This document provides tips and strategies for getting organized and avoiding information overload in 5 steps: 1. Identify your priorities by assessing what is most important to focus your time and energy on. 2. Set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound goals to provide direction. 3. Manage your time and materials effectively using tools like calendars, to-do lists, and organizing your emails and files. 4. Be discerning about what information and tools you adopt, using the right tools for the right purposes and specializing in your needs. 5. Reflect on and evaluate your processes periodically to improve your methods and stay on track.

1. Getting Organized and Avoiding
Information Overload
http://bit.ly/cag2012
Angela Housand and Brian Housand
CAG 2012 – Palm Springs, CA

4. FUTURE!
SHOCK!
ALVIN TOFFLER

5. The
illiterate
of
the
21st
Century
will
not
be
those
who
cannot
read
or
write,
but
those
who
cannot
LEARN,
UNLEARN
AND
RELEARN.

6. Cognitive overstimulation that
interferes with our ability to
“think”
(Toffler, 1970, p. 350)

7. ž Accelerating rate of new information
ž Ease of duplication and transmission
ž Increase in the available sources of
information
ž Contradictions and inaccuracies
ž Lacking strategies to process information

10. 1. Identify Your Priorities
2. Set Goals
3. Manage Time & Materials
4. Be Discerning
5. Reflect & Evaluate

11. Step 1
Identify Your Priorities

12. Slife.com

15. SLIFE
n A retroactive view of productivity
n Enables a needs assessment
n Helps to identify priorities
related to action & time

16. Planning & Goal Setting
n Time management
n Sequencing
l Priorities
l Deadlines

19. Google Calendar Supports
n Time management
n Sequencing
l Setting Priorities
l Notification of Deadlines

20. Step 2
Set Goals

21. Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound

22. Why Goal Setting?
Planned
direc?on
for
efforts
Provides
clarity
for
assessment
Opportunity
to
take
responsibility

23. What does
goal setting
look like for
adults?

25. Privacy &
Security

26. What steps will I
take to achieve
my goal?

27. Accountability:
Share
Reminders

28. Monitor
Progress

29. Reflect &
Evaluate

30. Attainment
l Demonstrates forward progress
l Measure and take pride in the
achievement
l Celebrate and enjoy the satisfaction of
achievement
l Set a new goal

31. The greater danger for most
of us lies not in setting our
aim too high and falling short;
but in setting our aim too low,
and achieving our mark.
-Michelangelo

32. Effective Goal Setting
n Be Precise
l Measurable
l Time bound
n Write and Share
l Accountability
n Prioritize
n Periodically review
n Surround yourself with
motivated people

33. Cyclical and Ongoing

34. Step 3
Manage Time & Materials

35. Measuring Time on Task

37. SET A GOAL
TAKE A BREAK
STAY ON TARGET
REWARD YOURSELF

39. Calendar Ideas for Students"
• Task monitoring
• Set “reminders”
• Use with iGoogle
• Track project timelines
• Organize “TO DO” Lists

40. DO’s and DON’Ts
of To Do Lists

41. BE EFFICIENT

42. Managing the Madness of Email
ESTABLISH EMAIL TIME ZONES
STRIVE TO ONLY TOUCH IT ONCE
DOES YOUR PHONE REALLY HELP?
DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO JUNK MAIL

46. “GET YOURSELF A FOLDER.”

49. • Annotate,
Archive,
My
Library
Organize
• Build
a
Personal
Learning
My
Network
Network
• Create
a
Group
Knowledge
My
Groups
Repository
• Research,
Share,
Community
Collaborate

51. Dropbox is software that syncs your
files online and across your computers."
"

52. How Much Space?
2GB FREE
Install on Invite Share Install
another a friend or a on your
computer. colleague. folder. phone.

54. I

55. Step 4
Be Discerning

56. Do I really need this tool or
information?
n Be a purposeful adopter
n Right tool right job
n Specialize in your needs

58. The
Internet
is
Par?cipatory
Forcing
Us
To
Learn
New
Interfaces
Crea?ng
New
Channels
For
Social
Interac?on

59. Critical Responsible
Consumers Producers

61. “Every man
should have a
built-in
automatic
crap detector
operating
inside of him.”

62. +
5 Types of Evaluation
1. Understanding
2. Relevancy
3. Accuracy
4. Reliability
5. Bias
(Coiro, 2006)

63. http://www.google.com/educators

64. www.wdyl.com"
Trends
Books
Sketchup
YouTube
Translate
Groups
Patent
Search
Earth
Voice
Calendar
Blog Search
Gmail
Image
Search
Maps
Moderator

65. agoogleaday.com"

66. Step 5
Reflect & Evaluate

67. Ask Yourself
l DidI accomplish what I planned to do?
l Was I distracted?
l Were you successful with your email?
l Did you delay gratification?
l Did I plan enough time?
l Was I productive or was I spending time
figuring out how to use the technology?

68. Ask Yourself
l What worked well?
l Are certain technologies easier for me to
adopt?
l Are some more appropriate than others?
l What do I need help with?
l Find a tech buddy.
l What do I still need know?

74. BE A RESPONSIBLE
DIGITAL CITIZEN…"
Don’t add to information overload!"

77. Thank You!