12: The Organized Flamingo turns 4: 7 Must-Have Digital Tools
As we transition more and more into the digital age, it's important to have tools that can help us stay organized and efficient. In this episode, we are celebrating the 4th anniversary of The Organized Flamingo and discussing seven essential tools for staying organized in the digital age. If you're looking to start incorporating technology to help manage your life, these tools are a great place to start.
In this episode we talk about:
- Digital Photo Tools
- Digital Calendar Tools
- File Manager Tools
- Project Management Tools
- Password Manager Tools
- Note-Taking Tool
- Communication Tools
The Organized & Productive podcast is brought to you by The Organized Flamingo and hosted by Stephanie Y. Deininger. For those of you who love the thought of organizing & being more productive, but don’t know where to start or constantly up against hurdles that don’t let you advance the way you want to, this podcast is for you!
Connect with Stephanie
https://www.instagram.com/theorganizedflamingo/
Review the Transcript:
Hello friends and welcome to a celebratory episode of the organized and productive podcast. It is a celebration because the organized Flamingo turns for this month. And if you're wondering, Wait, didn't you just start the podcast in January? Well, yes, I did. But the podcast that you're listening to right now is an extension of my company, which is the organized Flamingo. And the organized Flamingo, as it stands now started four years ago, and I've been organizing for the last 20 years. But the organized Flamingo as it stands today did not get started until 2019. And that is what we were celebrating now we're celebrating four years of being the organized Flamingo and being in existence in the digital world, and also in the in person world, which is really exciting. So to celebrate, I thought that I could bring a list of some of my favorite things, but not too much products. What I'm going to do today is going to focus on the productivity side and more specifically on the digital productivity side, because in today's world, we are going digital more and more, you know, we don't have as much paper as we used to, or at least communicate or absorb as much paper as we used to. But we do have a lot of documents and data in our digital space. And that is equally as important as our in person and tangible items.
So I talked about that in an earlier episode. So if you want to learn more about that, go ahead and listen to that episode, which I will put in the show notes. So what I thought I would do as we're celebrating four years, and as we are starting to embrace the digital world a lot more is bring to you my seven things that I think an organized person should have in this new age of digital space. One other quick note that I want to make about this list is that this list is not about product recommendations, per se, but tools recommendation. So if you're looking for specific products that I would recommend under each of these seven things, then head on over to our website or our Instagram, where I do name specific products that I would recommend, or platforms or apps or tools. So for this particular episode, we're just coined more generic, but specific enough so that we can have some examples. But for more specific products and head on over to those platforms. Welcome to the organized and productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. I am your host, Stephanie, a professional organizer and productivity expert, ready to explore the right organizing and productivity solutions for you. Yeah, well then let's go.
Okay, let's start off with our number one. And this is not in an order of importance, this just happens to be their first on the list is a cloud based photo system. Now, when we talk about cloud based, we talk about easily accessible from anywhere. In today's digital age, it happens to be that the cloud based system is the one that you can access from anywhere in the world almost. But if cloud based doesn't work for you, if you just rather have it more like a VPN, or in other ways that you can easily access, then use that system instead. So we just kind of clump or cloud, the cloud based photo system into this one category. So a cloud based photo system is the type of system that when you take a picture on any camera, whether it's your phone camera, or if maybe your actual camera, then you can easily download it, and it will go into a system that you can access from wherever, either from a computer or from your phone. The reason I would recommend this is because in today's age with us taking so many pictures on our digital devices, you want to be able to edit quickly send receive print, delete, when you don't have easy access to your photos and they get lost you can't really edit them as quickly.
And so I would recommend a cloud based photo system for your pictures and also for security purposes. And so that also you can share it with other people when you take a picture you can send it to them when you you can share a folder or a photo folder and etc. So a cloud based photo system number two on our list is a calendar a digital calendar that you can easily edit, share and view from anywhere in the world. The reason I say that at least even if you're a paper and pencil type of calendar person you know you love your planners that are paper and the stickers and the colors. I get it I have one too, but for your main calendars that you're sharing with other people, it should be a calendar that you can easily access from anywhere in the world. If in case your paper calendar gets ruined, ruined, damaged, forgotten. And so a digital calendar that is cloud based or just easily accessible, and shareable will help you get organized in today's age. Also, so many companies, external companies like doctor offices, services, companies, and etc. When you schedule something like a meeting, or you, you know, whatever it may be like at a conference appointment, they will send you a calendar invite. And how easy is how much easier is it for you to just simply say, add to my calendar, versus remembering where your did your planner is going to go get it, writing it down, and then hoping that you don't forget. Okay, so I understand that some of you that are listening are more of a paper pencil, paper, pen pencil marker, sticker type of person, I do get it. Like I said, I have one. But in today's age, it is just so much more convenient when you're getting those reminders via email.
