Wonder why you don’t see updates from some friends in your Facebook feed?

You can easily change a setting and fix this. Here’s how.

How To See Updates From All Your Facebook Friends

1. Go to your Home page in Facebook.
2. Click the blue down arrow shown by the green arrow in the image at left. This will reveal a drop-down menu.
3. Click [Edit Options…], shown by the red arrow in the image at left. This will open a dialogue box.
4. Click the blue down arrow shown by the orange arrow in the image below.
5. Click the [All of your friends and pages] option.
6. Click [Save].

Ta-da!

Your missing friends will now regain their rightful place in your news feed.

Come Join Me On Facebook

I’m very nice and almost never bite.   Please come and like my Facebook page!

More Facebook Organizing Tips

How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook

How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook – Part 2

Related posts:

1. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook
2. How To Organize Your Facebook Friends
3. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook – Part 2

Are you always looking for time-management tricks as a way to get more done each day?

You can also increase your productivity by improving your focus, so that you get more done and more effectively, with whatever time you have available.

One way to become more focused as you work is to pull up the drawbridge – my metaphor for cutting off distractions, online and offline. And an important part of cutting off distractions for most people is stopping the endless inundation of email.

Improve Your Focus By Going Offline

If you want to stop receiving emails so you can focus better on your work, then try going offline during key work periods.

Users of Outlook 2010 can choose the [Send/Receive] tab and click [Work Offline], as shown in the image above.

Alternatively, you could:

• Close down your email program completely – but this could be a hassle if you need to refer to an email for the project you’re working on.
• Turn off auto-receive and stop ‘checking’ email altogether.

When you’re ready to release the drawbridge, click [Work Offline] again.

Other Email Programs

If you use a another email program, please let me know if there’s a similar option to the Work Offline button, and I’ll update this post for readers.

Related posts:

1. Improve Email Productivity With Bullet Points
2. Get Organized for Better Productivity: Design a Productivity Ritual
3. 7 Productivity Tips For Your Home-Based Business

Following yesterday’s How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook post, I received a bunch of questions asking how to limit your posts to a Friend List.

Here’s the low-down:

How to Post Only to the Friends in a List

1. From your Wall page, click the down-arrow beside the little lock next to the [Share] button. 
2. Click [Customize] (see the red arrow above).
   –> A ‘Custom Privacy’ dialog box will appear.
3. If you want to post only to a particular list of friends, click the drop-down menu and select [Specific People]
   –> In the box that appears (see the red arrow below), start typing the name of the list you want, and it will appear. Click on the list.
4. If you want to post to everyone except a particular list of friends, start typing the name of the list into the box under [Hide this from]. When the list name appears, click on the list.
5. If you want this is to be your default setting (you can vary individual posts) then check the [Make this my default setting] box.
6. Click the [Save Setting] button.

How organized is that!

Connect on Facebook

I’d love to connect with you via my page on Facebook.
Enjoy exclusive offers, read articles, join the conversation or ask questions.
Come and join me!

Please be sure to click the [Like] button to connect!

Related posts:

1. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook
2. How To Organize Your Facebook Friends
3. Not Seeing All Your Facebook Friends In Your News Feed?

I love being able to filter my Facebook news feed – for instance, so I can see only my personal, business or Sydney friends.

Here’s how you can create your own lists and filter your news feed by those lists.

How to Create a List of Friends

1. From your Home page, select Friends from the left-hand side menu.
2. [Edit Friends] button at the top of the page.
3. Click the [+Create a List] button at the top of the page.
   –> A dialog box will appear and will populate with all your friends.
   If you have heaps of friends, this may take a little while.
4. Enter a name for your list, eg Personal Friends, Work Colleagues, Family, Business Associates, whatev.
5. Click on each person you want in the list.
   –> A blue box and tick will appear for the selected people.
   Click the person again to de-select them.
6. When you’ve selected your list members, click the [Create List] button.

And you’re done!

Repeat these steps for each list you want to create.

How to Limit Your News Feed to the Friends in a List

1. From your Home page, click the [Most Recent] link at the top-right of the page.
   –> Now a down arrow will appear.
2. Click the down arrow to expand a list of options, including your lists. If the list you want isn’t visible, click [Choose another…] and it will appear.
3. Click the list you want.
   –> Your news feed will now only show for the people in that list.

Pretty cool, huh? And so organized!

PS Wanna Connect on Facebook?

I’d love to connect with you via my page on Facebook. Enjoy exclusive offers, read articles, join the conversation or ask questions. Come and join me!

