How Do You Keep Track?

There is so much information coming at us, both online and offline. How do you keep track? AND yes I want to know what your secrets are.

I spent a lot of years in information (or content) management. Keeping track of specific streams of information feels easy-peasy compared to all the information I feel I am managing now. Here are a few places where information comes into my life and some of the type of information I am managing now.

Personal

Here are typical places I manage information and how that information comes to me in my personal life.

• Kids school (newsletters, notes, online homework, report cards, agendas)
• News (TV, radio, online, email, word-of-mouth, social media, blogs)
• Friends (Facebook, text, email)
• Home stuff e.g. coupons, invitations (email, snail-mail, newspaper, flyers, apps)
• Scheduling for family (syncing calendars, email, text, school notices, church mailings/postings)

Business

In this list I am showing where information is arriving or created (e.g. email) and what I am receiving in that delivery (e.g. newsletters).

• email (newsletters, invitations, discussions, Facebook and other social media messages)
• Online (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, News, downloads)
• Support software (online interface, apps, computer, databases)
• My marketing (social media, website, email, shopping carts, calendar bookings)
• Research (online, books, surveys, in-person)
• Learning (in person, online, books (hard copy, digital, audio, magazines, YouTube, Podcasts)
• Phone (personal messages, social media, texts, calls, bookings, reminders, calendar updates, audio books, apps for business)

Some information requires response, some needs to be retained, some needs immediate review, and some can be trashed. When you have to keep information how do you find it again? Do you tag it? Do you have a filing process? Do you have a specific folder and naming procedure that you follow? Do you keep information in The Cloud? Do you use a database?

I have a filing cabinet in my office, on my computer and in The Cloud. I have backups and procedures for others to follow. Setting it up was the most amount of work and following my process is key to being able to find something I’m saving.  Client history is in a CRM, which I have to admit, has been the best information management tool I have owned.

What is your best information management procedure or tool?

Share your insights below.