43 Folders

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Melding LoFi and HiTech

I'm facing a dilema.

I've "been meaning to" start GTD for several weeks now. I've managed to implement pieces, which I consider a good start. Now I'm stuck and feel like I can only spend so much time looking for ideas/perfect setup/other ways to procrastinate on the Internet/etc.

Successes: Personal inbox has less than 10 emails (down from 50+) and work inbox also has less than 10, down from 70+. And I've maintained those two things for almost 3 weeks.

I'm drawn to paper -- jotting notes on a sheet of paper is SO much quicker than switching programs. Even when you figure in that I type faster than I write, I find that I keep going back to paper.

But I want the ease of tech -- for having a larger amount of information always available. If I carried around an address book and journal and even a HPDA with the information, I'd need a suitcase.

I hate carrying a purse and will get by with a little card wallet for my drivers license any time I have pockets.

Which leads me to the focused part of this question:

Have any of you used one the Timex USB watches or the Casio Databank watches for carrying around all those extra bits of information that you might need, like the password to the 43folders board when you are stuck waiting on campus....

The closest solution I can come up with is storing that type of information in a readily accessible web location -- some conglomeration of online calendar and phone book and a space for those other things I want to remember.

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

genagtd's picture

Where I'm at now -- I...

Where I'm at now --

I gave up on the fancy watch. That was just the gadget-girl in me. I needed a new watch anyway, so I picked up an Ironman Triathalon. Few quick presses of the buttons and I've started the timer to remind me to check my glucose. (Best solution ever for a Type 2 diabetic with a memory problem.)

I'm thinking about using pocketmod to cart around important info that I might need without knowing in advance that I'll need it. Mostly the forty-leven different usernames and passwords.

I'm building an hPDA for all those things that cross my mind at inopportune times. Things that come up at work go in the notebook on the desk where I've finally managed to bust through both my desire to stay within the lines and use every single square inch of a piece of paper. I'm not writing one thing per sheet as mentioned in the book, but each thought/call/request/etc. gets written down with the time in the lefthand margin. I draw a line between each item and when it's finished, plant a big check mark towards the right margin. That's been working for two weeks now.

I've looked at the JIMI wallet and had one concern. I was afraid that it might be two rigid and too big to fit comfortably in my pocket. Standard trifold wallets won't fit in my front pocket, for example, when I sit down.

 
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