Please be sure to click the [Like] button to connect. —->

Related posts:

1. How To Organize Your Facebook Friends
2. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook – Part 2
3. Not Seeing All Your Facebook Friends In Your News Feed?

Here’s something you can do to get better organized – and it’ll take you just 5 minutes!

Create an x-Delete Email Folder

1. Create a new folder in your email program.
2. Name it x-Delete – the ‘x’ moves the folder to the bottom of your folder list.
3. Put any emails you don’t need, but are nervous about deleting, into this folder.
4. You can periodically empty this folder by deleting the contents.

And you’re done!

Now you can keep your inbox clear – without fear!

Remember: 1. Move fast. 2. Don’t overthink. 3. Feel great about getting organized!

Start the 5-minute timer now.

This 5-minute organizing action is from the Organize in 5 e-program.
It’s the quickest, easiest way to organize your life!
Only $4.95 a month for a limited time. Learn more…

Related posts:

1. Get Organized in 5 Minutes: Trim Your Toolbox
2. Get Organized in 5 Minutes: Flick Negative Feelings
3. Get Organized in 5 Minutes: Batch Birthday Shopping

Want to spend less time on emails but wary of sounding rude if you’re too brief?

Here’s the answer.

1. Write all your emails and replies in bullet points.
2. Add a note to your signature file to say you’re using bullet points to boost productivity.

Here’s how.

1. Using Bullet Points

Whether you’re organizing a meeting, answering a question, clarifying a point, or communicating any other information, distil each idea into a bullet point.

Bullet points mean:

• One idea per point
• Short, simple words
• Clear, direct communication.

You could also limit yourself to a set number of sentences. But bullet points have several advantages over sentences:

• They’re easier and quicker to write
• They’re easier and quicker to read
• The single idea per point means they’re simpler to understand fast.

Example 1: Organizing a Meeting

• Meeting: 1pm Tuesday 12 Nov Conference Room A
• Purpose: Assign responsibilities for Top Secret Project
• Reply: Yes to confirm.

Example 2: Answering a Sales Rep’s Question

• Product is available in hot pink
• Discount applies to blue and green colors.

Example 3: Clarifying a Point

• I did say I would be at the conference
• However I won’t be staying for the dinner
• Please deduct dinner charge from my invoice.

2. Adding an Explanatory Note

To avoid sounding abrupt, simply add a note along these lines to your email signature file:

————

I want to spend to less time on emails, so I’m using bullet points.
Join me: http://EmailBulletPoints.com

————

Will you try it? Let me know!

[Image: by rick]

Related posts:

1. [Productivity Strategy] Improve Your Focus By Going Offline
2. Get Organized for Better Productivity: Design a Productivity Ritual
3. Organizing Technology: How to never, ever check your email again

Note:

Please see the updated version of this post, reflecting recent Facebook changes.

——–

Last week I tweeted about how good it felt to finally get my Facebook friends into lists, and to be able to view my news feed by these lists.

For instance, if I just want to see what my business, gym or Sydney friends are up to, I can do that.

A bunch of people asked me how to do this, so here you go…

How to Create a List of Friends

1. From your Home page, select Friends from the left-hand side menu.
2. Click the [+Create a List] button at the top of the page.
   –> A dialog box will appear and will populate with all your friends.
   If you have heaps of friends, this may take a little while.
3. Enter a name for your list, eg Personal Friends, Work Colleagues, Family, Business Associates, whatev.
4. Click on each person you want in the list.
   –> A blue box and tick will appear for the selected people.
   Click the person again to de-select them.
5. When you’ve selected your list members, click the [Create List] button.

And you’re done!

Repeat these steps for each list you want to create.

How to Limit Your News Feed to the Friends in a List

1. From your Home page, select Friends from the left-hand side menu.
   –> Now a sub-menu of the lists you’ve created  will appear.
2. Click a list you want.
   –> Your news feed will only show for the people in that list.

Pretty cool, huh? And so organized!

PS Wanna Be Friends?

Unfortunately, I’m out of Facebook friend spots on my personal profile (5,000 is the max).
But I’d love to connect with you via my Get Organized Wizard page. Come and join me!

Please be sure to click the [Become a Fan] button to connect us. —->

Related posts:

1. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook
2. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook – Part 2
3. Not Seeing All Your Facebook Friends In Your News Feed?

Remember when it used to be fun to receive new email? These days the inbox is more a pain than a pleasure for most people.

If you’d like to reclaim a sense of control over your cyber-intray, just follow the 4 email-management steps in this mission.

Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.

