How do you use your pda to achieve success?

[benca1]

Sorry for the puedo-goofy subject. But we all want to be successful, and there's a plethora of tools available, some self-made some not, that we leverage to move ahead - not just in business per se, but how about in weight loss, family planning, school, or hobby development? All of the personal progress revolves around setting goals - or having the end in mind - and working methodically toward that goal.

I know many people utilize a pda as tool for this, for tracking, scheduling, organizing, learning, etc. But how!? I'm new as can be, and I'm having a helluva time intergrating this thing. it's helping... and I know it takes time. But no one around me uses one, so I don't have any cool models to emulate.

would you mind sharing what you do specifically? Do you track weightloss or physical conditioning? How? Do you track your fiananes? Shopping lists? How, what do you use?

Do you carry your pda with you everywhere? Do you find you use it more to pass time away, then leveraging it (like I am with avantgo and tetris).

If you track goals, how do you it? All there is is a list of tasks, seemingly unrelated to each other except by your mind or catagories... how do use tasks with the calendar?

Thanks!

[Thinkingmandavid]

Wihtout a day planner I am not as 'successful' at reaching my life goals as I would be with it. MY ppc is my day planner. I havent yet set it up to follow through on my goals because I have only had it a week and I am still getting it fixed up :wink:
I know that it helps me to be more focused about my time=I dont waste as much of it and I am more aware of what little bit of it I have in my life.

More focus on me as a person, where do I want to go from here and how am I going to get there; which are the steps to getting there. (goals)
More focus on finances, by seeing where my money is going I am much mroe careful about what I spend it on and how much I spend. I would rather pay my bills responsibly on time.
More focus that not all of life is going to be this way having to always run around and even sometimes playing catch up on my own life. Fun is there and I must enjoy myself while I am pursuing my goals.
More focus on graduate school, I love the program I am in, 'Negotiations and Conflict Management' and my ppc helps me to see what my day looks like and when to study, how, what is due, what to expect, etc. For instance doing home work in pocket word helps, editing papers in pocket word, and creating papers that have to be done APA style but using pocket word for filling in the content before APA is done on my laptop.

What does all this add up to? A life I love and that I am living at my own expense pursuing my goals and dreams and using a pocket computer to keep it journalized.

[PetiteFlower]

I use the calender to keep me from forgetting things. I don't use Tasks, when I have a complicated project that needs me to be super organized and scheduled, I use list-making software to schedule it. I make a checklist of what needs to be done and date each item for the day I'm going to do it. This doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's VERY helpful! So far since getting my PDA, I've done this when I moved, and when I was preparing and packing for my camping trip. I'm not the most organized person in the world, I have ADHD and my brain can be a very chaotic place, so having electronic assistence really helps.

I have Pocket Quicken, I do most of my financial stuff while on my PC but I like being able to record transactions on the go and have them sync, and I like having my balance with me all the time, so I never forget and think I have more then I do :)

Oh and yes I DO carry it with me all the time, both for diversion and productivity :)

[ctmagnus]

Ditto, except I haven't moved since I started using PDAs, and I haven't actually been diagnosed with ADHD although I suspect I have it to a small extent.

[Pat Logsdon]

I use mine to fight crime. "To the PDA-Mobile!" I say when the PPCPE rings. My sidekick is ActiveSync Boy, but I don't let him drive the PDA-Mobile...






wait for it....








because he always crashes!

:mrgreen:

Seriously, I use it all the time at home and work. It's actually helped me get the last two positions I've had, because it's a very conspicuous way of letting people know that you're into technology. It's also a great ice breaker for meeting new people.

Things I use my PDA for: Writing my novel with Textmaker and my folding keyboard
Reading ebooks
Vehicle navigation and geocaching (with CF GPS card)
Listening to music
Watching movies
Balancing my checkbook
Task list
Calendar
Weather forecaster
Games (arcade classics and Nintendo emulator)
Keeping track of credit card numbers, passwords, ID card info, etc. with eWallet