I've had computers for years now and I'm pretty proficient. I email, excel, google, you know, the most common of the computer verbs. I tend to fall short when it gets to things that -- however simple and effective they are once they are set up -- take just a little set up time. Outlook: tried, stopped, now I just capture addresses in my phone. Quickbooks: should be keeping our balance sheet up to date but I'm still stuck in the stone age with my paper checkbook.
So my New Year's Resolution is to make life easier by putting the time into my technology tools up front to get the productivity assist that I need to make my life run more smoothly. The plan went into effect over the long holiday break: I popped a DVD in the player, plopped my kids in front of it, and finally got the books into the computer books. I'm gonna pass on the Outlook for now; the phone system is actually working out pretty well.
But there's one thing left -- one problem that you may share with me, that you're still doing so old school that you tear your hair out. You know, I'll give you a hint, it's the reason we write this blog in the first place? Yes, that's right -- it's contacting your volunteers and coordinating your volunteer schedule and activities.
You're still making a lot of phone calls, aren't you? You're still getting a ton of reply all emails, aren't you?
And perhaps you've had lots too many people volunteer to decorate for the party and none on cleanup, and then it's your job to write or call back to all of them to try to straighten it all out?
And your free time is limitless and you love torturing yourself like this, right?
You know I'm right -- I know I'm right. And that's why, right before I wrote this article -- about 20 minutes ago, I plugged in my most complicated volunteer activity -- the every week, four different crews, 6 month long schedule of 40 different people -- into VolunteerSpot. It was really, really, REALLY easy. It took just 20 minutes. I'm kind of embarrassed I waited this long, because now, for the rest of the year, I'll know longer have to remember to send out remember notes to this week's work crew -- I already did it -- 20 minutes ago. My estimate is that the 20 minutes I just spent on setting up my schedule will save me a minimum of 10 hours over the next 6 months - time well spent, don't you think?
So are you ready to finally give yourself permission to make your life easier -- and make your volunteering more fun? Jump in -- the water's fine.
And Happy New Year!!