If you’re new, you might like to start here -> 52 Organizing Missions.

Note: This week’s mission is adapted from Chapter 6 of Inbox Zen: 7 Simple Steps for Making Peace With Your Email.

Get Organized Mission #33:
Organize Your Email Management

Step 1: Delete (5 Minutes)

Scan your emails. If no action is needed and you don’t have to keep an email, delete it.

Spend 5 minutes now deleting as many unneeded emails as you can.

TIP: If you’re nervous about doing this, create a folder called xDelete (the x moves it to the bottom of your folders). Toss everything in there, knowing that if you do need something, it will be available.

Step 2: Unsubscribe (5 Minutes)

Next, look for emails related to lists you can unsubscribe from.

Unless something’s genuinely helpful, consider saving time now and in the future by getting yourself off the list (usually achieved via an unsubscribe link at the very bottom of the email.)

If you stay subscribed because you think you’ll use the information one day, think again. With the high speed of information change and great ease of information search, it no longer makes sense to hoard information. This is just as true of emails and webpage links as it is of the ancient lecture notes feeding silverfish in your garage.

And don’t be deluded into stockpiling information just because it’s free. If you’re not using it, it’s not free. It’s costing you time, distraction and loss of focus. Instead, know that when you’re ready, you can venture online and find what you need.

Step 3: Use Rules (10 Minutes)

In Microsoft Outlook you can set up Rules to auto-process emails based on the sender, subject or other parameter. (Other email programs offer similar features.)

Spend 10 minutes now setting up rules to save time and simplify email processing.

For example, you can create a rule to automatically:

• Turn emails from your boss red, so they stand out
• Move emails with ‘Pets’ in the subject line to a Pets folder that you read at weekends.
• Forward emails with certain subject or sender criteria to your PA, and then turn them gray in your inbox.

To create a Rule:

1. Choose Tools > Rules and Alerts
2. Select the E-mail Rules tab
3. Complete the dialogue box steps to set up your rule.

You’ll be given the option to run the rule on your current inbox – this is a good way to test you’ve set up the rule correctly.

Step 4: Use Alerts (10 Minutes)

In Microsoft Outlook you can set up Alerts to notify you (and even play a sound) when you receive an email from a certain sender or with particular words in the subject line. (Other email programs offer similar features.)

Spend 10 minutes now setting up alerts to draw attention to your important items.

For example, you can create an alert that:

• Opens a notification window when you receive an email from a major client.

To create an Alert:

1. Choose Tools > Rules and Alerts
2. Select the Manage Alerts tab
3. Click the New Alert button
4. Complete the dialogue box steps to set up your alert.

If you receive a high volume of email, the 4 steps you’ve just applied can have significant time-saving benefits:

• Deleting unneeded or completed emails clears visual and mental clutter
• Unsubscribing saves email-processing time today and in the future
• Rules automate regular email actions
• Alerts help make sure you don’t miss important communications.

Dos & Don’ts

• Don’t overthink. If you tend to overanalyze the choice to keep or delete, use the xDelete folder as an interim measure to get emails out of your inbox.
• Do put yourself on an information diet. Only sign up for emails relating to immediate projects – and enjoy a slimmer inbox.

Extended Organizing Mission Option

Want to go beyond this 30-minute organizing mission?

• Read and apply the post: How to Never, Ever Check your Email Again
• Read and apply the post: The ONLY 4 Things You Should do with New Email
• Read and apply the article: How To Slay The Post-Holiday Inbox Dragon (Good for all overloaded inboxes, not just the post-holiday ones.)

Ready, Set, Go!

Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.

Start The 30-Minute Timer

Before You Go: Check In!

Please add a comment to say you’ve completed this week’s Get Organized Mission and you’re keeping your commitment.

And see you back here next week!

More On Email Management:
Inbox Zen: 7 Simple Steps for Making Peace With Your Email

• How to achieve an empty inbox
• How to systemize email so nothing falls between the cracks
• How to never ‘check’ email again
• How to set up a simple fling system
• The secret to single-handling email
• Deciding when to delete
• How to reply fast
• How to go on an information diet
• Strategies for speeding up email turnaround
• 4 Steps for tackling an out-of-control inbox
• Includes interactive 25-Point Action Checklist.

“It is brilliant. I wish I had read Inbox Zen before coming up with my own system through trial and error!”

