Getting organized isn’t as simple as one might think. That’s probably why there are thousands of self-help books, apps and other resources out there with suggestions and tools on how to get organized around work, family, and our personal lives. Keeping track of our daily activities can sometimes be quite overwhelming; piano lessons or soccer practice for the kids, play dates, Family dinner parties, volunteer activities, Spiritual activities, vacation schedules and so much more. Before you know it, the refrigerator or your bedroom wall is already fully plastered with appointments you need to keep and the sight of all that just mounts more pressure on us.
With so many things to do and never enough time to get them done, what we truly need is some simple, applicable system that we can start applying immediately in order to help us deal with our daily commitments. One solution I would propose is the use of simple tools like a schedule and/or a calendar. These tools are as old as they get and have evolved into better versions without losing their effectiveness and core functionalities.
Keep in mind that management of time is vital to be successful in life. In case you are still not sure about how to organize your tasks, then you should consider a friend in a calendar or a scheduler to help you get ahead.
Create a Schedule
Organizing oneself first of all implies bringing all the necessary information all in one place for ease of reference. That is what a schedule helps you to achieve. A schedule is like an ‘information assistant’ that you can carry around with you throughout your day. Call it a paper-based daily planner, a personal digital assistant (if you prefer to go digital), or even a simple notebook where you keep everything written down so you can keep track of all your activities for the day.
Once you have this list, the next thing will be to make sure you use it every day and keep it up to date. That’s about it! As long as you try to stick to the plans you have on your schedule and update them regularly, you can only get better at getting organized with time.
I’d recommend you use a scheduler on a digital device like your mobile phone or a palmtop; something you can easily carry around with you. More so, with a digital device, it’s easier to store past schedules and call them on a later date whenever you need them. It might take a bit of time to get used to your new tool or habit, and of course, you might experience setbacks while trying to apply them. But give yourself some time and don’t stop trying, you’ll eventually come around to it with time.
Use a Calendar
Using calendars to organize one’s task doesn’t mean you have to get a special type of calendar created specifically for this task. It’s the same normal calendar you’re used to in your homes, offices, or maybe even online. The only difference is that you personalize it to help you follow your activities and include the specifics of each of those activities even to the point of taking down notes on each of the affected dates.
Using Calendars is another way to keep track of events that are coming up, important meetings, birthdays, task deadlines, and more. It could just be for you to be able to glance up the date quickly when you forget! A properly filled-out calendar readily available for you all the time helps you stay focused and hopeful towards tasks and events that lie ahead for you in the future.
I’m sure no one can argue that calendars and organizers help to keep life from getting out of hand and makes your life much more manageable. There are several free online calendar services you’ll find which can help you view in one glance, your lined up activities for the day, week, or month with as simple as one click.
Adding events to the calendar is very simple and there’s also room for you to fill out extra details/side notes to each of the dates if you need to. You can even choose to schedule events that are repetitive so they update automatically or recall past events for reschedule so you wouldn’t need to retype. By using calendar creator software, you can keep track of everything and adjust it on an as-needed basis when items need to be added or deleted.
Use calendars and schedulers to make your life much more organized. Impress your friends and colleagues by managing your time better and use any of these tools to make your life a lot easier, much more manageable.
Other extra tips you can adopt to improve your productivity and save you some extra time include:
- Set up systems that allow you to focus on your priorities whenever you’re ready to get tasks done. You can adopt systems such as:
- Program yourself to check your emails only 3 times a day (avoid doing it often). That way you won’t be easily distracted or bothered when a new email arrives in your inbox.
- Keep your phones away from you and don’t answer your calls. You can let the machine get it, and then choose to return all calls at once, when you’re ready based on your schedule. You can plan to do this twice or three times a day; once in the morning, afternoon or evening.
- Be conscious about the messages, and emails you send out. Do not preempt engagement if you’re not trying to, especially when you’re not ready. Be smart about your responses, move the conversation along and try to close out on it immediately if you can or you can give specific times when you can be reached either for a talk or a session that is convenient for you
- Lastly, take time to figure out what you do with your time if you’re still confused about your level of productivity in a day. You’d be surprised to discover how much of your time is spent on things you didn’t expect if you’d take the time to track what it is you spend your time on daily. With this new revelation, you can then make the necessary adjustments you need to improve your productivity.
Remember to take quality breaks in between your tasks. Like they say “all work and no play makes…”
Make sure you also schedule some “me time” in your calendar or scheduler. That is extremely important!
With Love as always, Xo
For more productivity tips, you can check out my recently released eBook “How to Start from Zero” to discover ways you can improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual health every day.
This eBook shows you in very practical terms; strategies on how you can adopt healthy lifestyle habits and get rid of the bad ones.
“How to Start from Zero” provides its readers with a practical guide on how to set realistic and achievable goals as well as steps to take to make sure you’re not overwhelmed with the process. There are numerous ideas and examples to draw from to help you in your process. I guarantee it would be of great help to you.
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.