An ADD sufferer recently wrote to us about how Backpack has been "an invaluable tool" in helping her stay on top of things:
I have attention deficit disorder (ADD) and Backpack has been an invaluable tool in helping me stay on top of things both at work and at home. I have the "inattentive" version of the disorder, which means that it's really difficult for me to remember things in the short term. If I'm at a meeting and I don't take notes on upcoming deadlines and action items, I literally won't remember them by the time that I get back to my desk.
I used to write this stuff down on post its, and carry a PDA or a binder with a calendar that I'd color code by hand with highlighters, as well as any important documents that I'd need to complete a project. Backpack has become a central repository for this information and has literally taken a load off of my back. My to-do lists, memos, projects files, address book, even things like the meals I'm planning on cooking for the week and my household budget are all in one place.
Backpack makes it easy for me to track and manage complex to do lists, including all of the tasks that I've delegated. Did I remember to follow up with an assistant about a project that I assigned her a week ago? Did my coworker get back to me about when that newsletter has to go out? Because it's so easy to create and maintain multiple lists, I never have to second guess myself.
I keep files on every major project that I'm working on, both at work and at home. I also keep a page on every vendor that I work with, detailing our relationship history, quotes that they've submitted. I forward any important correspondence that I've sent or received from them to my vendor pages, so that I don't have to waste a lot of time trying to locate it in my inbox or finding a hard copy in my filing cabinet.
I love that Backpack's calendar is color-codeable. It makes it easy for me to tell at a glance, where I am supposed to be, which appointments are associated with home or with work, and even whether an event has been confirmed or whether it's still penciled in.
Possibly my favorite feature of Backpack is the "reminders". I get a discreet reminder at 12 noon every day to take my medicine (important, because it helps me to remember things). If I know I have to grab my gym back on my way out of the door in the morning, throw a letter in the mail, or take a birthday present with me for a party that evening, I simply schedule a reminder to be sent to my cell phone in the morning before I hop on the train.
Thanks for the great product.
"I love that Backpack's calendar is color-codeable."
"Possibly my favorite feature of Backpack is reminders."
Do you use a 37signals product in an interesting or noteworthy way? Let us know.
