A lot of people dread looking at their calendars because it causes too much stress. But what if your LOVED your calendar—and even felt a little giddy using it?
That’s the goal of today’s post, where I’m sharing three tips that have been game-changing for me. (And if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, this is going to help….)
Idea #1: Use One MAIN Calendar that Only Holds Appointments and Deadlines
This can be paper or digital, but the idea is to have a clear, open, beautiful calendar that feels like an empty canvas.
When we clutter our calendars with routines, unnecessary information, or lots of stuff we want to do, it feels heavy. And then we often spend way too much time shifting calendar appointments around because something gets in the way.
Keeping your calendar super simple—with only appointments and deadlines—will serve you on good days because you’ll have so much energy that you will think, “Ahh! What an open, awesome day I have ahead of me. I think I will create a masterpiece!”
But it will also help you on those low days—because you’ll think, “It’s okay. I can cancel the few things I had planned and take care of myself instead.”
If you don’t have any low days, that’s awesome, but I do. And a LOT of people do. There are about three days a month when I feel like I am walking through mud. I get cranky with Eric, I can’t process information properly, and I feel like the world is on my shoulders. (Those are the days I streamline my calendar and invest in personal replenishment. It feels good to know we can take breaks, don’t you think?)
Idea #2: Create a Second “Layer” for Calendar Triggers
If you’re using a digital calendar, this is really easy to do. You simply add a new “calendar” and assign it a different name and color. If you’re using a paper calendar, you might want to write all of your main calendar tasks in one color–and then record this second layer in another color.
My green Google calendar is my “main” calendar, and then my purple calendar is my “trigger” calendar.
I use the trigger calendar to schedule things that are flexible and personal—like naps, Pilates, calling friends on the phone, playing the piano with our children, etc.
Those things don’t have to be done at the designated times, and they don’t involve anyone else, so if my day gets a little crazy, I just turn that calendar “off,” and I can see what needs my focus.
It’s obviously important to prioritize things like rest, exercise, social activities, and family time, but having these kinds of things separate from your key appointments and deadlines gives you one more way to ease the pressure if your day turns out differently than planned.
Idea #3: Create a Single Place to Record Date-Specific (But Time-Flexible) Tasks
As we work with thousands of people throughout the world, we notice that most people have some kind of a calendar to hold appointments, but very few people have a reliable place to record time-flexible tasks that need to be done that day.
This is incredibly important because, if you’re looking for mental clarity, your mind needs to trust that you will at least see the appropriate tasks on the appropriate days.
For example, let’s say I need to email someone next Monday to set up a meeting, I need to check our health insurance on Wednesday, and I need to get cash from the ATM on Friday.
If we put those tasks on the calendar at specific times, we may skip the appointments or waste time rescheduling them because we knew they were flexible.
If we put them on one to-do list (that is continually growing), we’ll waste time and energy scanning that list over and over, looking for deadlines.
So where do we put them?
Eric creates them on his Google calendar as “All-Day Tasks,” and he has a routine to review them every single day so they don’t slip through the cracks.
I use a two-page-per day Franklin Planner, and I write these in the “task list” area. It’s typically a tiny list, so it doesn’t overwhelm me.
Then my day goes like this:
- Check my Google calendar (admire the empty canvas)
- Review my Franklin Planner (think about the best way to incorporate my date-specific tasks—and possibly pencil them into the day if I have total control over specific time blocks)
- Move through my day, balancing tasks, routines, project work, and incoming needs from my family, email, phone calls, etc.
Hopefully these ideas will be helpful to you—or maybe they’ll spark some new ideas that will work even better! Our goal is to help you to feel more organized, happy, and supported whenever you interact with us at LearnDoBecome.
Thank you for being with us! And if you have any additional ideas, comments, or questions, please share them below!
Much love,
April
Love the ideas. I already used ideas 1 and 2 (one for work related meetings/ tasks and the other for personal). I also find that since I use a digital calendar, i’ll need to switch between the weekly view to the daily view to used idea #3 (which is a waste of time and distracting).
So, to manage the tasks that are super important but with no specific deadline, I like to set up time in the day so I know I HAVE to do them, even if I have to move them around when other tasks take precedent.
Hi Beatrice! You have hit on the key here. The whole goal is to make this work for you. If you love the weekly view, and it works to schedule in all your activities, that is great! Especially if your schedule allows you to be fully in charge of your daily decisions.
I think the key is to choose the path that uses your time most wisely. If moving tasks around later (if you miss them) takes less time than switching from a week to a day view, then that is the way to go! Thanks for sharing!!
