Destroy Disorganization: 7 Great Organization Apps

I’ve heard all the youth pastor jokes. They’re hilarious (sense the sarcasm). Most of them tend to revolve around the central idea that youth pastor’s are disorganized. Go ahead, run through the jokes, jabs and passive aggressive comments…yep they’re pretty much all the same.

Here’s the problem: they’re kinda true.

There are exceptions, of course, and lately I’m meeting youth pastors who are destroying that stereotype. Disorganization is a cardinal sin for youth ministrers. Not only does it kill efficiency and productivity, but you’ll quickly gain a reputation as unreliable which kills credibility with staff, students, volunteers and parents.

Disorganization has many ugly heads: dropped balls, miscommunication, confusion, stress, consistent tardiness and frustration to name a few. It’s a terrible way to do ministry. In fact, it’s a terrible way to do life.

Here’s some tech tools that I’m currently using to keep my ministry and life in order. Feel free to add some gems in the comment section.

Dropbox
Is the premiere file syncing service. I’ve written about it here, here and here. I’ve mapped my “Documents” folder to my Dropbox, which means every file I save in my Documents folder (which is 95% of my files) is synced and saved in my dropbox. This means I have access to all my important (and not so important) files anytime, anywhere. If you’re interested in how to do it, check out this article from AppStorm.

Wunderlist
Is a to-do app for every platform. This is a simple and easy way to record your tasks (and share them with others). I’ve done a full write up here.

Evernote
Chances are you are already using Evernote. If you’re not, drop what you’re doing and sign up now! Think of Evernote as an extension of your brain where you can keep virtually everything in one place. I recently switched over from Springpad. Michael Hyatt has some great tips for using Evernote. I purchased an e-book called “Evernote Essentials” that really helped me learn the power behind this application. I would highly suggest purchasing this book whether you are already on Evernote or just getting started.

Wufoo
If you’ve been following my blog you’re probably tired of hearing about Wufoo by now. However, I can’t stress enough how important this web application is to my sanity! Wufoo is a form building platform. I use it to collect any and all info online (prayer requests, surveys, retreat registration…etc). I cringe thinking about working this job pre-Wufoo (yes, I love it that much). You can read more about it here.

Waze
Is an incredible GPS app for your iPhone (free). It acts fairly identical to an actual GPS with 3D viewing and voice prompts. Don’t be late because you “got lost” or “there was lots of traffic”. One of the worst things you can do as a pastor is show up late for meetings. Be there early, prepared and ready to go.

Alfred
This is my most used app, hands down. Alfred allows you to find your files at lightening speed. I have a hyper-structured filing system for all my files. However, I still use Alfred 99% of the time to find my files because it’s just that quick. It’s like spotlight on steroids. I’ve written about it and produced a quick video here. 

1Password
“This app creates strong, unique passwords for you, remembers them, and restores them, all directly in your web browser.” I’ve been using 1Password for about 6 months and love the program. It keeps sensitive information like passwords, credit card info, and important files organized and at your fingertips. It’s a pricey program at $49.99; however, you can try it out for 30 days for free.

These 7 tech tools keep me sane, organized and efficient.

What are some tools you use to keep you on track?