- Chris Garrett, Yorkshire, UK

Learn more…

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/xverges/ / CC BY 2.0]

Related posts:

1. Organizing Technology: The ONLY 4 Things You Should do with New Email
2. Time Management: How To Simplify Your Home Organization Tasks [Mission #28]
3. Organizing Technology: How to never, ever check your email again

There’s a report this week about a depressed woman losing her health benefits because of some happy snaps on Facebook. There are many similar stories, including an MI6 chief’s blown cover and a sickie faker busted by Facebook.

How do you avoid this kind of conflict?

There are two main ways.

1. Censor your online life

This is harder than you might think. You need to individually vet every status update, reply, comment, photo and video to ensure it’s suitable for viewing by your mother, boss, bank manager, spouse, future employer, insurer and, if you’re a spy, everybody.

Not just your own posts either – you need to approve other people’s posts that include or refer to you. You may want to hire an assistant.

On the upside, you get to do and say pretty much whatever in the offline world.

2. Live as if you’re on a reality TV show

Alternatively, you can take more care in how you live your offline life.

The secret is to pretend someone’s watching. Because let’s face it: in today’s camera-phoned, socially-networked twitterverse, it’s very possible someone is.

I’m not saying you have to live like a nun or monk or give up your day job as an MI6 spook, but you might curtail things you’re not especially proud of. Raise your personal standards. Tell the truth. That kind of thing.

There are two advantages to this option.

First, you get to be a lot more laissez fare about whatever ends up online about you. In a way, it’s all pre-vetted by your being a generally cool person.

And second, you’ll probably like yourself more. Which is a nice bonus.

Life is easier if there’s just one of you

Wherever you go, there you are. You save yourself a lot of hassle if wherever you go – online or offline – you’re pretty consistently the same person.

Your say

Agree with me? Think I’m violently misguided? Please share your thoughts.

[Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fbouly/ / CC BY-ND 2.0]

Related posts:

1. Information Overload: How To Organize Online Information
2. Organize Your Finances: An Overflow of Online Financial Calculators
3. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook

[Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/subharnab/ / CC BY 2.0]

Your iPod, CD player or car stereo is a veritable vault of education, motivation, fun, and relaxation.

All it takes is a little organization to liberate the goodies. You’ll upgrade your knowledge, make better use of your time and improve your mood.

Here’s how…

Organize Your Music

They say that music is food for the soul. Well, how about a little lyrical nourishment?

Decide on the kind of music you want to listen to. Choices could include:

• upbeat to boost your mood
• classical to chill you out
• high-energy to power your workouts.

Mine your CDS – your own and maybe your kids’ – for songs to rip to your MP3 player or to make a ‘mixtape’ CD.

Browse iTunes or use the Genius function and download tunes that tantalize your musical taste buds.

Organize Your Audiobooks

Don’t forget to feed your brain, too. Audiobooks are a convenient way to take in stimulating or educational works while doing housework, working out, waiting for your bus or flight, or doing mindless errands.

Decide on the books you’d like to listen to. Choices could include:

• classic works you’ve always wanted to read
• business or motivational titles
• new releases by today’s big thinkers.

Check out Audible for a fab range of audiobooks you can download direct to your iPod, and Amazon for a good range of books on CD.

Organize Your Podcasts

For short, current grabs on almost any topic, subscribe to podcasts. They’re free, and iTunes has more than 100,000 to choose from.

Organize Your Playlists

Create playlists to match your moods. Here are some ideas:

Workout/Gym

• Select upbeat tracks, perhaps with a couple of slower ones at the end for your cool-down and stretch, or create your own interval training playlist

Cheerful

• Choose songs that make you want to dance, smile or sing along

Moody

• It can be comforting to have a playlist for times when you just want to feel sorry for yourself – but I suggest keeping this playlist short.

Motivating

• Fill this list with songs that inspire you – and use it to fire yourself up when you want a burst of encouragement

Getting ready

• Here you want music that gets you in a party mood – excellent accompaniment while dressing for a party

And with that, you’ve transformed your iPod, CD player or car into your own personal learning and pleasure machine!

Your iPod Worksheet

Here’s an iPod Worksheet for organizing your MP3 player. It’s an interactive PDF, so you can Type-&-Save or Print-&-Write. Download it by clicking the link below.

This worksheet is from my Life & Goal Organizer Program.

What’s on your MP3 player? How do you organize it? Please share any tips in the comments!

Related posts:

1. Organize Your Fitness: How To Create A Super-Simple Interval Training Playlist
2. Organize Your Communications – And Get Better Customer Service! (With Free ‘Disputes Contact Record’ Download)
3. Time Management: Organize More Efficient Travel Time

Here’s a round-up of recent links on Technology & Social Media:

Top 10 Tricks for Making Your Playlists Rock
Source: www.lifehacker.com

“If music is part of your everyday work routine, workout, or commute, stuffing your player full of tunes and hitting shuffle just won’t cut it. Scan these 10 tips for improving and expanding your music playlists.”

