College Admissions Expert Elizabeth Levine: Getting Organized

Wanting to get organized in 2018?
I LOVE organization! It is one of the pillars of how I run my life, or I should say what I can't live without. Many people ask me how I do it, how is it that I don't seem to forget anything and, not only get things done on time, but proactively. Reflecting on those that have asked and wondered, I thought for my last post in 2017, and thinking ahead to 2018, since that's what I do, I wanted to share a few of the tools that I use for organization that I could absolutely not live without. I hope you enjoy, and may even begin to use to organize your life, these few tidbits that I am going to share with you. It's never too late, or too early, to organize your life. Everyone around you will be thankful.
And know that everything speaks and forms an impression on those around you. If you don't have systems and tools to make your professional and personal life run efficiently and effectively, what will those who come in contact with you think? It is practically impossible to change a 1st impression and a 1st impression is formed within the 1st 7 seconds of meeting someone. Make it great and impressive. And remember, it takes 21 days to make a habit. Try it, stick with it and your life will be changed forever. Happy New Year everyone!
+ Wunderlist – I've used an electronic to do list for as long as they have been around, way back to the Palm Pilot days (This may show your age if you recall what these were!) and have had the opportunity to test out many packages throughout my professional life (And it's been a long one!). Wunderlist is an app that you can have across all of your electronic medium's, keeping in synch wherever you are. It's free, fabulous and simple to use.
I get the heebie-jeebies when I see someone with a paper to do list. What do you do when you have to move a task that you won't get done today to tomorrow, or next week, or next month?!?! You hand write it again, and again, and again?!?! Do you see what a waste of time that can be and how you may miss or forget something (One of my greatest fears, BTW!)? Not to mention losing your to do list for it to never be found. I honestly can't even imagine. I would be lost!
One word of advice with any to do list you use. Don't think you have to use ALL of its features. You don't! trying to do so will bog you down and, ultimately, force you to go back to your old, unorganized and inefficient ways. I use a fraction of the features but, most importantly, I use the tool. It's at my fingertips on my laptop, my IPad and of course my phone. When I think of something I have to do, no matter how small or mundane it may be, I immediately open up my Wunderlist and add my task. Within seconds it is recorded and to be remembered and accomplished. I have tasks on my Wunderlist over a year in the future, maybe 2. You may think this is nuts, but I never forget, and my to do list will NEVER get lost so I sleep easy each and every night, at least when it comes to knowing my to do items are safely tucked away.
+ Keeper – Would you pay $32.43 per year to have ALL of your log ins and passwords in one place, encrypted and accessible on all of your devices and the internet, backed up to the Cloud, so you never have to worry about not remembering or misplacing them ever again? I don't know about you but I have over 200 log ins and personal information that I have to keep track of. Keeper does it all for me and I LOVE it! Until I found Keeper about 5 years ago, I used to keep all of this information in my contacts. I look back and can't believe I did this. When I see someone who has their little book with all of their log ins and passwords written down I am in disbelief and start to hyperventilate. What happens if you leave it somewhere and it's not there when you try to retrieve it? Or worse, what happens if it gets into the hands of someone who will abuse this information and potentially steal your identity and/or your money?!? You catch my drift. Keeper. Get it, use it, embrace it and enjoy it.
+ Post It Note Pad – These are my best friend. I know, it sounds simple, but at night, by my bedside, I have a pen and post it note pad, so, when I wake up in the middle of the night and have a thought about something I need to do or a brilliant idea that will change my world, or those around me, I have my trusty, handy, dandy, post it note pad to write on. Deciphering what I wrote in the dark the night before may prove to be challenging the next morning but, somehow, I always figure it out.
+ Calendar – Yes, an electronic one. NOT a paper one. I am in amazement, again, when I see someone with a paper calendar. What?!?! Refer back to my Wunderlist and Keeper comments regarding losing this item and what ramifications this would have. I won't repeat myself, although I am known to do so many a time – Just ask my children, students and families! I'm an Apple person, through and through, so I use Apple Calendar. It's on my laptop, my phone and my IPad. I ALWAYS know what is on my calendar, many times a year or 2 down the road, and can schedule anything at a moment's notice, wherever I am. Again, I am in amazement when I am working with someone in business, ask them about scheduling a meeting and they tell me they have to get back with me since their calendar is back home. What?!?!
Anyway, hoping you have a wonderful, prosperous and very organized 2018 and if any of you would like to chat with me about organization, please feel free to reach out to me. If I wasn't in the college admissions business I would love to be in the organization business. Enjoy!