How to Organize your Ideas

Everyone knows that I'm the worst at project management and organization. But to be able to accomplish all that you want to do, it seems that there is no other option but to get organized.

Just when I was starting to get overwhelmed with all the different projects and ideas, I decided to read "Showtime! The greeting card and gift company's guide to trade show success." The initial intention to reading this book was to understand the greeting card/gifting industry better and trying to decide if it would be a good idea to set up a booth at Surtex or any of the other surface design, stationary or gifting trade shows. For the PicCollage business I feel that it might not be worth setting up a booth at a trade show at this moment, But the most useful information I got out of it was the process and planning of it all.

Here is the initial 4 step process that I find most useful:

1. Create a masterlist

This includes every little detail you might be thinking of, even if it has to do with shopping for the outfit to wear for the event

2. Sort the items into general categories

3. List out a production schedule

This is a schedule of deadlines to keep you on track

4. Set achievable goals

The list goes on, but these are the items that are most useful for any type of planning in the initial stages.