My New Best Friend; My Notebook

By Skip Colfax

The “Getting the EDGE” productivity training got me to look at what wasn’t working for me in my work and in my personal life. It helped me change my behavior to become much more organized. I’m a casual kind of guy; tee shirts, jeans and tennis shoes at home; business casual at work. I like to be spontaneous and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle. Although, “relaxed” is good, being out of control is not so good.

I used to find myself double booked with friends on the weekends or searching for a phone number or email address at the office. My “relaxed” way, was making me lose important information and miss important meetings. I felt badly too often. Not good!

Before implementing the EDGE System, I would often misplace sticky notes where I wrote important contact information like phone numbers and email addresses. Sometimes I’d miss out on opportunities to network with prospective clients, coworkers, or friends. I’d even miss important interviews or meetings! Because I couldn’t’ keep track of those little sticky notes. I felt like I was not in control of my information, and I wasn’t. Also, not good!

I made a life change and am now committed to collecting information in only 4 places: my note book, my email, my voice mail, and the In/Out tray on my desk. My trusty notebook has become a critical part of my system. I empty it of information almost daily and integrate my gathered information into my EDGE System quickly. Once I’ve entered the information into my System, I can tear out the pages and dump the paper, or in rare cases, file it away if absolutely necessary.

Now, I carry my notebook with me almost everywhere I go. I quit using and then losing sticky notes. My trusty notebook and a pen are all I need now to keep track of my information. The EDGE System has been a godsend for me! I don’t miss appointments or commitments anymore, thanks in large part to my notebook.

I’m not perfect with it yet, but I feel much more in control of my information. My notebook is my new best friend. If you see me around, I’ll probably have it in my hand or in my briefcase. I am glad to show it off… it may not be pretty, but it sure is functional!