It was a long time coming, not because of reticence to change, (I am an early adopter), but to perfecting the transition.
I have now disposed of all my annual diaries(15), work diaries (20), company record books (12) all my note books (stacked 1.0m high) – all my teaching notes, lesson plans, course notes, reference material (stacked 1.0m high). The notes I had taken while at college for eight years (35 years ago and stacked 1.0m high). In short my history on paper!
Space need to be generated from ‘clutter’ was the order of the day! Also, I knew it had to be done so sooner rather than later was a good thing; as I actually want to be doing other things.
I started keeping a diary while working for a Consulting Engineer in Chapel High in Harlow. This was my third job and was good until …
On the construction drawings of a three storey shop I removed a first floor cantilever slab on the front of a building. (As it happens in the town in which I have now lived for 35 years.) a few days later I was summoned by an associate and asked why I had done it. Answer was ‘… you told me to …’. This fact was denied. After which I was naively shocked and hurt that someone would lie to me in this way. Hence my diary keeping.
It has paid off: I record instructions and details as well as for planning and control. I have several times been in a position where people have started to pass the buck in my direction, often in progress meetings and in front of senior people, and I have been able to refer them to my written records; only to witness collapse and embarrassment on their part and on occasions an apology.
After a couple of incidents people realise they can’t just use me regardless of whether I am present or not as I will challenge them.
I have fully adopted a package by the name of NINOX, and all my ‘diary and planning, reviewing’ are digital. I wanted a package similar to MS Access but on a mobile platform. At the time options were limited to I think three packages. This package was chosen and has not let me down. It is web based, robust, very flexible and I have only touched the tip of its power.
I have written five bespoke apps now that run on my desktop, my phones, my tablets – the lot. The hope is to reduce my paper usage … Ah! that brings me onto Rocket Book – reusable note pads. There good
The view from my eye alone 