Planning and Organisation – How Technology can help
Monday 10 June 2024
Planning and Organisation – How Technology can help
Planning and organisation can be challenging for many dyslexic people, so it is important to develop coping strategies that work for you.
No two people are the same and different things work for different people. Many people use tried and trusted traditional methods such as paper based notebooks or diaries, post it notes and a wall planner. But increasingly people are finding that there are apps or assistive software which can help and can be downloaded free of charge onto mobile phones, tablets, and laptops.
Organisation and planning apps offer structure and enable you to keep track of everything you need to do. They can help you monitor important information by keeping calendars, reminders and to do lists in one place, with one set of reminders and alarms. They can be useful if you struggle with working memory and remembering things.
Apps can help take the hard work out of staying organised, can save a lot of time and effort and have the added benefit of being there on your mobile device whenever and wherever you need them
Here are some examples of the types of things that apps can do:
Calendars and diaries
An electronic calendar can be used to access and update appointments on the go and send reminders to your mobile device. Most can be linked to other calendars so you can coordinate home and work commitments or share with colleagues or family.
Organising Documents
Digital documents are easy to store and convenient to access. Many apps enable colour coding to aid filing and retrieval.
Reminders
Reminders can be used to make sure you don’t forget an important task, a deadline, or miss an appointment. On most apps you can choose to set alarms or text notifications reminders. There are even post-it notes style apps.
Task and To Do lists
These enable you to create and manage daily tasks. Some enable you to allocate times and organise your day. They can also help you prioritise jobs to do.
If you are new to apps, an online search will give you a long list of possibilities to try. YouTube videos can be a good place to see some of the functionality demonstrated. The best apps are those that have the functionality you need, so it can be a good idea to think about what will work for you.
Consider signing up for a free trial period or downloading free apps – it can take time to find out what works best for you. Some local charities and groups offer free training for those who need to improve their digital skills
The BBC has published an interesting article on using chat bots and how Yasmin Shaheen-Zaffar, who has dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD, uses an AI chatbot to help with her writing. The read full article here.