Get Organized! by Dr. Frank Buck

Everyone complains about being too busy. Then they go grocery shopping Saturday morning, eat lunch at noon, and schedule meetings on the hour.The price you pay for everything isn't just money. It's time. And most people overpay because they refuse to be contrarians.After years as a public school administrator, I noticed something: The productive people didn't work harder. They worked differently. They zigged when everyone else zagged.Here are 15 contrarian strategies to reclaim your schedule.For more, visit the blog post: https://FrankBuck.org/contrarian/

If you don't return phone calls...If your email is overflowing with messages to which you have not responded...If people are always waiting on you...You're not a leader. You're a bottleneck.Most leaders think they have a time management problem. They don't. They have a decision management problem.Every day you don't decide is another day your team can't move forward. Another day projects stall. Another day you're working until 9pm because everything has to go through you.Here's a 4-step framework to break free.For more, visit the blog post: https://FrankBuck.org/bottleneck/

I accidentally made a podcast using NotebookLM, and I never planned a second of it. In this episode, I share the story of how I was building Practical AI for School Leaders, uploaded mycourse script to NotebookLM to create a self-assessment, and then discovered what the 'Audio Overview' button could do. What you'll hear in this video:How I planned and scripted the entire Practical AI forSchool Leaders course before filmingHow NotebookLM built a complete self-assessment from the course scriptWhat happened when I clicked 'Audio Overview' (and why it surprised me)Excerpts from the AI-generated podcast episode Last week's episode (watch this first): https://frankbuck.org/practical-ai/ Register for Practical AI forSchool Leaders:Alabama school leaders: PowerSchool Professional Learning (search the course title)Everyone: FrankBuck.org/plu$97 Starts March 1

🚨 NEW COURSE ALERT 🚨School leaders: Tired of staring at blank pages at 5:30 PM?I'm launching "Practical AI for School Leaders," a course that teaches you how to use AI to handle administrative drudgery in MINUTES, not hours.✅ ACLD-approved PLU for Alabama leaders✅ Only $97 Starts March 1 Who's ready to reclaim their time? For much more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/practical-ai/

Printing kills your speed. Keyboarding kills your focus. Here's why cursive still wins.The top 1% doesn't argue about tools. They choose what finishes faster.For more, visit the blog post:https://FrankBuck.org/cursive/

Why 60% of Professionals Abandon Their Goals by February (And How to Be in the 40% Who Don't)After two decades studying time management and productivity, I've noticed something: The people who achieve their professional goals don't have more willpower than those who don't.They have better systems.https://frankbuck.org/failed-resolutions

Master voice typing with Windows + H. Dictate emails, documents, and AI prompts hands-free. No downloads or subscriptions needed.For more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/windows-h/

If you're a teacher and want to improve your ability to work with parents, this episode is for you. My guest is Dr. Barbara Blackburn Hale! She's been a teacher, a popular college professor, and the author of 40 books. Her specialty is rigor in education. She's been named to Global Gurus Top 30 in the education category for around 10 years. Today, she's literally giving you the A to Z when it comes to working with parents. Stick around to the end for how you can get several free resources.For more, visit the blog post: frankbuck.org/barbara-blackburn 00:00 Intro01:10 40 books. How do you do it?02:10 How Frank & Barbara met05:00 New "A to Z" materials06:45 A to Z examples08:05 It took 17 phone calls11:30 You can skip around16:05 Where to get the resources

What are the two areas where we all want more?: Time and money. I can help you with the first. My guest, Skyler Fleming, can help you with the second. Below are the topics we cover. You'll also hear about Skyler's new podcast, one geared towards young adults.For more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/skyler-fleming/Chapters0:00 Intro2:10 Biggest money mistakes5:10 Help with the tax burden9:00 Health Savings Account13:00 Investing15:30 Index Funds18:40 Automation22:40 Budgeting apps

Most busy people have too much paper and carry too much in their heads. "The Inspired Office" gives you systems to simplify both your physical space and digital life, leaving more room to breathe.For more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/kacy-paideIn this interview with Kacy Paide, here's what you'll hear:0:00 Intro2:05 Clarity6:00 What needs to be visible? What needs to be hidden?7:30 How to sustain the new practices9:05 The importance of getting caught up12:20 The Mississippi school project16:15 Talking through your own process...and sometimes finding your own solutions17:25 The gift of organization18:25 The "little book"23:22 Organizational template for the principal24:45 The system is the important thing28:45 Determine the need before you buy the containers34:45 Your first step on the road to organization39:45 The Pomodoro Technique41:15 "The Inspired Office." Next steps

Here are the 10 videos from 2025 that got the most views.For links to each video, please visit the blog post: https://FrankBuck.org/top-10-2025/ Chapters0:00 Intro0:30 The serendipity that happens when your notes are organized1:05 8 Gift Ideas for the Principal (and 1 no-no)1:35 Welcome to New Visitors!2:00 Link to a Specific Spot on a Page | It's Easy to Do2:20 How to Turn Handwriting into Text with Google Lens3:05 Memory Like an Elephant: How to Take Notes About the People in Your Life3:40 How to Export from Google Sheets to Google Calendar4:05 College Students How to Take Great Notes4:20 How I Convert Handwriting to Editable Text With ChatGPT4:45 How I Memorized 57 Pages of Notes in 1 Day5:15 Going forward...