I see 3 calendars here and that’s 2 to many for me. I need everything in 1 place to check when I’m available for X activity or event. Having 1 calendar is a struggle because I can’t always locate it when I need it. My schedule varies daily and since I’m helping my Mom, her activities go in my calendar. How do you keep track of what you need to when things are scattered? I’m not efficient at the computer calendar and like to see things on paper where I can make notes. Do you take 3 calendars with you when you leav your office or home? Feeling overwhelmed by this and so much more. Thanks,
So glad you asked this question! Okay, so I DEFINITELY recommend one calendar for the things you HAVE to do at a specific time. That is what my green Google calendar is. But since you like paper, I would recommend one paper calendar (portable) for key appointments and deadlines. But you will want to keep it as open and simple as possible. If you are having a problem locating it, I would perhaps keep it in a purse or use a Franklin Planner that doubles as a wallet and make sure it goes with you everywhere—or at least has one resting spot in the house. The goal is to know where your calendar is at all times and to use it throughout the day.
The second calendar layer I referred to is simply a different COLOR on the same calendar. So maybe you could do appointments in Black and Routines/triggers in Blue, or something like that.
The third section of the post talks about date-specific activities. Like phone calls to make or emails to send or other flexible tasks that need to be done during the day. Having those on a list—like I have in my planner—gives me one place to look for “to do” items when I am in between appointments.
Please feel free to post follow-up questions here, and our team can help!
I carry a small calendar in my purse to schedule appointments on the go for doctors, dentists, hair and so forth. I use a good online that has a free version and paid version called Cozi calendar. You can add people so that they can see the schedule of your day. That would be a good one for your family since your children have activities. Has a menu planner and some other stuff . Check it out.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Tammy!
How do you merge these calendars with you context specific task lists? For example getting cash from the ATM on Friday would normally be on your errand list . Thx!
Great question, Audra! Idea #3 is referring to a list rather than an actual calendar. The key is to have one single place to write those things down & then create a routine to check them on a daily basis. Eric keeps his electronically; April writes hers in her paper planner. As you review them each day, you then transfer the task to your Context Based Next Actions list in the appropriate category.
April explains it this way in another comment, “The third section of the post talks about date-specific activities. Like phone calls to make or emails to send or other flexible tasks that need to be done during the day. Having those on a list—like I have in my planner—gives me one place to look for “to do” items when I am in between appointments. ”
Please feel free to post follow-up questions here, and our team can help!
Is the context next action list a daily list or a weekly list? Mine is pretty full for one day but I’m using a 3.5 “ by 9” notepad piece of paper (easy to put in my purse or stick in my planner etc) .
Also – where do you put the current steps you want to work on for the 7-8 projects we’re working on? Does April put them on her two page planner or somewhere else? And if on her 2 page planner – under what heading?
Thanks- julie
Great question, Julie! The Context Based Next Actions list (CBNAL) is a weekly list. The current step for the projects you’re working on also goes on that list. This post (https://learndobecome.com/2minute-tour/) explains in detail how April uses her planner in conjunction with her CBNAL.
Please feel free to post follow-up questions here, and our team can help!
My husband and I use Cozi. Is there a way to use ideas 1 & 2 on Cozi? Should I just use the note function for idea #2?
Linda,
Great question! I use Cozi as my primary calendar, and I then feed my work calendar (google) into Cozi. You can create a calendar within Cozi for each family member, business, etc. but it does not allow you to “layer” them. You can choose to view “all” or choose to just view one at a time. This doesn’t work well for idea #2. I like to print out a weekly calendar that I map out my time on for that specific week which includes when I go to the gym, errands, etc. I LOVE Cozi in that I can print off a week and month at a time for my family to see what is on our agenda, but it does have some setbacks. I hope this helps!
Can you please explain one day tasks? Do you mean that day or any day. Again what is on this? Did you described this as a task list? Is it location based or is that different? I use 1 calendar as a working calendar and another as definitive – only what actually is a firm appointment or deadline to give me pece and realism. If I use another as a working calendar I know it’s just for planning. I do have too many calendars and hoping to customize one based on what works next year.
Hi Mindy! The one-day tasks are JUST for that day. Sometimes I segment that list (quiet time tasks up top, tasks with kids in the middle, Errands at the bottom), but it is usually a short list. My flexible, weekly Next Actions list is location based. For more details on my full planner, there is a post called “My Two-Minute Planner Tour” in the productivity section!
Thanks for the reminder to layer my calendar. I use electronic and am still learning so I was just lumping every thing on one layer. Now I see where to tell which calendar an item is on and can simplify my appointment scheduling. Thanks for being here for us.
Love the info you share. I started with the central spot to have my files. I’m gonna work on the calendar. The problem is sometimes I like to write things down and sometimes I like to use the cellphone calendar. I love listening to your mini seminars. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Ann Marie! I totally understand the struggle between digital and paper. 🙂 Wishing you the best as you figure out which habits work best for which functions of your life. So glad you’re here with us!