Also, products like Google like Google workspaces, and whatnot, and many of the other digital like outlook in the digital inboxes. and stuff, they make it really easy to set a reminder when you're getting an email communication about something that's up and coming. So a digital and or cloud based calendar is going to help you get in stay organized long term in today's age. Number three on our list is a cloud based file system. Similar to the other two cloud based here just means that you can easily access edit, get to, you know, in share file systems in today's age, we I talked about I talked about this in one of our earlier episodes, like I mentioned, where I talked about digital spaces versus in person spaces. And a lot of you still print your documents, that's fine, that's great. But when you have a file system that is digitized, it is going to be so much easier to access, delete, look through because it's searchable. So I really would recommend starting to migrate over to a digital and or cloud based file system that you can easily access, edit, search and share when you need to same as before with the calendar.
Also, when people are sending you documents for you to download and sign, you can then quickly add it to your file system versus printing it putting it in the drawer. And then if you need it when you're not at home or in your home office or your office and you're away, then you have to wait until you get to wherever the paper document is. And when you have it in a digital format, you just can quickly access it, get to it, send it, share it, edit it, get it over with and not have something lingering on your to do list because you can't easily access it. Number four on our list is a password keeper. Now, there is controversies over password keepers nowadays because a password keeper is supposed to keep your password safe, right. But if they're compromised, that defeats the purpose. So right now in the 2023 era, they're still you know, questions about which password keeper digital password keeper is safe. I understand the worry over that. So just make sure you're a an informed consumer when you're searching for your favorite password keeper.
A lot of you like to have it have a digitized one, where whenever you log into a certain website, or certain platforms that you're either your browser or your digital password keeper site has it easily accessible to you just be an informed consumer, just do your research, see which ones have gotten the best reviews, maybe ask friends, which ones have not gotten compromised in the last, you know, years, couple months, and use that one. But due to some kind of password keeper that you feel comfortable with, instead of writing your passwords on little pieces of paper all over the house, because that does not work for anybody. It doesn't help you, it becomes overwhelming, then you can't get into things. So just whatever way you decide is best for you. That's fine. This is one of those tools that I am 5050 whether it's digital, like a digital tool, or if it's a paper type of tool, because if you're just writing them down, that's fine. But write him down in like a place that you can easily find that it's not like all over the house and then you forget where those very secret spaces are. So just make sure that the password keeper is safe, and that it works for you. Number five on our seven things an organized person should have in this new age of the digital world is a project management tool. Now, even if you don't have a project quote unquote, that's coming up or you think you don't or even if you you don't, you're not a solopreneur entrepreneur and you're like I don't really need a project management tool like what is that? What does that do?
For me, listen, okay, project management tools are not just if for the workspace per se, you could have a project, maybe like a house project, an organizing project, maybe you're remodeling your house, maybe you have a special project of organizing your garage, or you know, a project where you're on mission, my in laws are coming to visit over the summer, and you want to get all these things done. That's what a project entail. So it doesn't have to be work related. It could just be a project or tackling something that has a beginning, a middle and an end. And project management tools are amazing to keep you on track. And also remind you of the milestones that you're trying to hit in make. So a project management tool, sometimes your email, and calendar, workspace, like Google workspaces, they will also have a project management tool. Sometimes it's a standalone. So like, some popular ones out there right now or Asana. And it's, you know, the list can go on. But a project management tool of some sort will help you get your project on track, and may give you reminders digitally. So that when you're trying to remember all the things, there is one place that you have it in instead of have it in on a piece of paper that you forgot at home. And then when you get to the where, like, maybe you're at the store and you're like oh man, if I only had my project tool list, or by project calendar, or my to do list for that project, I could get the stuff right now, instead, I have to wait until I get home, go get the piece of paper and then come back to the store. So a project management tool is really handy, especially one that you can access from your phone or from anywhere in the world. The sixth one on our list is a cloud based note taking system. The note taking system or some kind of tool or system is super important to have, it's the place that you go to to write your notes.
