In the last post, we talked about setting up a calendar, either paper or online, to help you manage your schedule and your family’s schedules. Besides birthdays, anniversaries, and appointments, there’s a ton of other information you can put on your calendar, keeping it all neatly in one place:
- Medication reminders – if you have a medication you have to take biweekly, or a heartworm pill to give to a pet once a month – basically anything that’s not daily, you can put a reminder on your calendar so that you don’t forget it.
- Your work schedule – if you don’t work standard hours, you can put your work schedule on your calendar. This is especially useful if you have a family calendar – it lets everyone know when you will and will not be home. It’s also helpful in setting up appointments for yourself. If you work a regular schedule with unusual days – 4 days on, 4 days off or something like that – you can write in your working days so that you know in advance what your availability is. Trying to count forward every time you want to schedule something is a pain in the neck and an opportunity for error.
- Work events outside of regular hours. You may not use your personal/family calendar to keep track of your workday meetings, but if you have a business trip, after hours meeting, or work dinner to attend, you can put it on your personal calendar, since it eats into your personal time.
- Time you need to get something done. If you need time to work on a work project, a freelance project, costumes for the school play, etc. write it in on the calendar. It will ensure that you actually have the time to do what you need to, and if you are sharing your calendar it lets everyone else know that this is a time when you cannot be disturbed.
- Appointment reminders. Make notes in your calendar one month ahead of when you need to schedule appointments at the dentist, pediatrician, etc. if you can’t schedule the appointment at the time of your last visit so you don’t forget to call and set something up. If you need to make separate appointments for sports physicals or something like that, add those reminders in as well.
- Your to-do list. Some online calendars, like Google Calendar, will integrate your to-do list with your calendar, so that if you assign a due date to something, it will show up on your calendar that day. This is particularly useful for reminders to get cards in the mail, pick up dry cleaning, etc.
- Errands. If you have a particularly busy schedule, use your calendar to block off time to run errands, go to the grocery store, etc. so that it gets done before an emergency hits.
- Chores. Similarly, if you have a busy schedule or an event planned at your house, block off time on your calendar to get some cleaning done. It’s much easier to make sure chores are accomplished if you make a point of setting aside time to do them.
- Family time. When things get crazy, block off a night and write “NO ONE MAKE PLANS.” Then make plans together.
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