# Staying Organized at Work



## guitarjamman (Apr 9, 2012)

How do you do it? There are times where I am in charge of 5-6 different projects and all of them have varying degrees of due dates and milestones to reach. It is damn near impossible to keep track of all of them at once and sometimes I find myself completely forgetting about an assignment until it is due the next day (hello 16 hour work days).

What methods work for you to stay on top of these things? I am trying a few different options currently would like some more ideas.

Thanks


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## Supe (Apr 9, 2012)

We have a weekly sheet that we send out within our group with current items, look ahead items, etc, and are all prioritized with ETA's. Right now, that's sufficiently covering about $40B worth of projects. It certainly gets tricky at times, though my desk always looks like Hiroshima aftermath.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 9, 2012)

It is hard to do if you smoke a lot of pot, I'm guessing.


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## YMZ PE (Apr 9, 2012)

I use David Allen's Getting Things Done method. This requires writing everything down so you can clear your mind and focus on the task at hand, as well as weekly review of your projects. It sounds like a pain but a little bit of organizational effort on the front end goes a long way toward helping you meet deadlines and minimize stress. I use my iPad to track my tasks, goals, and milestones, and to reward myself with Plants vs. Zombies when I've met my objectives.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Apr 9, 2012)

I keep a journal. Just a basic spiral-bound notebook. Each page represents a week (or so), and I write down the tasks in black, and cross off in red once complete.


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## knight1fox3 (Apr 9, 2012)

Google Apps and/or Microsoft Outlook/Lync can be your best friend for multi-tasking and micro-managing numerous projects. You can set up multiple calendars for each project and then link them together so that deadlines, meetings, reminders, etc. don't conflict with one another. Adding a smart phone or tablet to the mix makes accessing your "cloud" data even easier and more real-time.


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## Chucktown PE (Apr 9, 2012)

I have started using Microsoft OneNote recently to track both personal and work objectives. I have a page set up for proposal work and another set up for project work. The thing I like about it is that you can store anything on it (scans, calculations, etc.). They also have a free app and you can keep these synced.


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## guitarjamman (Apr 9, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> It is hard to do if you smoke a lot of pot, I'm guessing.


Man, this guy is relentless!


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## cdcengineer (Apr 9, 2012)

Capt Worley PE said:


> It is hard to do if you smoke a lot of pot, I'm guessing.


Are you stereo-typing Cap?

Just cause they play the guitar doesn't make em a pot head does it?


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## engineergurl (Apr 9, 2012)

knight1fox3 said:


> Google Sucks Apps and/or Microsoft Outlook/Lync can be your best friend for multi-tasking and micro-managing numerous projects. You can set up multiple calendars for each project and then link them together so that deadlines, meetings, reminders, etc. don't conflict with one another. Adding a smart phone or tablet to the mix makes accessing your "cloud" data even easier and more real-time.


This


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## envirotex (Apr 9, 2012)

The iPhone, iCal, and the Cloud are my best friends...I also keep a work journal in a spiral bound notebook and date every page. I might not write something down in it everyday, but it comes in handy when you are trying to remember the specifics of a meeting or a calculation from three years ago.


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## roadwreck (Apr 9, 2012)

cdcengineer said:


> Capt Worley PE said:
> 
> 
> > It is hard to do if you smoke a lot of pot, I'm guessing.
> ...


He's not stereotyping, Cap'n just has a good memory. That must help him stay on top of multiple projects and deadlines .

http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showtopic=18477&amp;view=findpost&amp;p=6940398


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## Master slacker (Apr 9, 2012)

Get a new job and quit your current one.


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## YMZ PE (Apr 9, 2012)

^^^ Is that the real reason you quit?


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## Master slacker (Apr 9, 2012)

Well, that and I saw the coffee pot was empty a few weeks back when I wanted a refill. You really expect *me* to make a pot of coffee?


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## YMZ PE (Apr 9, 2012)

"YOU KILL THE JO, YOU MAKE SOME MO'!" - Terry Tate, Office Linebacker


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## blybrook PE (Apr 9, 2012)

I use the outlook calendar and a personal list to keep track of things. My office puts out a weekly schedule as well with all projects that we currently have ongoing and when they are due. It's a nice reminder at times, I tend to mark which items are higher priority than others for the one's I'm working on.


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## goodal (Apr 9, 2012)

Three words: Post-It-Notes


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## cdcengineer (Apr 9, 2012)

roadwreck said:


> cdcengineer said:
> 
> 
> > Capt Worley PE said:
> ...


Yeah - I did a search of past posts and found that one. I figured Cap was referring to something.

FWIW, I use lists and check boxes. Keeps me on track after 2+ years of going it alone.


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## pbrme (Apr 9, 2012)

Dated Notebook for daily tasks &amp; notes, with checkboxes. I use an astrix for top three priorities for the day and focus on those first.

Check off as I go or (x) out if moved to the next day.

Next day, I start a new list on new page or use alternating pen colors if same page. This way I can see the next day checkoff's in blue, lets say, and the notes I take for that day. It's a bit tedious, but the 5 min. it takes me to stay organized has proven useful. "Those who document the most wins."


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## engineergurl (Apr 9, 2012)

I'll be honest, I took a Franklin Covey class a long long time ago on how to utilize their planners, after 6 or 7 years is when I went with the digital method, but it wasn't a bad investment to learn the techniques in the class if you are disorganized....


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## mudpuppy (Apr 10, 2012)

I just work on whatever is on fire at the moment. It doesn't matter if I plan to do something, something else always blows up (sometimes literally) in the mean time anyway.


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## ktulu (Apr 10, 2012)

Luckily, with a 2-man shop, our projects are not that big. So staying organized is not a problem.


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