Guest Blogger: Amy Tokos
The key is not to prioritize your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. ~Stephen Covey
Most everyone uses the planner or calendar to schedule appointments but there is so much more that it can do for you. How do you use your planner? Do you include details or just the time of appointments? With that, here are a few opportunities to have your planner help you be more organized.
Appointments
Put all appointments in your calendar. Include time and place but don’t forget all the extra information in the notes section. In the notes, you can put anything and even drag emails into that section for additional reference information. Items like agenda’s, call information, or a copy of the e-mail that initiated the meeting can all be information you want to have in our notes.
Time
Put your planning time on the calendar. If you have a presentation on Tuesday, make sure the preparation time is on the calendar for Monday. Having planning time on your calendar can help you be more strategic in your planning.
Reminders
Use your calendar for reminders. Anything that has a deadline or due date can be put into the calendar. This gets it out of your head or off your desk if you are using a piece of paper as a reminder.
Events
Put birthdays and other yearly events on the calendar and make them recurring. This is quick, easy and a one time job.
Activities
Get all the kids activities are your calendar and then synch orshare it with family members that need to know. In the notes you can list details like uniform colors or if you need to bring snacks.
Alerts
Set up alerts. Need time to get a gift or make food for an event? Set up alerts to remind you of the upcoming event so you can make time to get to the store.
Priorities
And don’t forget your priorities. Do you have a date night on your calendar? Is your workout time scheduled? These are priorities that are more likely to happen if they get on your schedule.
Looking for a solution that works for you? Between digital and paper, there are many options and all of them will work. The key is to use it. Whether you go paper or digital, only use one calendar and have it with you all the time.
Bio: Amy Tokos, CPO® is the owner of Freshly Organized in Omaha, Nebraska. She is a Certified Professional Organizer and has a degree in Engineering. You can visit Amy’s website at www.freshlyorganized.com.
