July 26, 2004:
The January issue of the StayWithMeHere/Consider Coaching Newsletter is finally here!
Have you been tempted to purchase an electronic organizer or PDA but you're not sure if you'd actually use it or just end up adding it to your coaster collection? Maybe you don't have the kind of job that demands that you keep track of expenses or appointments. Can you still get some use out of a PDA?
In part one of our discussion of organizing tools, we will discuss the pros and cons of PDAs.
PDAs - How We Use Them (Including the Productive Playing of Games):
Appointment reminder (the alarm sounds - which has actually kept us from missing many appointments)
- Address Book: The PDA Address Book is easier to update than a paper address book, so it is usually more up to date. You can change info instantly when you are informed of a change - as long as you have your PDA with you! Entries are automatically alphabetized.
- Timer: You can use it as an alarm clock (at home or traveling - less chance of mixing up the AM and PM), or timer for any number of things.
- External keyboard attachment: Use to take notes. We have used these keyboards at large gatherings and have found that the typing enhances concentration just as fidgeting might. The people sitting nearby have not been distracted by keyboard noise (Targus Stowaway keyboard is fairly quiet).
- Playing games as a coping strategy: If you are having difficulty paying attention to a lecture or phone conversation, play a game if you find that this helps you to focus on the speaker. Of course, use good judgment as this may be frowned upon in certain settings.
Play games on your PDA if you find yourself in a waiting room or in line with nothing to do. It makes the time pass more quickly.
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That may all be very well, will you actually use it? When we first got our PDAs, we used them and used them and used them. Those were happy times. The alarms were sounding all the time. The people we lived with - notice I said lived - had finally had enough (kidding - they are still around here somewhere).
With the passage of time, we have found that PDAs are not the main way that we manage our schedules. We have not eliminated the more visual systems of wall calendars and datebooks. However, PDAs are quite useful as a backup for the daily schedule so that appointments are more likely to be kept.
Those who use Outlook or another computer program that can be synchonized with a PDA, should consider investing in one. Calendar pages can be printed out each day or week after syncing with your PDA.
Use caution when setting alarms. If an alarm is set for every little thing that needs to happen throughout the day, you will begin to ignore the alarm and your family will be greatly irritated. In general, use alarms for reminders of the following:
- Deadlines (If you have a monthly deadline, set the alarm to repeat every month automatically.)
- Special dates like anniversaries, especially your own. (Set the alarm to repeat yearly.)
- Gift alarm: a few days before the gift will be needed. (Set the alarm to repeat yearly.)
For links to great programs for your PDA, be sure to visit our PDA Tips page.
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The StayWithMeHere/Consider Coaching Newsletter: It's good enough!
