Unexpected
I said, no way, not that, and walked away.
That was two years ago. That was part of my quest to find the productivity aid that would fit me just right - as much as possible, anyway. I've tested and used just about every toolset & combination available, and most often find that this fits or that fits, but there is enough of an issue with something else that causes me to just drift away from it in my daily life. I know this pretty quickly when it happens because instead of using it to open a ticket or track time or save documentation or plan a project, I find myself just "doing it". You know - just going through the day and doing what I have in front of me to do and unfortunately, not doing what I don't have in front of me to do!
I worked with Podio, Asana, Bitrix24, Evernote, MindJet, Personal Brain, GTD systems, Paper Planners, you name it. And while these are all excellent platforms (some better than others, of course), I continued to end up "falling off the wagon" when it comes to planning my week and planning each day.
Okay, maybe that's not so big a deal for you and your saying "Just pick something and run with it already!" And, I can't discount that perspective. But (there's always a but in there someplace...), let me give you my list of essentials and then come back and talk to me.
What does this system need to have/do/be/provide? (Not in order of priority.)
1. Availability - Everything needs to be accessible everywhere - desktop, tablet, phone, and available for clients to access if needed
2. Versatility - I need to handle CRM, daily tasks & reminders, plan projects, contact management, brainstorming, track and hold a variety of data, storage of key docs/uploads, recurring reminders, and more
3. Affordability - No $200 a month (or more) agreements here for all the functionality I need (bye bye Bitrix - yes, there is a free version, buuuuttt... no). I'm talking in the range of $5 to $20 a month
4. Flexibility - no, not the same as versatility - The same interface needs to be configurable for a wide spectrum of situations. From I.T. or Web Design trouble tickets to setting up a Social Media Campaign, to tracking financial goals, to well, you get the picture. Even some home stuff thrown in there
5. Longevity - I've got to be able to use this and keep using it for a long time. It has to grow with me
6. Friendly - it has to be easy to use, with no difficult ramp-up time. If I open up the project area to a client or to another consultant (i.e., off-shore, language barrier, etc.), it needs to be easy to learn and use
7. Compatibility - It needs to link up with my calendar app, and a time-tracking tool I use, along with Todoist (yes, forgot to mention this above), as there is just no letting go of this awesome app
Those are the most important things for me. And two years ago, I brushed aside the solution, because in my quest for a serious app that could do all this, I didn't think it could handle all this.
Well, I was wrong. And to be honest, I completely forgot about it until about a week ago when I was researching on this very topic, focused on making better use of Todoist, and I ran across an article on Trello. "Hmmm... Trello, I remember that. Now, why did I move away from that again??"
Believe it or not, it was because of Trello's simplicity that I moved away from it.
And it is because of Trello's simplicity that I have returned.
And, I must say, it was not an easy return. I was using Asana, which has some definite strengths to it, but I just never felt at home in it. And, the mobile functionality is limited (Big RED X). So, I started learning and reading on Trello, and how to use it for everything from Project Management to Web Design, to task mgmt, to scheduling blog posts.
Okay, feeling better...
But, nah! This couldn't work! Within the last 10 days, while deciding on Trello, I also experimented with two other platforms, but Trello won out. (Oh yeah, WeekPlan was in there somewhere too!)
All I can say is, that my creativity is finding a place to play, and my orderly side is happy too, and for the first time in a loooong time, I planned my week, I've been planning each day, and without much in the way of resistance from my hidden procrastinator! It's working!
In part 2, I'll share a bit about how I am using Trello, and how it is helping me.
Bye for now!
AZEdgeTech
p.s. Yes, I do have ways of benefitting by referring people to Trello, but I'm not putting those links in these articles. Just value.
Recent Comments
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Thank you for your information. If you put your Trello link, you might break WA guideline of no spamming.
I know. That's why it's not there, mate!