A digital way to "unstick" your to-do list

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

As an IT professional, I've sat at a lot of computer stations occupied by my co-workers. Often their monitors will have a halo of sticky notes placed all around the border, including notes, reminders and to-do lists.

Is this how you track your projects and things-to-do? Did you know there are a number of more efficient ways to track your tasks using software, rather than the old sticky note method?

I'd like to introduce you to Trello by Fog Creek Software. Trello takes the idea of sticky notes on a whiteboard and translates it beautifully to the digital world. Here you can create and customize lists for your home or office environment and store them in a central location. Each list can include due dates, checklists, comments and attachments.

Do you need to collaborate? Trello allows you to send invites via email for other individuals to have access to your organization board. And, when you are done with a list or project, Trello will archive it for you in case you need to refer back to it in the future - as opposed to the sticky note method. When you toss it, it's gone. But, best of all, it is absolutely free.

So clean up your monitor, save some trees and try a new way to keep track of your work!

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Stay out of the dentist's chair

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

As I sit here thinking about the past year and try to summarize it in a single word, all that comes to mind is "busy." In fact, I was so busy last year, I forgot to schedule my regular cleanings at the dentist. So, here I find myself at the beginning of a new year in the dentist’s chair listening to the whine of his drill. They say, “dentistry isn't expensive, neglect is,” and I certainly have found that to be true.

It wasn't that I had neglected my teeth entirely, because brushing my teeth is a normal part of my day-to-day routine. I had been so wrapped up in that routine that I’d overlooked the importance of taking that hour out of my schedule twice a year to go in and have a specialist really work them over.

As you think about and look over all that you did or didn't accomplish in 2014, do you spy any areas like this? Little projects that remain functional in the day-to-day, but that you might have forgotten or neglected to pay their due attention? It may have seemed like a small oversight, after all, they stayed up and running, but that neglect can definitely land you in the “dentist’s chair” before too long.

Don’t forget to look up from the day-to-day as you plan your growth for 2015. It is important to properly maintain your systems, paperwork, etc. as well. It will save you in the end.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.