Hi April,
Great ideas here…Do you use the compact or the classic size Franklin planner?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Tausha! We actually have an entire post about April’s planner. Check it out here! https://learndobecome.com/2minute-tour/
Hi April, I am a busy corporate manager by day with 3 teens. Lots to plan! My business meeting calendar is in outlook. No room for more and my to do list at work each day is long. Do you suggest I keep family planning separate from work?
I think it’s a great idea to keep business and personal separate enough that you don’t feel confused when you’re selecting an item to work on. If your business calendar is full–and the house are totally separate from your family hours, you could definitely keep the calendars separate. You just want to make sure there is zero overlap–so you don’t have to look at TWO calendars. And I’m not sure if you’ve gone through our STEP program yet, but that will help to make your to-do list feel less long. 🙂 So glad to have you here!!
Hello
you speak about triggers. what does that look like? what are some examples of triggers? please elaborate.
rebecca
Great question, Rebecca! April actually shows a screenshot of her digital calendar here: https://learndobecome.com/2minute-tour/. Look for the section titled “My Google Calendar”.
Essentially a trigger is a reminder that happens on a specific day. Maybe it’s someone’s birthday & you want to give them a call…you’d create a trigger to remind you. It’s date specific but not a time specific appointment.
Please feel free to post follow-up questions here, and our team can help!
I’ve been receiving your emails for almost a year, but never had a moment to read a single one until last night. 13 hours later, both my inboxes are at 0, and I have asana all set up. Tackling figuring out Evernote next, because I think that would be really helpful. THANK YOU!
Re: calendars, I’m good with #1. Number 2 feels a little superfluous to me, and I’m still thinking through whether I need those kinds of daily reminders…. just feels like too much. But I have a key question about #3: I have a long list of small tasks that need doing, much more than I could fit in a day. They’re not project-based, or routine-based. Where do I keep that growing list of small tasks until I can assign them to a day? Perhaps the trick is to get them done and whittled down as soon as possible, so I can start with a clean slate? I’m not sure I understand how to keep them *somewhere* that isn’t just an endless list I extract from as I plan each day.
Marianna, that’s so exciting! Inboxes to zero is huge! Good work!!
Regarding your growing list of small tasks… Utilizing the Two Minute Rule could apply here just as it does to your email. If it takes 2-minutes or less, do it! If it will take longer or you don’t have 2-minutes, then writing them down is a good thing. Keep the list separate from your regular to-do list. Refer to it when you have some extra time to get a few done. You could also block out some time to get several done at once.
Our free webinar offers even more suggestions on how you can tackle your lists. We’d love you to join us! Click here to sigh up! https://learndobecome.com/step
Hi! I love Learn Do Become, but I just can’t seem to find a calendar (Paper) to use. I’m really liking the look and feel of the iBloom calendar, but want to incorporate your wonderful steps listed above!!
Do you think that the iBloom calendar would be a good fit? I really appreciate your advise, because I’m am so overwhelmed with trying to keep everything in order…:(
Hi Nancy! I’m not familiar with the iBloom calendar. Any calendar can work with the principles in our Steps To Everyday Productivity program as long as you are consistent with keeping it updated. There may be some in our Mastery program who also use the iBloom. Feel free to ask inside the Facebook group. The members there are a wealth of information! Thanks for being part of our community here at Learn Do Become!
Thanks for your advise! I will ask within the Facebook group then.
I use FamCal as my family’s calendar. We can all login on our phones or tablets to see what everyone is doing, (as long as the children keep their activities updated, work in progress). Each person has their own color.
I own my own bookkeeping business, so I also use Google calendar to keep work related appointments and tasks. My family doesn’t need to know where I am working or what I am working on, just that I am working, so I just block out times on FamCal and get specific in Google calendar.
I have also started using a paper 2 page per day calendar that combines the two, MY events off the FamCal and business events off Google calendar to keep from double booking. I also can keep track of tasks and project progress.
Recurring tasks I write on small sticky notes. When I complete the task I move it in the calendar to the next time. Example: ABC payroll needs done every two weeks. I get the payroll info on Monday and need to have completed checks dropped off at the client before Friday. Rather than writing the task on my to-do list every day until completed that week, I have written “ABC Payroll due before Friday” on a small sticky note. If I don’t get it done on Monday, I move the sticky note to Tuesday, and so forth. When I complete the payroll, I move the sticky note to the next time payroll is due.
Thank you for these tips. They have helped with my family and my business.
God bless you.
These are wonderful! Love how you’re creating systems to calm your mind. Way to go, Tonja!
good Job