My coworker is a Facilities and Event Manager. He is not only responsible for the appearance and cleanliness of the office building, but also the influx of new furniture, the logistics and set-up of events and the seamless shift changes throughout the day and night. What does this mean? This means he is keeping track of tens of schedules. So when I visited his office one day and noticed a large whiteboard filled with grids, diagrams, magnets, papers and more, I asked naively, “why do you still use a whiteboard?” And he told me he would never get anything done if his to-do list was “buried in the IoT.”
The Whiteboard Is a Visual Reminder
He said the Google Calendar is definitely not something he could simply replace with a 5' x 8’ whiteboard. He explained that, nowadays, “you need technology to keep up with the team.” But the whiteboard is classic. It’s the tool that works like a “beacon.” It “shines a light” on the priorities and can help you make strategic decisions. “In other words, it helps you steer the ship.”
When he said this, I realized how many things I was sweeping under the rug on a weekly basis, purely because I wasn’t physically looking at it. My own Google calendar was filled with blocked-out time for report writing, housekeeping, tennis playing, meetings, and calling my grandparents. Subconsciously, I was trying to memorize my calendar when it wasn’t right in front of me. I thought I was doing okay, until I realized I could maximize my time with my coworker’s visual reminder whiteboard method.
It turns out that visual reminders are 20% better than auditory reminders for memorization. Following the same logic, it’s not a surprise that physical trainers tell their trainees to make a “vision board” or why counselors tell unfocused children to draw pictures.
Necessary Whiteboard Accessories
Some of the accessories that my coworker was using to organize his whiteboard were worth showing. This is a magnetic marker ring that allows you to stick a marker anywhere to a magnetic whiteboard.
This one is a “Do Not Erase” magnet that is a must-have if you have any open concept work spaces, like the conference room.
Colored magnets make it so easy to highlight the critical tasks.
Gaining Control Over Your Time
I began to take advantage of what I’d learned. I purchased a whiteboard for my office wall, and filled it with my day-to-day and week-to-week tasks by pulling from my Google calendar. I have made a habit of updating it regularly but I never had to make a habit to check it because it was always right in front of my face. I couldn’t ignore it like I could with my Google calendar. Furthermore, it was way more eye-catching with different colored markers, dry erase labels, magnets for color coding and diagrams tailored to my needs. And after that, I never put off calling my grandparents or making time for exercise.
I would highly recommend this visual reminder whiteboard method to anyone who feels that they need more control over their online calendar. It has helped me gain control over my time and meet goals in all aspects of my life, from business to fitness.
If you’re looking for whiteboards, the one picture in this blog is a Prism-Lock meaning the printed color has been fused with the writing surface. You can find it here! Another great option is the Great White whiteboard, which is rated 5 stars and has a 50 Year Warranty. Manufacturers love it because of it’s ability to resist nicks. I actually have this one and now it’s on Amazon! You can read about that here!