11 Brilliant Web Based Event & Meeting Planners
Source: www.dumblittleman.com

“Planning and organizing meetups and events is no longer the cumbersome task which required you to contact people individually and make sure they don’t miss the event. The web 2.0 era has spawned upon some cool and easy to use tools.”

Don’t post that!’ — networking etiquette emerges
Source: www.physorg.com

“As Facebook and Twitter change the way we communicate,
the rules of etiquette surrounding these interactions is still evolving…”

Back to School: 10 Terrific Web Apps for Teachers
Source: www.mashable.com

“Web apps are helping teachers to save time and focus less on administrative tasks and more on teaching students. Here are 10 terrific apps that make the grade.”

Twistory Backs Up Your Tweets to a Calendar Feed
Source: www.LifeHacker.com

“Twistory is yet another free tool to back up online accounts, specifically Twitter posts. It goes beyond a simple data dump, though, by plotting your tweets in an easy-to-import iCal feed.”

6 Smart Gmail Tricks To Help You Get The Most Out Of It
Source: www.dumblittleman.com

“Dumb Little Man shares ideas to make the everyday person more productive in life. Expect to read tips on finance, saving money, business, and some DIY for the house.”

Reduce Monitor Scratches with Toothpaste
Source: www.lifehacker.com

“We already knew that toothpaste boasts all kinds of magical scratch-removal powers, so it’s no surprise that the handy paste can also be put to work improving scratched computer monitors.”

Want More?

For more great links to useful articles and resources, check out my Facebook Page.

Related posts:

1. Personal Organization Web Watch [11 October]
2. Fresh Start: 12 Days of New Beginnings [Day 5: Technology & Social Media]
3. Getting Organized Quick Tip: How To Simplify Social Media Updates

Living an organized life is a lot easier when you have systems and tools that are themselves well ordered.

So in this Get Organized Mission we’re going to tackle that modern repository of information and entertainment – the computer. Our organizing process will make it easy to know where to save your files, give you confidence to find stuff when you need it, and create a lovely sense of order in your digital life.

Note: Email is a separate challenge and has its own mission: How To Simplify Email Management [Mission #33].

Remember – you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
If you’re new, check out 52 Organizing Missions.

Get Organized Mission #18: Organize Your Computer in 7 Simple Steps

Step 1: Create Macro Categories

Our organizing system has 3 macro-categories, or file types:

1. Documents
2. Pictures
3. Music

If these folders aren’t already set up at the top of your folder hierarchy, create them now. If you don’t have music or images, leave those out. If you have additional categories, add them.

Step 2: Create Document Categories

Business & Career

Here’s a simple folder hierarchy I suggest for documents on your business or work computer:

1. Current Projects
   • Project A: ____________
   • Project B: ____________
   • Project C: ____________, etc
2. Admin
   1. Marketing
   2. Accounting
   3. Legal
3. Personal (Business-related personal items)
4. Archive (For reference; not needed on a day-to-day basis)

Home Organization

Here’s a simple folder hierarchy I suggest for documents on your personal or home computer:

1. Current Projects
   • Project A: ____________
   • Project B: ____________
   • Project C: ____________, etc
2. Family
   • Family Member 1
   • Family Member 2, etc
3. Household
4. Personal
5. Archive (For reference; not needed on a day-to-day basis)

Step 3: Create Picture Categories

Create folders for your pictures according to how you like to retrieve the images.

For instance, by:

• Subject – eg family; gardens; wildlife; etc
• Event or location – eg Africa trip, Jack’s birthday 09; Sally’s 4th Wedding; etc
• Date – only useful if you remember things by date, otherwise retrieval may be time-consuming.

Step 4: Create Music Playlists

Create playlists according to how you like to listen to music.

For instance, by:

• Genre – eg 80s; classical; electronica; etc
• Mood or location – eg gym, relaxed; motivating; etc
• A combination.

Step 5: Delete Unneeded Documents, Pictures or Music

I’m a liberal deleter, and happily take the risk of missing something later (I rarely do) in exchange for the fabulous feeling of clearing computer clutter.

You’ll need to work out for yourself where you sit on the delete scale – but don’t overthink it.  Decide fast and move on.

Step 6: Archive Everything

Archive everything that’s not current. As we only have 30 minutes, we’re going to start afresh and file new stuff as we create or update it.

