Tired of rewriting "to do" lists? Did someone just tell you about a good book or CD, you write it down, but you don't know where to put the information? Do you need a place to write down names and numbers of people to call back?

This is a chronological log system taught to me by an ADD adult. It's a simple system designed to trap "to do's" and other day-to-day information in chronological order. (See pictures below). 

Supplies:

- a steno pad (with contact information written in it in case you lose it).

- post-it flags attached to the interior front cover - (use the refill pack, it's less bulky).

- a pen - (attached to the steno pad)

This notebook is where you trap daily information in chronological order: to do's; calls to be returned; information to be transferred later to address books; names of products that you want to check out or purchase; meeting and other notes; quotes, things you see written on signs or bumper stickers, etc.

Here's how it works:

1) Record information or "to do's". For "to do's", leave room to break it down into substep if appropriate.

2) Put a post it flag next to it so the post-it flag is partially extending beyond the right edge of the page. (Do not flag substeps of "to do's", only the "to do" itself).

In my log, I chose to designate two colors for work and two colors for home.

3) As you transfer information to your address book or calendar or complete "to do's", mark these items out with your pen and remove the post-it flag. 

4) Place removed post-it flags temporarily inside the front cover for reuse later.

Here's a variation on this system:

5) Write the numbers 1 - 5 onto 5 post-its flags - (one number per post-it flag), then, when you have time available to work on your "to do's", use the flags to mark the five "to do's" you want to work on that day, then prioritize the "to do's" in the order of your choosing.

In summary, put post-it flags to the right of each item that is still active, and put the post-it flags marked 1 - 5 to the left of the items that you're choosing to work on that day.

The post-it flags make it possible to work with "to do's" on multiple pages. It also identifies items you are putting off. Perhaps those items aren't important after all and should be marked out or perhaps you need to do them but they are a low priority. In that case, keep the "to do" flagged.

If prioritizing 5 "to do's" is too many, try prioritizing 2 or 3 "to do's".

The advantage of this system is that most of your day-to-day information is trapped in one place, you don't have to rewrite lists over and over, and you can even prioritize tasks you want to work on that day.