a tower
Clip the Three cards to the pencil
Enjoy Instant Visual Feedback of your goals, projects, & appointments

Personal Success: Make a Quick Note

Fill out the appropriate Card
Apply tape to the back of the card
Attach card to monitor or other line of sight location

Use your imagination and have fun with this little project. The pictures above will give you an idea of the versatility. You can modify the template in MS Word to meet your individual needs. If Avery business cards are not available or if you are using European A4 paper sizes, you can cut and paste the text from this template to one that works with your brand of cards. These personal organizer cards work well with David Allen’s, “Getting Things Done” productivity system and our 5 Year Personal Development Plan.