This approach isn’t perfect, but you’ve promised me 30 minutes and we need to take the best organizing action we can in that time. If you have more time, check out the Extended Options.

Step 7: Clear Your Desktop

Delete what you don’t need, file what’s current, and archive the rest.

Now doesn’t that clear desktop give you a lovely feeling of clarity?

Dos & Don’ts

• Don’t add a ‘miscellaneous’ category. It’s a way to avoid decision making – and you need to make decisions if you want to be organized.
• Do stick to as few categories as possible. It helps make filing and retrieving simple.
• Do customize the hierarchy of files – add, subtract or change to make it work for you. But keep the descriptions short and clear.

Extended Organizing Mission Options

Want to go beyond this 30-minute organizing mission?

• Instead of archiving everything non-current in Step 6, quickly go through your files and move them to the correct folders in your new organizing system. If you’ve deleted unneeded stuff and you stay focused, it won’t take too long at all.
• If you share a computer with your kids, create a folder for each child under Family, and show the kids how to save and find their stuff in the right place.
• Now that you have a lovely, clean desktop, you may want to update your desktop background to something fresh and motivating.

Ready, Set, Go!

Remember – move quickly, act fast, don’t overthink.

Before You Go – Please Check In

Once you’ve completed this week’s Get Organized Mission please add a comment to let us know you’ve done your assignment and you’re keeping your commitment. To leave a comment: Scroll to the bottom of this post, where you’ll find a comment box waiting for you.

And see you back here next week!

Get 52 Missions delivered to your inbox

Click here to sign up for 52 Organizing Missions by email.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ayelie/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Related posts:

1. Get Organized Mission #9: Filing System Nirvana
2. Organize Your Office [Mission #19]
3. Organize Your Fitness: How To Create A Super-Simple Interval Training Playlist

I’m going to make 12 fresh starts in 12 life areas over the next 12 days.

I don’t expect to succeed at everything, but I want to give a bunch of things a try. Join me!

Day 1: Personal Development

My Day 1 Fresh Start was to raise my weights in Body Pump class for biceps and shoulders.

Report:

✔ Raised weights on days I’ve had Pump class. My form has suffered and I’ve missed some reps at the end. But that’s to be expected!

Day 2: Health & Fitness

My Day 2 Fresh Start was to give up Smith’s Cheese & Onion Chips – at least for September.

Report:

✔ Now up to four days chip-sober! A record for me.

Day 3: Career & Business

My Day 3 Fresh Start was to begin planning out changes to my website’s homepage.

Report:

✔ Planned yesterday; creating a draft this weekend.

Day 4: Fun & Recreation

My Day 4 Fresh Start was to listen to more music – rather than only podcasts and audiobooks.

Report:

✔ Friday was an all-music iPod day. It was such fun – an instant mood lifter! I’m determined to have at least one all-music iPod day every week.

Day 5: Technology & Social Media

Today my fresh start is from category 1: To try something new.

I’ve just created a Facebook Professional Service Page, so I’m going to send my Facebook Profile friends a Page Suggestion.

I’ll let you know how I go tomorrow – when I’ll make my sixth fresh start in the Home life area.

What About You?

Think of your own Technology & Social Media goals and plans. In what area could you:

• Start something new – or try something you haven’t done, eaten, read, or experienced before
• Give up something – maybe a habit that undermines you or an obligation that weighs you down
• Do more of something – be specific about ‘more’, but don’t be overly-ambitious
• Do less of something – be specific about ‘less’, but don’t be overly-ambitious

I hope you’ll choose something and join me!

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Related posts:

1. Fresh Start: 12 Days of New Beginnings [Day 4: Fun & Recreation]
2. Fresh Start: 12 Days of New Beginnings [Day 6: Home]
3. Fresh Start: 12 Days of New Beginnings [Day 7: Personal Presentation]

Always in trouble for having no gift/card/ excuse on that special day?

If you’re an Outlook user, this Get Organized Quick Tip will give you peace of mind – as well as getting you out of the doghouse and into the good books.

Getting Organized Quick Tip #6: How To Never Forget a Birthday or Anniversary

In a previous Get Organized Quick Tip we learned How To Schedule Personal & Household Reminders.

This is a similar process, but uses appointments rather than tasks, and has a few extra steps.

1. Open a new appointment in Outlook

2. Enter the appointment subject

EG:

• Mary’s Birthday
• Wedding Anniversary 

3. Tick ‘All day event’

4. Set the recurrence

Click the recurrence button. An appointment recurrence box will open. Select the yearly recurrence pattern.