I know a lot of you have your amazing notebook where you write notes. And I love that I have one too. But after years of me writing all these notes, and then on a piece of paper, you know, my notebook, a beautiful notebook and all my chicken scratches. After years and years of realizing that I really could never get to those notes when I needed them. Or I couldn't easily search for them when I needed them. That made me realize that that wasn't going to be working for me, like I needed a cloud based note taking app or system or tool, one that I could take a note whenever I needed it. And by notes. I mean, sometimes it's verbal notes, where I just talked to my notes. And it dictates what I just said, sometimes it's a voice memo type of note, but something that I can quickly grab, take notes, and then access when I need it. And digital note taking apps and tools are amazing because they can search your notes whenever you need it. So if you need to refer back to a certain idea or concept or Word, you can easily look for it. And then the app or tool will bring all of your notes up on the search and give you what you need. instead of you going and shuffling through all the pieces of paper and notes that you wrote down. This type of tool can also be merged with your calendar inbox or file based systems. Sometimes those come with note taking platforms. So don't think that you have to get an individual type of tool or platform and buy something else. Sometimes it's already comes with your inbox or your workspace. So you know, see if what you're using now has some kind of digital note taking app or system or tool and then use that.
And the last one on our list is a communication tool. And what I mean by a communication tool is a tool platform app that helps you communicate with nonfamily in emergencies. So you've got probably your text messaging for family, and maybe phone calls, of course, and those those types of platforms for your emergencies, and like people that you're daily you're talking to daily, but I'm talking more about friends, maybe and I'll give some examples like Voxer, Facebook, messenger, WhatsApp, all of those are communication tools that help you stay connected with clients, customers, friends that you don't normally message on an everyday basis. And the reason I added this to the list is because communicating with your Emergency Contacts and families should be very straightforward and you should keep that separate. Now some of you are using your text messaging for everything for communicating with anyone and everyone and I'm not necessarily opposed to that as your professional organizing friend. But if you cannot get easily to those text messaging those text messages from clients and friends and emergencies and family and if you can't separate those conversations easily on your text messaging platform, then that is going to become very overwhelming over time. So, pick a place where you can organize and segment these communication excuse me communicating communication groups, so that you know where to go when you need to communicate with like your Emergency Contacts, people, friends, family, where do you go when you communicate with your clients? With your you know, if you have a coach or maybe your you know, people that are helping you in your in life? Where do you go when you need to communicate with the friends that you only see every couple of times a year or so make sure that whatever communication tool, again, is easy, easily accessible, and you can quickly organize and segment so it doesn't just get lost in the shuffle of all in one and has no rhyme or reason and it gets you overwhelmed.
Okay, so what do you think? So these are my seven things that I think as your professional organizing and productivity experts think that are very important in today's new age of the digital world. I mean, this digital world is nothing new. But now it is full force, especially since 2020, where many of us, especially in the world had to work and live from home and remotely and go to school remotely and access things remotely. I mean it expedited the need to be able to access and store and have a digital space that is just as organized as your in person space. So I hope that these seven things helped you understand what is needed, especially if you haven't quite embrace the digital world. I hope that this list helps you find some tools, and start the search to finding the seven things that I think an organized person should have in today's age that will help you with your overwhelm and help you feel at peace will help you get more organized and find things easily. Let me know what you think about the conversation, tag us over on Instagram at the organized Flamingo or send us a message at Hello at the organized flamingo.com. I'd love to cheer you on and let me know what tools you're picking out as you either start your set your transition over to the digital world or if you're trying to enhance it and make it even a better, easy streamline experience. So I'd love to hear from you. And as always, Happy organizing. Thank you for listening to the organized and productive podcast with the organized Flamingo. If you enjoyed today's episode, I would love it if you'd leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps with letting people know that we're here are full show notes and resources head on over to the organized flamingo.com/podcast Happy organizing