With this new caseload and big corporate client comes an increased number of deadlines to track. I am not, by nature, very good at that, and I continue to try different strategies. Automatic ticklers and reminders on Outlook well ahead of the deadlines plus enlisting an assistant and encouraging her to be aggressive and involved are my current strategies, but just to be sure I've just ordered myself a paper calendar/datebook to look at as well. This is the kind I discovered works best for me -- ample room in the margins for lists, phone numbers, notes, etc, plus BOTH monthly views and weekly views.
I think it's because I was once upon a time pretty good at keeping commitments in my head and running my personal calendar from memory that coming up with a system is kind of tricky. There's now too much going on to keep in my head, but that is my habit, and it is still how I run my personal life, for the most part. So adopting a datebook/reminder/time planner system that really works, consistently, in all areas of my life remains an elusive goal.
Also there is a problem that arises from the fact that I am very visual -- like to look at a page, draw in appointments, use color, etc. For that reason I like a big planner book -- 8.5"x11". But I have also become of late a fan of the very tiny and very cute purse, in which, of course, a huge clunky calendar won't fit.
I saw your blog listed on the TypePad recently updated list and, being a curious lawyer, I clicked on it and it's really cool! Nicely done. I'm working on an admittedly rough looking family law blog and it's always good to see other legal related blogs.
Anyhow, your post on using Outlook and paper calendars piqued my interest. If you're as tech-savvy as your blog indicates, you would probably really like the practice manager at www.timematters.com
No relation to the company, just a happy user for many years.
Posted by: Alexander Rhoads | February 18, 2004 at 10:44 AM
Get David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" and follow his advice. I used to try to track things electronically; it didn't work as well as his system, which is a hybrid. His advice on managing E-mail setting up a tickler file is worth the price of the book alone.
Posted by: Ernie | February 18, 2004 at 11:27 AM
Might I suggest investing in a PDA? While Outlook is all well and good, it requires opening your computer, is useless on the road, and often means that the information you need isn't at hand.
A good PDA (and by that I mean a Pocket PC-based one, not a Palm Pilot) integrates easily and consistently with Outlook, so you only have to enter new information into one or the other. The handwriting recognition isn't bad, but I rarely use it anyway: I enter information in when I'm at my desk, and use the PDA for retrieval afterwards.
They've gone down a lot in price, and once you're comfortable with them, you find that additional (generally free) software serves a lot of needs: it's my portable Japanese-English dictionary, my MP3 player, and in a pinch such as the New York blackouts, a pretty effective flashlight.
Posted by: A. Rickey | February 18, 2004 at 01:38 PM
Oh, yeah, the one other advantage is that it would appeal to your sense of color: it takes a little bit of undocumented jiggery-pokery, but I've gotten my Outlook task list such that important tasks are in bright orange, late tasks are red, todays tasks are blue, and tomorrow's tasks, i.e. those I've no hope of getting to, are grey.
Posted by: A. Rickey | February 18, 2004 at 01:40 PM
I second A. Rickey's suggestion. I'll just add this: Get one small enough and it can go in those tiny bags! Back when I was human, I had a Toshiba PDA. It did all of the things he mentioned and Toshiba has fabulous customer service to boot (I stepped on mine). Good luck!
Posted by: DG | February 18, 2004 at 06:33 PM
Go to www.davidco.com and look at David Allen's info. He is top drawer ... seriously ... and his methods and ideas can save you in many ways. His book "Getting Things Done" is ~ $20 and the return on that investment cannot be beaten anywhere. For a PDA the Zen of Palm cannot be beaten. Any you can get one cheap or expensive depending on if and how you see it fitting in.
So I heartily second the previous recommendation noted re David Allen.
Posted by: D Fuhrman | February 18, 2004 at 11:38 PM