Buy ONE daily planner to use for both work and your personal life. Using more than one leaves room for confusion and overlapped appointments.
Sit down with your family and plan your week/month ahead of time so you can:
-Schedule babysitters
-Divide errands
-Plan meals
-Divide chores
-Plan driving arrangements for activities
Gather all your To Do items from sticky notes, calendars and scraps of paper and create a To Do list that you keep in your planner. Make this list as complete as possible.
Sort your To Do tasks by:
A: Tasks that need to be done this week (pay electric bill, etc). Schedule these in your planner.
B: Tasks that need to be done this month (buy birthday present, send thank you note, etc). Schedule these in your planner.
C: Tasks that you would like to get done in the future (have lunch with friend). List these tasks on a separate piece of paper to refer to when you have extra time.
Once you have your tasks sorted into categories, number the tasks in each category, in the order in which they must be accomplished. If you get all of your A (weekly) Tasks done and you have time, you can tackle a task from the B (monthly) list or even the C (future) list. If you don't get all of your A Tasks done, make those unfinished tasks top priority for the next day.
Schedule your dentist and doctor appointments for the next year, and veterinarian appointments if you have pets. Schedule kids' pediatric appointments and family members' dental check ups back-to-back so you can make fewer trips.
Place a small notebook by your bed for those nights you lie awake thinking of things you need to do. Write them down and get some sleep knowing that you'll put them on your To Do list in the morning.
Use a page of your planner for a long-term To Do list. This could include gifts that need to be delivered, borrowed items to be returned, movies to rent, books to read, etc. when you write these things down, you free yourself from the worry of forgetting.
Tips:
Be realistic about what you can accomplish in one day.
Schedule meetings with a start time and an end time so they don't drag on and waste time.
Schedule errands based on geographical location. Don't waste time with extra driving.
Whenever possible, schedule your appointments for first thing in the morning. The later the appointment, the better the chance you'll be delayed.
Avoid placing overwhelming tasks on your To Do list by breaking large tasks down into smaller, easier-to-accomplish tasks. Identify the large task and then write down all the steps you need to take to complete that task. Then set a final deadline for the task and work your way toward it, accomplishing one step each day.
Store your schedule or To Do list electronically instead of paper.
Complete tasks. You only get points on a score board when the goal is made.
Consider your time to valuable to waste.
Once a Month:
Pick a C Task from your list and schedule time to complete it.
Schedule downtime. If you are used to being on the go every minute of your life, downtime may feel uncomfortable at first, even boring. But boredom could very well turn into peace.
Schedule dates with your spouse, your child, your best friend-the people most important to you.
Every 3-6 Months:
Re-evaluate your C Tasks and set final deadlines for items that have been left undone since the last time you evaluated the list. Break the task down into small tasks if needed.
Compare your To Do list to your "Priorities" list and make sure your activities are honoring your priorities.
Once a Year:
On Labor Day, write down everything you wanted to do over the summer but never made time for. When you get your new planner for next year, schedule in these activities.
When you purchase your annual planner, choose one that you really love the look and feel of and that will accommodate your note-making style. If the planner fits your style, you'll be more likely to enjoy using it and use it consistently.
When you buy a new planner, transfer all birthdays and anniversaries for the year.
