It took me ages to work out how to structure it, and I had random notes and lists all over the place!

It was a gradual process of realising that I needed to find somewhere to have one central space for my ideas and business research.

The more I started using it the more it made sense, and made life easier.

It was probably triggered by the end of a notebook that had some awesome ideas in it, as well as notes I’d taken from systems webinars that I didn’t want to lose.

On top of that, I had started collating FB market research, social media strategy ideas, blogging ideas.

Every time I came across a website that had now time management and productivity strategies I wanted to trial I had to put it somewhere, and my notebook just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

So, I changed the structure of my Evernote at least 3 times to what I have now:

a Personal stack – that has smoothie recipes, hairstyles I like, personal goals and habit tracking, some journalling, big picture goals

a Family stack – that includes notes on the governing council work I do at the school, crazy things my daughter says that I need to put somewhere, the show and tell schedule, craft ideas, meal planning recipes

a Business stack – including goals, blogs, product development, coding tips, resources, marketing research, market research, content plans, course content, how-tos,

a Research stack – including a notebook for all of the main topics I collate research on, such as productivity, self care, mindfulness, stress,

a Coaching stack – that includes notes I write and processes about my coaching – client specific. I do tend to use Asana as a CRM tool more nowadays though.

This week, I want to give you 3 really simple steps to help you get started with Evernote.

Note #1: do a brain download and make a list or a check list of everything you have to do. (Bonus tip: from there you can re-arrange it into categories, and add reminders as a prioritised To Do List 🙂

Note #2: Use the Webclipper to clip the info from the tabs that you have open on your browser and don’t want to close because you’ll lose the info. Yes – I know you have lots open!!
(Those tabs are taking up memory on your PC/Mac and contributing to it running slower. Save the info in Evernote, and close the tabs so you only have the ones you are using open)

Note #3: Start a note to capture your ideas. You can write them in notebooks, but where does it all go once you’ve finished the notebook? Evernote is the perfect ideas bank.

Once you get started you can build it up from there.

You don’t have to have the whole structure of your notebooks worked out before you start using it.

You don’t have to have decided what to put in there before you start using it.

You don’t have to stop using your notebooks and other strategies.

So – are you ready to get started with Evernote?
You can grab the recording of an Evernote workshop, and be up and running in 90 minutes.

Go to the #nomoreburnout Systems School, and you’ll find the Evernote Workshop

Enjoy!