How Many Calendars is Too Many?

Happy New Year!  January is National Get Organized Month.

One of the oldest and best organizing tools is a good calendar.  Notice that I said ‘a good calendar’; not multiple calendars.  One of the most common time management mistakes I encounter with my clients is that they have too many calendars.  I’m not sure which is worse, too many calendars or none at all.  The key is simplicity.  The more calendars you have, the more places you have to check, update, and maintain.  It is very easy for them to get out of sync, causing you to miss important appointments.  I recommend using the fewest number of calendars possible, optimally one.

That being said, I often get asked which is better – paper or electronic?  With all of the electronic gadgets out there, many people feel the pressure to be using a PDA (personal digital assistants) or smartphone to organize their appointments.  While these tools provide many wonderful, time-saving features, they may not be right for you.  A paper-based calendar can be just as effective.  Analyze your needs to determine which type of calendar is best for you.  For example, if you travel, a PDA is a great choice.  It allows you to carry all your contacts, to-dos, and appointments, check your email and voicemail, access the internet, and make phone calls (smartphone) all in the palm of your hand.  If you are a stay at home mom, a large wall calendar might be the answer.  It gives you a lot of space for each day and allows everyone easy access to the family schedule.  Budget is also a consideration since PDAs are much more expensive than a paper-based solution.

No matter how diligent you are about writing things down in your calendar, if you don’t refer back to it on a regular basis, it will not be an effective time management tool.  Get into the habit of checking your calendar regularly. For example, check it each morning when you get up and again before you go to bed.  This habit will ensure that important appointments don’t get missed.

Follow these tips to start your year off right and get control over your schedule!

–Donna Lindley, Certified Professional Organizer and owner of Rochester Hills, MI-based Organize Your World, Inc.