FAQ: Can I Mix and Match?

Aug 14, 2012

Between the last seven days of training almost 350 teachers in getting themselves “together” at the start of the school year, and the last five years of facilitating workshops, and the last two months of responding to educators who read my book, I’ve racked up quite a few Frequently Asked Questions from the crowd.

One by one, I plan to answer them here on our blog.

Drumroll, please, for FAQ #1…

Today’s Question: Can I Mix and Match my Organizational System Components?

Today’s Answer: YES! A resounding YES!

Many of you feel that if you use Google Calendar as your Comprehensive Calendar, then you must use Google Tasks or Google Docs as well. While your loyalty is admirable, I’m officially giving you permission to mix and match different combinations of systems, brands and tools.

Go ahead and play the field! The world is your oyster…now customize it!

There are two main reasons you may want to select different features from different productivity systems:

  1. Some features are better than others. (Google, while you are great for e-mail and calendar, your task feature just doesn’t do it for me!)
  2. Many of us like to use some tools electronically and others on paper.

So, what might this look like? Here’s a common mix and match combination I’ve seen:

As long as you remain faithful to your system, it’s fine to keep it in different places.  Remember, the habit counts much more than the tool!

Here’s to mixing and matching! Go crazy! And have fun!