PDAs are the dog’s bollocks. I bought one last year and took it back a few weeks later because I couldn’t justify (in my own mind) the expense. I had second thoughts not long after and now don’t move without it.
I keep notes on my classes that are linked from my calendar - Oh, 201 next, the bad boys, problems last week with past continuous, need to reinforce that before moving on, and there’s gonna be trubble if they haven’t done their homework again. After class you add to the note.
Flip to memo and make a note of anything you do that works, according to category. Fave games and activities etc. You’ve always got a lesson in your pocket for any occasion. I also keep lists of tongue-twisters, pithy phrases like ‘give back, not up’, anything that might come in useful one day that I hear someone else using.
Aside from teaching there are other uses:
Most management books stress the importance of goals - add anything you want to achieve in life to your to do list. I have stuff listed that I don’t expect to get done in the next 10 yrs, but it’s there in my diary. I get reminded of where I’m intending to go every time I look at the list. Whenever you’re daydreaming about this stuff you can look at the attached notes and add to them.
If you have, or can find some images related to your goals then add them to your photo album. I have pics of boats, space rockets, outrageous sunrises, and other stuff to remind me what I want out of life. And a bit of art too, cos it’s inspirational.
List all your ideas and make your plans. Instead of just doodling on envelopes you will have your future in your pocket and see it taking shape as time passes.
Analyze everything you do wrong or spectacularly right. Learn from your experiences, and set personal policies or goals that are then added to your calendar or to do list. For example, you realise that you screwed up by not working within your circle of influence. The book recommends trying to rectify this by focusing on this one aspect for 30 days, so put a reminder into your calendar repeated for a month. Add ‘review progress’ to your to do list for 30 days from now.
I also have all my current writing projects on the damn thing. In theory I can work on them while on the bus or whatever, but I tend to just read the news etc. Download BBC and Time Asia from avantgo at your morning hotsync and and that’s downtime used effectively, plus less time spent keeping up with the world when you were supposed to be working.
Jeez, I should be the one writing the book. I’ll add it to my list.
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It could also just mean that I learned the lessons of the book really well, got my priorities straight, took what I needed from the book and then didn’t waste any more time on it.
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It almost make me wanna change my user name milltwonkid.