Using Microsoft OneNote to Get Organised

I have discovered Microsoft OneNote. It usually only appeared when my printer wasn’t installed properly and a Word document would say Print to OneNote, which I dutifully then changed to my assigned printer. But then one day, I thought: Why not have a look what this programme actually does – apart from taking printing instructions from Word and Excel.

Wow, was I amazed. I suddenly had a really good organising tool at my fingertips. If you’re already using OneNote you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you don’t, let me show you what you can do with it.

In OneNote you create virtual notebooks. Just like a real notebook you can divide it into sections which contain pages. And that’s where the similarities with a real paper-based notebook ends. Because it’s virtual you are not limited to an existing number of sections and you can re-arrange them at your leisure. If you end up with a lot of section you can group sections together (into Section Groups) to form a higher level and you can have sub-pages to create lower levels of more detail if pages aren’t sufficient. And everything can be renamed and rearranged any way you need it.

You can easily copy/paste from any other programme including from web pages, import pictures, videos, sound clips, links, etc. You can take screen clippings which will be referenced where you got them from. You can add hyperlinks to webpages or other files or to somewhere else in the notebook.

You can mark any bit of text with tags like ‘To Do’,  ‘Contact’, ‘Remember for blog’ or whatever else you need, since the tags are also customisable. And you can also link to Outlook and schedule tasks.

That’s the how, now for the why and what for. If you ever needed something really versatile to catch all your ideas, references and random scribblings – OneNote will do the job. And here are just some ideas what you can use this programme for:

• create a wedding planner notebook
• use it for studying multiple topics/subjects
• a hold all for your goal setting
• a project planner
• a notebook to catch your ideas for a book
• a research project
• a moving house log
• the possibilities are endless …

There is a free trial version on the Microsoft website so you can have a play and see if it’s for you. The trial also comes pre-installed on lots of new computers. OneNote is also part of the Office Home & Student package and the Office Ultimate package.

Have some fun and try it out!

Tuesday's Tip - Important Nighttime Notes

This week's Tuesday's Tip ties in with the main posting this week. It's all about improving your sleep, making the "nodding off" a little bit easier.

Quite often you can't go to sleep because you think you need to remember something for the next day.

Keep a pen and pad ready on your nightstand. If you find yourself with that important thing that you suddenly remember and that you need for the next day, turn your light back on and write it down. It will only take about a minute to do but will save hours of tossing and turning while your brain multitasks with remembering and going to sleep at the same time. Your brain is basically trying to stay switched on and switching off simultaneously - not easy to achieve. Once the information is written down, you can give yourself permission to forget about it until the morning and your brain can switch off. When you wake up, the reminder will be there, right in front of you.

I have been known to put that note on my slippers so that I definitely notice it when I get up.

Something to Help you Sleep

Have you ever had the best intentions of getting a good night's rest so that you are fighting fit for a busy day ahead only to find that you simply can't go to sleep. All the thoughts of that exciting next day are racing through your head. You remind yourself, "No, I must go to sleep now!". You turn over and more thoughts keep racing round and round. When you finally nod off, your sleep is fitful and you reawaken several times. And the next day you feel sluggish due to lack of sleep.

Well, this post offers a cure for you. It works really well for me and I have also had positive feedback from other people who have tried it.

Lie on your back, your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths. Now imagine a little cloud floating by. Take the first thing that comes to mind (that argument with your boss for instance) and imagine you put it on that cloud. Watch it float into the distance. Another cloud floats by and you put the next thing on that clutters your mind (maybe the task you have been putting off and should have done by now). Watch it float off. And so on until your head almost magically clears. Some items/people/situations need to be put on a few times until they finally drift off completely.

When you feel all calm and ready, get into your comfiest going-to-sleep position and enjoy a good night's rest.

I have found that if I do this one night, it usually lasts a few nights in a row, and my sleep pattern improves for quite a while.

Declutter your Head

For my first blog I would like to share with you some thoughts on decluttering. Most people associate with it a big clear-out, getting rid of stuff. But you can not only get rid of physical clutter but also mental clutter. Here are 3 top tips on how to free your mind.

1. Get it down on paper
   Many of us are still trying to juggle diaries, to do lists, important dates, etc. in our heads. And we they beat ourselves up when we forget something. In these hectic and stressful times we should be kind to ourselves and give our brains a break. Put things on paper. Note important appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, schedules on a wall calender, a pocket calender or into the computer using one of the many available diary software programmes like MS Outlook. Use an attractive notebook for your To-Do-Lists. And write your shopping list down instead of going to the shops only to come back without the most essential items that you went out for.
   
2. Shorten your To-Do List
   You are the only one that has control over your time. You decide what is important and what is not. And you are the one who has to say No if you are overwhelmed with things to do. Nobody else will do that for you, they are only too happy to add items to your list. There are only 24 hours in one day, and some of those you need to rest. Decide which items on your To-do List can either wait, be delegated to someone else or scrapped altogether. You will be amazed how freeing this experience can be.
   
3. "Don't cry over spilt milk"
   Most things that we get annoyed about are not really a big deal. Someone cuts in front of us on the road, we drop something, we spill some coffee on our outfit just before leaving the house - so what? It is up to us whether these things will spoil our whole day or just aggravate us for a few minutes. Of course you will be annoyed, maybe even angry but then let it go and decide not to let it bother you. It is up to you to let the rest of the day be a good one.