5. Set a reminder

Click the drop-down reminder list (there’s a bell at the left). Choose a duration that allows you enough days to buy a gift, organize a party or whatever this occasion calls for.

6. Add relevant notes

If it’s a child’s birthday or anniversary, you may want to note the birth or wedding year.

7. Save and close

Now repeat the process for all the dates you want to remember.

Then you can enjoy the shock and wonder of friends and family, as you face each future event well prepared with gift and good wishes.

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and Re-Discover Yourself?

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Whether you like to walk, run, jog, or row, you can introduce a simple version of interval training to your exercise routine.

You don’t need to bother with complicated timings and stopwatches for this basic version. Simply follow the steps to create a playlist that does the work for you, so you can do as Jim Steinman says and

let the drummer tell your heart [rate] what to do.

Organize Your Fitness: How To Create A Super-Simple Interval Training Playlist

Step 1: Decide how long your workout session will be

If you’re a newbie, you might like to begin with 20 minutes. For veterans, 60 minutes might suit.

Choose a duration that feels challenging but doable.

Step 2: Start a new playlist

Open iTunes or your music library and create a new playlist. Name it Interval 1 if you have no better naming protocol.

Step 3: Choose your tunes

• First, choose an easy-paced tune to warm you up.
• Next, decide on a slow, relaxing track for your cool-down phase.
• Last, divide the remaining session time between fast-paced, high-energy tracks, and medium-paced tunes that let you take it down a notch. Alternate these tracks on your playlist. Ideally, start and end this working time with high-energy tracks.

To keep track of your playlist length, click the playlist name and the total time – along with number of songs and file size – will display in the grey bar at the bottom. You may need to play around with different tracks to get the session duration you want.

Simple! And you’re wired for interval training sound.

Got some suggestions for motivating workout tracks? Please share them!

To leave a comment: Scroll to the bottom of this post – a comment box is waiting for you.

Want some cool tools for organizing your
health, fitness and personal life?

Check out The Ultimate To-Do List Pack | Personal Edition 
or Life & Goal Organizer.

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1. Organize Your Audio For Learning & Pleasure [With Free iPod Worksheet]
2. Get Organized For Fitness [Mission #38]
3. Organize Your Computer in 7 Simple Steps [Mission #18]

If you have a business or your computer contains important documents or precious photos, then you know how stressful this situation could be.

But, although I missed my cyber-friends and felt bereft without Xander (my laptop), I made good use of the time, doing research for upcoming organizing products while the motherboard was being assembled and installed.

The reason I could work happily rather than panic was that I have a regular back-up plan using 4 simple steps to back up my files. No matter how dire the motherboard situation turned out to be, I knew I’d be able to retrieve most or all of my work, research, playlists and photos.

Today I’m back online. As it turns out, I didn’t need my back-up, thanks to the excellent dudes at Dell *waves* and some smart searching of error codes. (Dell replaced the motherboard gratis since it was a ‘known error’. If only life had those.)

But the peace of mind was wonderful.

Free Computer Back-Up Planner For You

Next time I may not be so lucky – nor may you. So please, dear reader, back up!

To help you get organized to back up your computer, I’ve attached a downloadable PDF of a Computer Back-Up Planner from my Life & Goal Organizer.

It’s interactive, so you can Type-&-Save or Print-&-Write.

Let me know if you find it helpful!

To leave a comment: click the post title. A comment box will open at the bottom of the post.

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Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stewart/ / CC BY 2.0

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3. Organize Your Communications – And Get Better Customer Service! (With Free ‘Disputes Contact Record’ Download)

Would you like to share information on Facebook with family and personal friends, but not, say, with work colleagues?

You have control over your privacy settings in Facebook. Organizing your profile settings to determine who can see what is a simple two-step process:

1. Segment your Facebook friends into lists

Select from Family, Work, College, High School and other lists – or create your own.

Simply click Friends>All Friends on the top menu of your Facebook page to get started.

2. Choose the privacy setting

Decide which list can see which parts of your Facebook profile and other information.

To do this, click Settings>Privacy Settings>Profile on the top menu and select who can see what.

This is explained in more detail – complete with helpful screenshots – in Mashable’s short article: How to Use Facebook Privacy Settings and Avoid Disaster

And don’t worry – people aren’t notified when you change their ability to view your Facebook information.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thexbeautyxofxlove/ / CC BY 2.0

Related posts:

1. How To Organize Your Facebook Friends
2. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook
3. How To Organize Your Friends on The New Facebook – Part 2

What do you do when you find a good site or blog online?