🎯 Stop Retyping Text From Your Screen! The Windows Snipping Tool can handle the job and many more.Here's what it can do:✅ Capture screenshots (you probably knew that)✅ Extract text from images and paste it anywhere✅ Pick exact colors from your screen✅ Record screen videos with audio✅ Mark up images before savingFor more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/snipping-tool/

Ever wished you had a Swiss Army knife for your digital workspace? Evernote just gave you one, and most people don't even know it exists. Evernote has released a set of tools called satellites. They aren't part of the main Evernote app. You do need an Evernote account to use them. Here's the best part: you can access these satellites even with a free account.To see a demonstration, please come over to the video: https://frankbuck.org/evernote-satellites/Here are the topics:0:00 Intro1:12 How to get to the satellites1:35 Word counter2:40 Transcribe files to text4:05 Edit PDFs and images5:45 Convert files6:40 Rewrite text with AI7:45 Convert text to audio8:40 Take and draft notes8:55 Create a diagram with AI9:45 Detect AI-generated content11:34 Citation generator13:20 Requirement to be able to use the satellites

Learn how to create a tickler file system that organizes paperwork and builds lifelong habits. The perfect gift for students and young professionals.For more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/tickler-file-gift/0:00 Intro0:45 Explanation of Tickler File2:03 Why it works3:40 "Thank-you" notes and the Tickler File5:04 Start with your own letter5:30 The day I learned about the Tickler File

If you are involved with a small business, a podcast offers advantages. This episode could be your start.Ray Sidney-Smith is a digital marketing strategist, executive coach, and longtime productivity expert who helps small business owners navigate the ever-changing digital landscape. He’s the co-author of Podcasting for Small Business. The book releases today.For more, visit the blog post: https://frankbuck.org/podcasting-for-small-business/Chapters00:00 Introduction01:20 The inspiration for the book. 02:45 Special features of this book 03:55 Beth and Monique and their story04:45 The checklists06:30 How this is worth your time13:20 Equipment needs16:40 How we're recording this episode18:05 What's "Step 1"?22:10 How do you promote and grow the podcast?28:15 How do you keep the podcast from dying?

🎁 Holiday shopping for someone who's already organized? Here are 9 suggestions. Come over to the companion blog posts for links where you can order each one.Come over to the blog post for the video and more information: https://frankbuck.org/productive-gifts/0:00 Shopping for the "productive" person in your life0:45 Levenger's Swift Notes1:20 Levenger's Bomber Jacket Brief Folio2:03 Point of View Pen Case2:20 Boubon Barrel Pens3:07 Samsung Galaxy Watch 84:50 Remember The Milk Subscription5:20 Text Blaze typeDesk6:00 PacSafe Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag8:07 Get Organized Digitally!

#GoogleCalendar #ProductivityTipsStop wasting time finding today on your calendar. In this video, I'll show you how to set up Google Calendar's custom view so TODAY is always anchored on the left, with the next 6 days visible ahead.This simple 2-minute setup eliminates friction and saves you time every single day. No more scrolling. No more hunting. Just instant access to today and your week ahead.⏰ TIMESTAMPS:Calendar0:00 What's your favorite view? 0:40 My favorite view1:55 Turn on keyboard shortcuts2:20 Change the view2:45 Here's the "how to do it"3:12 Eliminating friction 🔧 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:- How to enable keyboard shortcuts in Google Calendar- How to set up a custom 7-day view- How to configure your view to always show today + 6 days ahead- Why eliminating micro-friction boosts productivityCome over to the blog post for more: https://frankbuck.org/google-calendar-view/

🗂️ Big Changes to Evernote Pricing in 2025 Evernote just restructured its plans, and if you're using it for work, personal projects, or caregiving, you need to know what changed.Three Plans Now:✅ Free: 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device (perfect for minimalists)✅ Starter ($100/yr): 1,000 notes, 20 notebooks, 5 devices✅ Advanced ($250/yr): Unlimited everythingThe Starter Plan Sweet Spot:At $8.25/month, it's affordable BUT requires smart organization. Here's the trick: use collapsible headers to pack MORE into FEWER notes. The Real Question:Is it worth switching platforms? Calculate the time, effort, and learning curve before jumping ship.💡 I've got a full breakdown, strategies for each plan, and tips for maximizing your investment. Link in comments. Where does Evernote fit in your productivity system? #Evernote #ProductivityTips #DigitalOrganization #TimeManagement #NoteTakingFor much more, visit he blog post: https://frankbuck.org/evernote-pricing/

Tired of missing important meeting details because you're too busy typing notes?Evernote's new AI meeting notetaker changes everything. Here's what it does:✅ Records your meetings automatically✅ Transcribes every word✅ Identifies different speakers✅ Creates summaries✅ Links everything to your calendar✅ Connects to your to-do listThe best part? It's all in one place. No copying and pasting between apps. No scrambling to remember what was said. No choosing between being present and taking good notes.If you're a paid Evernote subscriber, this feature is available now in beta. Check out my latest blog post for more: https://frankbuck.org/evernote-meeting-notetaker/How do you currently take notes during online meetings? #Evernote #ProductivityTips #MeetingNotes #TimeManagement #worksmarter 0:00 Here's Evernote's Meeting Notetaker0:58 The meeting is on the calendar1:22 The meeting is on Evernote Home1:45 Create a note corresponding to the meeting 2:17 How to start the Ai notetaker3:00 What happens when I hit "stop"3:14 Speaker recognition4:50 Sharing the meeting notes5:05 Extracting to-dos from the notes5:35 Task Clone6:25 Summary of the process6:50 End-of-day wrap-up7:25 Who has the meeting notetaker?

🗂️ Your office shelves are drowning in stuff you never use. Here's the brutal truth I learned after helping hundreds of professionals organize their workspaces: Most of what's on your shelves is just taking up space.Try this "earning its keep" test this weekend:✅ Have I used this in the past year?✅ Is it here for a reason, or just because it's always been here?Your new motto: If it's not paying rent, it gets evicted.For more, come over to the blog: https://frankbuck.org/organize-office/