I love all things Google, but there is one Google tool that I use every single day. Every. Single. Day. And that tool is Google Keep. Google Keep is a digital note-taking device that works across all of your digital devices for quick and easy access. Users create sticky notes to create to-do lists, set reminders, record voice notes, and even work collaboratively with others. And these sticky notes can be arranged, formatted and designed on a colorful digital board to brighten your day while also being productive. 

Here is a glimpse of my Google Keep at one moment in time:

I use Google Keep for MANY reasons. Here are a few that matter most to my coaching:

I create my daily to-do lists to prioritize what matters most throughout the week. I now prefer daily lists over weekly because they feel shorter and more manageable. I color code them to bring a bit of brightness to them, too. It matters. Here are my current daily lists at this very moment:

I also create a Radar List for to-do list items that I know are looming ahead of me and I want to start thinking about. On this sticky note, I note upcoming events that do not need my immediate attention, but I know I’ll need to start things about them soon.

I curate ideas and resources that I want to remember, share or use in my coaching. At first, I created one note with all my go-to sites, but now, I create multiple notes around a common theme: reading, writing, professional learning, coaching and more. By keeping them on a note, I can easily share them with others, too.

I collaborate on shared notes to connect with teachers. I learned this lesson from my oldest son. I was working and suddenly, "Buy Me Pencils" appeared on a colorful note.  He realized the power of Google Keep collaboration long before I did! After creating a note, I can easily invite someone to collaborate on it with me to share resources, ask questions or just stay connected. You’ll find one of my collaborative notes with Kris McGee below. We use it to share notes, add agenda items to a virtual session and just say hello. =)

Once you start creating multiple notes, you’ll likely want to organize them with tags. I organize my notes by grouping them together: To Do Lists, Teaching, Professional Development, Collaborations, Classroom Coaching and more. This makes it easy to find the notes I need when I need them, rather than scrolling through them all and becoming distracted. 

I also make use of color and images to brighten my Google Keep and offer a sense of creativity and happiness, even amidst my to-do lists. My colors are random, but you can assign certain colors to certain notes and labels, if you like. And if you want to go even farther, add images to your notes, too! Kasey Bell from Shake Up Learning offers step-by-step guidance and some examples I know you’ll love.

So, how will you get started with Google Keep? Share your comments below and feel free to add a screenshot of your Google Keep page below for all of us to learn from!

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