E-mail reminders
Discipline needed
Electronic diaries (for instance in Outlook, or Google Calendar) allow you to schedule appointments and events and configure reminders for them, for example, via e-mail or a pop-up window. However, it takes a lot of discipline to add items to your calendar systematically, if it’s possible at all. Suppose you all of a sudden remember that you have to leave work earlier today in order to collect your car, or that you have to buy a birthday present for your partner. In such situations, you should be able to quickly create a reminder which is sent to you by e-mail at the desired time.
NudgeMail and Followupthen
1. NudgeMail. If you never want to forget anything, use a free service such as NudgeMail (http://www.nudgemail.com). There’s no need to register. To create a reminder, simply send an e-mail to a special NudgeMail address. The content of the message should consist of the event or task you wish to be reminded of, whilst the address to which you send the message determines the exact time when you will be receiving the reminder e-mail. Here are some examples: if you send a message to june25@nudgemail.com, you will find your reminder in your inbox on 25 June; 930pm@nudgemail.com means 9.30 tonight; 2h@nudgemail.com means in two hours’ time etc. Alternatively, you can send your message to nudge@nudgemail.com and state the desired time in the subject line. You can also configure recurrent reminders.
Tip. The http://www.nudgemail.com/how/ page lists all the options.
Interestingly, the reminder e-mail you will be receiving from NudgeMail contains, besides your original message, a number of snooze buttons. Just click on the snooze duration you wish (e.g. 30 minutes, one day etc.) and you will receive the original reminder again after the period you specify. NudgeMail automatically checks your time zone, so the reminders you create will reach you at the correct moment. Moreover, you can link NudgeMail to your Google Calendar and have reminders added to your calendar automatically. However, this feature is still in the test phase, and you can’t edit or delete these reminders in Google Calendar itself. This will become possible in the future.
2. Followupthen. Save for a few minor differences, Followupthen (http://www.followupthen.com) works exactly like NudgeMail. A premium account can be had for $24 or about £15/year, which entitles you to reminders via text message too, although not all mobile providers are supported yet.
Extra tips
Tip 1. The main advantage of these services is that everything is done via e-mail. So even while working in your e-mail application you can set a reminder without having to open your calendar or to-do list. This also works perfectly via smartphone - convenient when you’re on the road!
Tip 2. Have you received an e-mail which you need to deal with tomorrow? Forward the entire message to tomorrow@nudgemail.com, and the following morning you’ll find it at the top of your inbox again!
Tip 3. Add a couple of frequently used NudgeMail addresses to your address book. That’s easier than learning them all by heart!
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