1) Time Management for Creative People (FREE ebook)
www.wishfulthinking.co.uk
‘Time Management for Creative People’ by Mark McGuinness, is a wonderful e-book with the subtitle ‘manage the mundane — create the extraordinary.’ It’s a fast, meaningful read that sheds a bright light on how to manage time, interruptions and even the dreaded creative block. The book also cites some of the most creative minds on earth.

Cost: Zero

Oddpodz review: Cranking out a steady flow of ideas and creative solutions is my skill, talent and pays my mortgage. I love what I do. And feel so fortunate that my right brain leads me through life. I enjoy many days when the faucet is on and it’s so easy to create. I also struggle with deadlines and a deep sensitivity to stuff that rudely pops up without invitation and causes me great stress and detours to get projects finished. Mark’s book nails all of this. It’s on my list of all time favorites and I highly recommend you read it.
 

2) Never waste three days again because your computer crashed and you didn’t back up.
sugarsync.com On-line back up, multi-computer sync, remote access, mobile phone access, music and photo storage, file sharing, data security and peace of mind.

This is amazing service and you can trial it for 45 days for FREE. SugarSync goes where ordinary online backup doesn’t—backing up your files, photos and more in real-time without any manual effort. Guarded with industrial-strength security and encrypted network connections, your data was never so safe. Free Trial: 10GB for 45 Days. No credit card required

Cost: Zero

Oddpodz review: For years, I’ve been backing up my computer with some external gizmo and half the time I was on the road and wouldn’t do it. I’m not an overly techno-type girl either. Sugarsync is easy, the interface is friendly and every time you connect to the Internet it backs up your files, no thinking required. After your 45-day trial, monthly fees start at $2.49 for 30 days. It’s a lot cheaper than hair color to cover the gray and a case of descent wine after you lost all your data.
 

3) You know you started a to-do list, but can’t remember where you put it?
www.jibidee.com
Here’s your answer. A FREE online, super simple, personal and secure organizer.
Write down and keep track of anything. Share simple text, lists, and pictures with anyone. Organize in one place, accessible from anywhere. Private and secure and easier than anything else out there. If you are looking for complex, project management this is not the right tool. If you want to get all those notes in one safe place, this is nice solution.

For more complex document sharing and collaboration, we use Google docs. You can upload word docs or spreadsheets, or create them from scratch. You can view, edit and share your work with others anytime, from anywhere. You can choose who can access your documents and share changes in real time. And, your files are stored securely online. It’s not perfect, but it is a great FREE solution for collaboration. We’ve used it on both PCs and Macs and have had better luck with Google Docs using the former.

Cost: Zero

Oddpodz review: Confession time. I’m a list junkie. I’ve been addicted for several decades. I also know they truly help me get more done. Not sure if the satisfaction of crossing things off is part of it, or it simplifies all my stuff. Free memberships give you 20 pages and that’s a lot. Plus you can check it out with out signing up, Amen! If you hate ads and need more sheets, you can upgrade for pennies a day. Plus, you can share your lists, so if you are like me, one who delegates, this interface is so easy a monkey with a low IQ could figure it out.
 

4) Connect ideas, information and the dots with your own PersonalBrain digital/visual management tool.
www.thebrain.com
Digitize your mind with PersonalBrain. This FREE personal tool lets you create and share a context-rich information environment that reflects the way you think. The FREE personal version provides a dynamic mind mapping software that lets you link your ideas, files and web pages. Files and folders are incapable of expressing the mutli-dimensional relationships and concepts that give your information intelligence and meaning. This tool changes that.

Download and try all the features for 30 days. Register and upgrade to get the ultimate performance or keep using the free edition as long as you want. There is only one download for all editions. The Pro Edition features are available for 30 days. After 30 days if an upgrade to Pro or Core has not been activated, the program automatically changes to the Free Edition as you can use that as long as you like.

Connections and relationships within your information make the difference between static content and actionable knowledge. For instance, sales personnel need to see how decision makers are connected to close a deal. Business managers need to see how brands and products fit into their industry landscape to make decisions. IT managers need to see relationships between their servers and applications to support user communities effectively. People need to understand the context of their information before taking action.

There are a million and one uses and applications for PersonalBrain. The company lists the top 12 for individual users here. Some include the following:

Brainstorming and Mind Mapping
Everyone knows how to brainstorm and many people are familiar with the concept of mind mapping where you branch out your ideas in a visual diagram. PersonalBrain takes brainstorming and mind mapping to the next level. Each concept you think of can be quickly captured with PersonalBrain and easily built upon. You can create a new Brain for each topic you need to think about and branch everything out continuously. Links between different ideas are easily handled and you can keep on growing it until you run out of ideas - you’ll never run out of space in your Brain.

Innovation and Strategic Planning
Creating a new strategy or product line can be both complex and rewarding. Building your business plan using PersonalBrain gives you a head start by letting you easily analyze all aspects of your new venture. For example, you can do SWOT analysis by creating Thoughts for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. PersonalBrain lets you quickly map out all key aspects and easily understand it all, letting you focus on new innovations and strategy.

Presenting and Capturing Your Vision
PersonalBrain’s flexible linkages and connections can capture your vision and imagination. Use your Brain to reflect on your own ideas and share your vision with others (like business prospects) PersonalBrain is an evocative presentation tool that gets your audiences’ attention for public speaking, complex ideas and business presentations.

Cost: Zero

Oddpodz review: I love this and am going to commit to mastering it.



Online productivity, collaboration and business applications
www.zoho.com

Zoho is a suite of online productivity, collaboration and business applications that you sign up for and access from the Website. The applications are free for individuals and range from word processing and online presentation tool to invoice and database creations.

To date, Zoho has launched 19 different applications — from CRM to Mail, Reports, and Wikis. Zoho has received numerous awards, including an InfoWorld 2009 "Product of the Year" award, a 2008 PC World "25 Most Innovative Products Award" and a 2007 TechCrunch "Best Enterprise Start-up."

Cost: FREE