In the course of everyday life, it may seem as if the number of important things you need to keep track of goes up and up. Without clear and consistent organization, you could easily get overwhelmed or miss a deadline. But organization isn’t just about avoiding a mistake—streamlining your data and communication can elevate your work to new heights.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur launching a business, a student heading back to school, a professional looking to make strides in your career, or a Meetup organizer planning events and growing your community, these five free organizational tools will help you succeed.
1. Asana
Asana is a software that’s way more fun and friendly than its label as a “project management system” implies. Basically, Asana is a workflow guru that helps you and your team divide and conquer big tasks that have lots of moving parts.
For example, if your overall goal is to host an open mic night for your Meetup group, you can use Asana to assign each co-organizer individual responsibilities. Using Asana’s fast and sleek interface, team members can easily update one another on the progress of venue booking, equipment rental, RSVPs, and more. For a team of up to 15 people, Asana is free to use.
2. Dropbox
Do you need a safe place to store your digital files? Dropbox is a cloud-based storage system, meaning your files aren’t merely saved to one specific device’s hard drive. Instead, your files are stored on the internet, and you can access them from any device in the world.
This tool gives you peace of mind and helps you declutter by providing one tidy, out-of-the-way location for lots of important documents. It can be especially helpful for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, allowing you to securely keep work files separate from personal devices. You can get two GB of cloud storage for free by signing up for Dropbox’s basic plan.
3. Pinterest
Pinterest is an elegant little world of visual bookmarks called “boards” to which you can “pin” images, videos, and links. Many Pinterest users are in it just for the fun of discovering the work of creative people across the globe. They cultivate a personal style or mood for their boards by pinning work that speaks to them.
However, Pinterest can have practical applications, too. Maybe you’re an aspiring interior designer and you want to organize a few sample aesthetics to show potential clients. You might be the organizer of a Meetup woodworking group and you want to showcase the achievements of your members all in one place. In fact, you can even operate this visual discovery engine as a business, linking your online store to your Pinterest account to increase sales.
4. Google Calendar
No matter what line of work you’re in, time management and scheduling are key. For these purposes, you can’t go wrong with the all-in-one Google Calendar. The ability to create and edit events on an easy-to-navigate calendar grid is a surefire way to avoid forgetting important dates. Google Calendar’s reminders make it difficult to miss a meeting, plus you can integrate Google Calendar across your phone, laptop, and even your smart watch.
Inviting people to calls or conferences has never been more simple. If you have to change location details for your meeting, Google Calendar automatically notifies all of the invited guests. Plus, you can easily create recurring events, so you don’t have to waste time setting up a meeting that takes place daily, weekly, or monthly. Google Calendar is free for personal use. All you have to do is sign up for a Google account.
5. Slack
For instant messaging that’s more sophisticated and reliable than a massive email thread, go with Slack. You can separate your team’s communications into channels organized by topic. For example, a new publishing business might have different Slack channels for editors, designers, social media, sales, and so on.
Attachments can be added to Slack messages, making it easier than ever to share files between team members. Plus, these messages are searchable so old files can be retrieved quickly. The free version of Slack provides five GB of file storage and the ability to search up to 10,000 of your team’s most recent messages.
Make organization a part of your daily routine
The above tools are only as powerful as your drive to use them. Professional organization requires a foundation of personal commitment. Check out a group like the Silicon Valley Organizer Meetup Group to learn how you can elevate your people skills and create more human connections. To incorporate organization into your home life, you can join a group like the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group, which has over 2,600 members and hosts online events sharing organization tips.
Last modified on September 8, 2021