The problem with bookmarking in your browser, or using social bookmarking sites, is that you have to keep returning to your bookmarked sites and looking for new information.

A more time-effective strategy is to get updates and new information sent to you automatically.

How To Organize Online Information

There are usually several ways you can receive updates from a website or blog automatically.

1. Subscribe via RSS

RSS stand for Really Simple Syndication – which is how the updates, or ‘feeds’ – are made available. You probably recognize the graphic.

Your updates are deposited into a free ‘reader’ – like Google Reader or Feed Demon. Email programs like Outlook contain a built-in RSS reader.

Thing is, you still need to go to the reader to view your updates.

2. Subscribe via Email

Subscribing to a blog via email means each new post is emailed to you – it lands right in your inbox! Delivery is still by RSS, but you don’t need a reader.

For many people, this is by far the most convenient and time-effective way to stay connected with online resources they want to access.

3. Subscribe to a Newsletter

Many sites offer a newsletter in addition to RSS subscriptions. You receive different information in the newsletter – often tips, special offers or more personal updates. Check on the site for a description of the type of information included in the newsletter, if offered.

A few points on newsletters:

• Blogs and websites want you on their newsletter list (I know I do!) so they often offer an incentive to get you sign up (at the moment I’m offering a 72-page Organize Your Life & Goals Workbook). Be wary of the potential mental clutter of these freebies – and decide whether it’s genuinely worthwhile.
• Check that there’s a privacy policy that protects your contact details from being shared or sold to potential spammers.
• It’s required by law that an unsubscribe link appear at the bottom of every newsletter – but it’s also reassuring to be told before you sign up that you can unsubscribe at any time.

4. Follow on Twitter

Increasingly, people are using Twitter to get their updates on all kinds of things.

If you’re a twitterer, you can follow a site or blog writer and you’ll get links to their new posts and updates in your twitter stream.

You Can Afford To Be Discerning

There’s so much information out there, and a lot of it doesn’t add much value to your life. So choose carefully.

But when you do find something good, remember these convenient and time-smart methods for staying connected.

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1. Organize Your Online Life – And Raise Your Self Esteem In The Process
2. 30-Day Organize-athon | Day 5: Organize Your Household Information Center
3. Organize Your Finances: An Overflow of Online Financial Calculators

Here’s one I use every day to streamline my social media status updates.

Getting Organized Quick Tip #3:

Use Ping.fm to post your social network status updates. It’s uber-simple – here’s how:

1. Open your free account with Ping.fm
2. Set up the social networks you want to post to. Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook and LinkedIn are my primary social networks.
3. Type in your status update and ‘Ping it’!

Voila! Your update is automatically posted to all your selected sites.

Got more personal organization tips for social networking? Please share them!

Related resources:

• 5 Steps to Organizing Your Social Networking (PDF)

Did you like this post? Please social bookmark it!

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2. Social Networking: 5 Simple Steps To Organizing Your Social Networking (With Free Notes)
3. Getting Organized Quick Tip #6: How To Never Forget a Birthday or Anniversary [Outlook Users]

How do I social bookmark a post?

A:

Social bookmarking is a way to save and/or share links to websites, blog posts, articles or resources you find helpful.

Social bookmarking sites, like Digg, Delicious, Technorati, Reddit, StumbleUpon and even Facebook, are great tools for organizing your favorite web resources, since you effectively ‘save’ the links you post.

They’re also a cool way to share with others the web places you find helpful, since you effectively recommend the sites you social bookmark.

Most websites and blogs these days include social bookmark buttons at the bottom of their posts – just like the little buttons at the bottom of this post. And using them is easy. All you do is click the button for the social bookmarking site you want to use, and you’re automatically taken to the social bookmarking site and given the opportunity to bookmark the page you clicked from. If you don’t already have an account you’ll be prompted to open one (they’re all free).

Have you read a helpful post on Get Organized Wizard? Then why not test drive the buttons below – and give social bookmarking a try now!

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Image by > NeoGaboX<

Organizing Q & A

If you have a question about personal organization, decluttering, simplicity or goal setting, simply post your question on the blog. If it’s of broad interest I’ll do my best to answer helpfully in this Q & A ‘column’. Questions may be edited for brevity or clarity.

Of course if you have insights of your own, feel free to share them as well.

Related posts:

1. Personal Organization Web Watch | Technology & Social Media Resources | September 09
2. Information Overload: How To Organize Online Information
3. Procrastination, Productivity, Moving and More: Links & Resources