3/14/07

A Few Cool Tools

If you're like me, you tend to have several projects going at the same time. We creative types just can't stop creating! I tend to have a couple-three current projects that I work on every other day or so, and another several projects, partially finished, but kinda on-hold, just sitting. And sometimes when a project is on-hold for too long, it kinda gets forgotten about for a while. And if it's not a creative project, maybe it's a book we meant to finish, or a recipe we were going to try, or just a site you meant to visit more often. Here are a few things that are fun and useful to help keep track of all those projects, or things-to-do.
Joe's Goals is a nice, free web based goal tracker, developed by a guy to help himself keep track of his own goals, and he opened it up to others. This tool is useful on a weekly basis, a day-to-day basis. You list your goals each seperately, and how often you mean to do them, and when you do them each day, or each week, you can put a little check mark in a box to show you did it. If it's a negative thing that you want to NOT do, you can put a bad red X if you did it, and you can also list a number in another box if you're couning up or down to something. (weight loss, or number of pages written perhaps) I use Joe's Goals for some personal healthy goals, stretching, eating breakfast, etc. But you could easily use it to track some of your projects. My New Hampshire Auntie, who loves scrapbooking, altering books, sewing, and trying many new things, told me her project plan of keeping track: she works on a certain project type on a certain day. You could definately do that with Joe's Goals, Joe could remind you that Monday is for scrapbooking, Wednesday is for sewing, etc. These goals stay private unless you choose to share them, and there is a section to be inspired by others' goals as well. Joe keeps updating the site, and the program, so it keeps getting better. Definately something to check out.
If you're looking for a tool that is a bit more public, take a look at 43 Things. It's more of an online community, where everyone makes and shares their list of things to do. Some go grand, big wishes, and some go down to the everyday mundaine. You could list 43 projects you want to work on, or 43 steps to a project. You can list which ones you've finished, and comment on others' list. You can also send yourself reminders, which are fun, "Dear future self, I'm reminding you about your goal. How's it going? Sincerely, Your past self." Very nice.
A reminder tool you could add to your blog is a personalizable count down from the Ticker Factory. This was origionally made for tracking a pregnancy or a birthday, but you could put any specific date that you want to count down to, a craft fair that's coming up, or the deadline for making hats to donate, or just a date you pick to have something finished by. And it keeps counting down for you. Below is my next birthday!
Try some of these cool tools, and if you find any more, let me know, too!

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