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On a typical day I have from four to a dozen post-it notes decorating my desk to remind me of tasks, appointments or phone calls I have to take care of. There are some free easy-to-use tools online that I've started using to stay more organized.
One of my favorite new tools is StickyPad from Green Eclipse. StickyPad is a tool that allows you to place sticky notes right on your desktop. You can "type notes to yourself, set meeting and appointment reminders, keep track of a to-do list, and anything else you would do with paper notes." After you create your note, you can set a specific time for StickyPad to remind you of your task. You can then print your notes, email them to coworkers or save them to a file. You can change the size of the type and the color of your notes. Notes will stay on your computer when you log off at the end of the day. To start, just download the latest free version: 2.3.51. When the download is complete, you will see an icon added to your start menu; you can also add it to your task bar. After that, just start creating your notes. I suggest taking the "StickyPad tour" which explains how to use the product and all your options, such as customizing your notes, using keyboard shortcuts, etc. To find the tour, just open the icon, click on the question mark (?) and then click on "Help." Give StickyPad a try. I think you'll love it! While you're on Green Eclipse, check out EclipseCrossword.com, an "easy-to-use interface that guides you through the process of creating your own crossword puzzles."
If you schedule meetings, business lunches, conference calls or even family reunions, take a look at Doodle, a free online communication tool. Create a free account with your username and password and then just click on "Schedule an Event." Enter a title and your name, and then select a day and time in the calendar for your event. You can add other dates and times. When you're finished, email the "poll" to other participants who can indicate which dates are agreeable to them. Go to their help pages for illustrated examples.
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How many times have you seen an article online that interests you but you just don't have the time to read it? Instapaper allows you to easily save articles for later, when you have the time to read them. Just create a free account and drag the "Read Later" bookmark to your toolbar. When you have time, simply log into your account and click on "Unread." You can also browse "Editor's picks," timely articles from various newspaper and magazine websites.
INCOME TAXES
If your 2010 adjusted gross income was $58,000 or less, you are eligible for Free File. Free File is a free, federal income tax prep and electronic filing program for eligible taxpayers, developed through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a group of private sector tax software companies. Taxpayers can do their federal income tax returns using commercial online software provided by the Free File Alliance companies. You must go to IRS.gov to access Free File. This year, you have until April 18, 2011, to file and pay your taxes or request an extension." If your income is over $58,000, you can use "Free File Fillable Forms" which are online versions of IRS paper forms designed for people comfortable preparing their own tax returns. "This option does not cover state tax returns and performs only basic calculations." Twenty-one states are offering FreeFile options; check your state sites, for instance, www.tax.ny.gov, for more information.
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