Getting organized with simple tools, part 1

Teaching involves keeping track of countless smaller tasks--look up this word, check this quote in French, type this handout, make this assignment, write a letter of recommendation, get stuff xeroxed, check the library reserve list, come in at 4:15 for a meeting, add this link to the blog; many larger tasks--read the next ten chapters, make the final exam; and countless pieces of paper (for me, quizzes alone are 225 pieces of paper a week).

Over the past few months I've been experimenting with different ways to stay organized. What got me started was reading about and then reading a book by David Allen, Getting Things Done. I've yet to really put GTD into practice (it's like the organizing equivalent of extreme sports). What I've come to realize though is that getting things done depends to a great degree on getting the right tools, the "right" tools being simply the ones that work best for you. Here are some helpful suggestions about finding tools that will work well for you.

Links » Getting organized with simple tools: Part 2, 3, 4, 5