Calendar Part 2

Each week as you look at your calendar, you can record meetings, appointments, and other sessions  onto your weekly/ daily calendar.  The more you do this, the less chance of your missing an important meeting or task.  If you seen you are over scheduled, ( by looking the beginning of each week) then you can cancel, reschedule or eliminate certain items.

  Make it a habit to also check daily on both your monthly and daily calendar to make sure that you are on task  and get accomplish what you need to get done.

  On your daily calendar  write down items that need to be done that day or week.  In the back of my planner, I have several tabs - one of them is work.  This is where I keep a master list of items that I need to do.

  Every week I transfer items to my weekly /daily lists on days when I know I will have time to complete or at least start the project.

 Check out also The Organized Librarian  book for more tips and hints on being more organized.

  

Calendars- A tool for Organization

   Use your calendar to be more organized in both your home and work life.Calendars come in all shapes , sizes , and types.  One of the first major tasks is figuring out which kind works best for you.
There are also month at a glance, daily planners, weekly calendars, and personal size calendars.

  When a Calendar is used regularly and effectively it becomes an important tool to having a well organized life.  You want a calendar that you can  carry with you .

  Some tips on using a Calendar to be more organized.

1. Use only one calendar! Make it a size  where you will take it with you- especially if you are a working person!

2. A good calendar may also include : a telephone directory , an expense record, and extra pages for additional  places to take notes, makes lists. ect.

3. Write down EVERYTHING!  Even if you have an appointment the same day and time each week- write it down!

   In my planner, I have a monthly calendar, and a weekly calendar. Each week I check the appointments / meetings, and activities  and then write them down on my weekly sheet.  I will also add other activities and tasks that need to be done , both at home and at work. In this way, I keep ton top of all important items that need  attention.

Manage your time with a Kitchen Timer

     Using a kitchen timers can help you manage small blocks of time. It may sound silly, but it does work.  Once you turn it on, then you have two goals: Finish your project before it dings or try to get done before it dings.  Then when you are done, you can cross off the job that has been completed.

  Use your Timer

1. To remind yourself to make a phone call.

2. Promise yourself to work on something for say 10 minutes on something you do not want to do.

3. Use  your timer to go off when you need to be reminded to do a specific task.

4. Divide yo your time/ day . Spend say 30 minutes on one project and another 15 on another.

5. Play ' beat the clock" and set your timers and try to get all your tasks done in that time period.

6. Use your timer to control length of meetings or discussions.  Each person gets a certain amount of time to speak / present their points.

7. Use your timers to work out length of time for specific regular tasks. Then continue to use  the timer to make sure you stay on task and complete items in the time frame required.

Managing Interruptions

  How do you manage interruptions?  Do you get interrupted  and then lose your focus to the job at hand?  Does your day seem like a feeble attempt  of getting your to do list and mostly a series of one interruption after another?

  Here are a few strategies  that may help you

Phone interruptions- the worst

  1. Ask your clerk or secretary to hold all calls. ( while you are working on a specific project during a specific time period.  ) If there is an emergency then of course  they would interrupt you.

2. If you take phone solicitations- again ask your clerk/ secretary  to get details . In my building, it is easy as we do not take phone soliciations as part of our policy- so the clerk / secretary can simply tell the telemarketer.

3) Let  your answering machine  work for you. Even easier if you have phone number id.

Work Interruptions

1) When you have a block of time for a special project ( and you have an office or cubic) shut the door and put up a sign DO NOT DISTURB !

2) When interrupted by a patron , student , or co- worker ask: How Can I help you?  Have them get right to the point. Help them with whatever- then get back to work!

Managing your To Do List

   Okay, you have your to do list or master list.  Does seeing all those items make you a little uncomfortable?:  Use this tricks then,: Look at the list to see if there are some tasks that will not take a long time to complete ( I call this Batching- see The Organized Librarian)

   Take 15 to 20 minutes to complete theses task. Then you can feel wonderful about crossing them off your list. This can include routine weekly items( return emails, make phone calls, water plants, check recycling, do over due list, mark papers, ect)

   Now if you have some bigger projects - what to do? Date them with a time when they need to be completed.  Another I like to do bigger projects is to a) work with the end in mind and b) break the project into a series of tasks ( again   described in The Organized Librarian).

 In this way I can place several tasks foreach project  on a day when I know I have time to work on it.   Put them on your master list first. Then when each task  and project is done you can cross it off both lists and you are one step further  to completing your project.

  You may also note that some tasks never get done nor crossed off. It never achieves priority, Is is important or urgent? Is it something you think you should do? It is something you think someone should do/ Decide if really belongs on your list- Could it be given to your assistant?  Could it be dropped all together? Could it postponed to a later date?

  Your do do list helps bring order to your schedule. it also helps you focus on what needs to be done- what is important to you and to your position   when you can cross items off you will see  exactly what you have accomplished!